وَلَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ صِرَٰطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا 68
Translations
And We would have guided them to a straight path.
Transliteration
Wa-lahadaynāhum sirātan mustaqīmā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah, part of verse 68 of Surah An-Nisa, expresses that Allah would have guided those who reject His signs to the straight path if they had been willing to accept guidance. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes that divine guidance is conditional upon human receptiveness and obedience; Allah's guidance is always available, but its benefit depends on a person's sincere desire to follow it. The 'straight path' (sirāt al-mustaqīm) refers to the way of truth, righteousness, and submission to Allah as exemplified by the Quran and Sunnah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nisa's discussion of those who reject faith and dispute the signs of Allah. The broader thematic context concerns the consequences of turning away from divine guidance and the reality that Allah does not force belief upon anyone, though His guidance remains accessible to the sincere.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reinforced in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 7481) where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'No one will enter Paradise except a Muslim soul,' emphasizing that guidance leads to salvation. Additionally, Surah Al-Ankabut 29:69 complements this theme: 'Those who strive hard in Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that divine guidance is perpetually offered by Allah to all humanity, but its reception requires sincerity, humility, and willingness to submit; we must examine our hearts to ensure we are genuinely seeking truth rather than following our desires. It reminds us that the responsibility for accepting or rejecting guidance ultimately rests with us, and we should constantly pray for steadfastness on the straight path.