| AS-SIRAAT-AL
MUSTAQIIM
Siratun:For
Lexicography and Comparison with Synonyms and Contradistinctions,
see Appendices 31 and 32 respectively.
As-Siraat-Al
Mustaqiim
It "means a path which is absolutely clear and straight
without any crookedness in it. Ali (May Allah be pleased with
him) interpreted it as the Quran. Ibn Abbas, Ibn Masood (May
Allah be pleased with them) and several other companions of
the Prophet (Peace be upon him) meant Islam by it. Briefly
it means obedience to the orders of Allah and of the Prophet
(Peace be upon him )". (Page 30, Vol-I,The Holy Quran,
Translation - A.M. Yaqoob). ‘As-Siraat-al Mustaqiim'
is the way straight, balanced and heading forward. (Taleemul
Quran , Mushtaque Ahmad Khan).
It means, it is neither static, nor regressive,
nor retrogressive. It is in fact the dynamic way forward.
It does not only refer to the path on the earth (in this world)
of those who were successful in the past, but it has connotations
for continuous success for all those who take on this way,
any time and get Allah’s favours. The Quran says that
Allah Himself is on the Straight Path (11-56). You take to
the Right Path and He is there. This Path is basically for
taking man to Him. It definitely means the Straight Path leading
to God. In this context and particularly in the background
of special favours done to servants and seekers of God on
this Way, the term ‘Siraatal-Mustaqiim’ has far
wider and much deeper meaning. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be
upon him), during his journey of ascension, traversed the
Path leading to God, on which, beyond a certain point, he
had to proceed alone to get special honours and favours. Gabriel
(may Allah be pleased with him) had to stay behind. Therefore,
‘Siraatal Mustaqiim’ is not only the path for
conduct on this earth, but it may have many physical, spiritual
and intellectual connotations.
‘As-Siraat-al Mustaqiim' is the "Name
of the Straight Path". It is the opposite of "Muawwaj"
(distorted, bent, crooked). It is variously clarified as Ad-Diin
, Al-Islam, Al-Huda, Ad-Da'wah, (the call),- the complete
code of conduct or the complete code of life for mankind in
accordance with nature.
In previous verse of Al-Faatihaah (No.6), the
term "Siraat-al Mustaqiim" with ‘Ihidnaa’
implies ’showing the Straight Path visibly, understandably,
kindly, gently and all along, to the destination’. It
also means the Way that leads aright in all activities of
our lives and keeps absolutely saved from pitfalls. It is
not an abstract idea but a prescription put into practice.
So far this as a supplication is concerned, it is a sincere
and faithful demand based on deep relationship of Love and
Benevolence of Allah.
The
Illuminated Path:In the realm of social activities,
course of social conduct is marked by sign posts of those
who leave their names and deeds in imprints of their achievements
["A'maal Saalih” (righteous deeds )] for guidance
of those who follow. The conduct on the Straight Path is fully
guided with signals, sign posts, milestones, indicators and
markers of Hidaayah and the light houses of luminaries who
already treaded the Way. It is a perfectly guided highway.
The Path itself is illuminated for convenience and benefit
of followers, e.g., 7-203. In modern times a similitude can
perhaps be seen in landing, take off and operations of an
aeroplane on the illuminated strip of the runway of an airport,
guided through computer, radar, control tower, etc. On the
‘Siraat-al Mustaqiim' connectivity, control and all
operations and actions take place as guided by Allah.
"I put my trust in Allah,
My Lord-Master-Owner and your Lord-Master-Owner
(Allah)!
There is not a moving creature, but He has the
grasp of its forelock.
Verily, my Lord-Master-Sustainer is on the Straight
Path."11-56
The term Sirat-Al Mustaqiim has been highlighted
at many places in the Quran. Demonstration of the practical
model has also been given for ease of understanding and convenience
in following, in the life of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
"Yaa
Siin. Consider the Quran , full of Wisdom,
Truly, you ( O Muhammad ), are one of the Messengers,
On The Straight Path,
Sent down by the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful."
36- 1 to 5.
"O ye
who believe! Should any of you desert this religion,God will
then raise up a people loved by Him, and loving Him"
5-54
"Say:
If ye love God, follow me.
God will love you, and forgive your sins,
For God is Ever All-Forgiving, Ever All-Merciful."
3-31
The Straight
Path has always and all along been illuminated by glare and
glamour of ‘those' luminaries who ‘chose' it as
the right way and remained constant on it. With this design,
Allah sent a large number of prophets, from time to time,
for the guidance of mankind - every community.
"And there never was a people without a warner
having lived among them". 35-24
"We (Allah)
have sent Messenger to every community" 16-36
Speaking
of Abraham,
"God showed him the Straight Path”:
16-121
The Quran
tells us that Jesus said:
“Verily my God and your God is the God of
all ;
so worship Him; that alone is the Straight Path”:
43-64
Speaking
of the Prophets:
“We (Allah) have chosen them as prophets
and shown them all, the Straight Path”: 6-87
All the prophets
conveyed diligently the Message in their time to their respective
communities, till the last universal Message was delivered
for the ‘worlds'. They did it with relentless effort
and long drawn out struggle, sacrificing everything. Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) set the example himself, clarified
meaning and different aspects of the Straight Path amply,
in his life. He used simplest words and easiest actions for
convenience of people to follow.
The
Only Way Forward:Abdullah bin Masood (may
Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (Peace
be upon him) drew a line on the ground and said:
‘Take this as the path prescribed by God
. It is very straight.’ After this, he drew several
lines in different styles and said: ‘These
are the paths which man has chalked out for himself and of
these, there is not one path to which there is not a satan
to invite’. And then he recited the verse quoted (below)”.
“And they say: ‘Be Jews or Christians,
you will be guided’.
Say: Nay, (we follow) the religion of Abraham,
the upright one , and he was not of the polytheists.”
2-135
The straight
path is the one which does not create disorder, wastage, injury
and disruption in the society. In 400 BC, Darius-III transcribed
on the state pillar:
“O man! The order of Ahur Mazda is this:
‘ Do not entertain the thought of committing
wrong;
do not discard the Straight Path, abstain from
sin.”
The Straight Path is just one and going astray
has no one way or direction - it could be anywhere and anyway.
The aim of the arrow is just one point only. All other points
and places are " Dzalaalat" (going astray). The
"Straight Path" has no turns and twists. The term
signifies the route of the Faith which avoids the two extremes
of excesses and deficiencies.
Philosophical
and Scientific Approaches:In science a straight
line connects the two points in the shortest distance. This
basic scientific characteristic is essentially included in
the lexical meaning. Thus, in scientific terms, and in the
light of definitions discussed above, it has dynamics, direction
and a kinetic force, which provide in its very construction
the capacity and capability to carry the user on this ‘conveyer
course’ in a supportive life style to the destination.
In modern terminology, it may be easier to explain with the
similitude of a self propelling or mobile or moving corridor
(conveyer), escalator, etc., in contrast to static or stationary
street with a dead end or a cul-de-sac. In fact it is like
a mobile medium directing and carrying straight ahead, balancing
with care and moderation, in a clear environment without any
obscurity and obstruction.
Before science could clarify, there were different
notions in the world about conduct of life and celestial movement.
They believed that everything, whether objects or ideas were
in a ‘cyclic movement’, e.g., Greek believed that
since celestial bodies were considered to be circular, the
movement of the universe was also to be circular. Similarly,
Hindus believed (as did Pythagorus) in the cyclic movement
of spirit through re-incarnation, and its salvation in ultimately
getting rid of body. Egyptian and Chinese calendars instead
of moving forward seem to be taking turns at the cul-de-sac
with the change of dynasties, that is why it is still difficult
for historians to assign exact dates to events in history
of such people. In such periods of human history, in these
areas, instead of science, myth, mystery, mystic ideas, pantheism
etc., flourished. Similar influences affected subsequently
Zoroasterians, Christians and Jews. Some of Muslim scholars
also were similarly influenced. Even later ideas of ‘Eternal
Recurrence’ by Neutsche, ‘Thesis and Anti-thesis’
in ideas by Hegel and ‘Social Orders’ by Marx,
have roots in these philosophies which are basically ingrained
in their belief in the cyclic movements in the universe.
The Quran rejected unfounded faith and all unscientific
beliefs. It emphatically clarifies that life is not caught
up in a cyclic churn which implies retrogression instead of
progress and development. In contrast, the Quran presents
the system with the ‘straight way forward’.
Examine 11-56 again.
"Verily,
my Lord-Master-Owner (Allah) is on the Straight Path ".
11-56
Always increasing and flourishing:
"He (Allah) increases in creation what He
wills.
Verily, Allah is Ever All-Powerful Able to do
all things." ( 35-1)
Progress:,
"You shall certainly travel from stage to
stage" 84-19
With means to ascend the higher levels of existence:
"From Allah, the Lord-Master-Owner of the
ways of ascent". 70-3
These are manifestation of the Providence (Allah)
Who is always Busy in Ever New Glory in Modernity:
"Whosoever is in the heavens and the earth
begs of Him (Allah),
Everyday He is in New Glory : 55-29
Everything has been provided scientifically by
nature the shortest route to reach the Destiny, for which
the suppliant seeks guidance in Al-Faatihah.
"Guide
us in the Straight Way" : 1-6
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