Tousif Raza
When a man turns away from worldly involvement and submits himself to the will of the Lord, his inner voice says from the heart, “I desire the right path.” So he prays, “O, My Lord, guide me on the right path.” This voice is heard during his state of prayer, when he has discarded the mask of deceit and publicity and is in direct communication with the Creator of the universe. It is clear that human beings do not travel in a vacuum. A journey presupposes a destination, and the destination involves a sense of direction. The significance of the passage is determined by the significance of the destination. The word “guide” implies the indication of the way by one who is thoroughly familiar with the passage. It also implies a maneuvering of the controls, the buttons, and switches to maintain the correct course. Though the end emphasizes the final result one hopes to achieve as distinct from the process of achieving it, the process cannot be divorced from the final result: the means of achievement are as important as the achievement of the end. The two are complementary and interdependent. Since the end justifies the means, the definition of the end acquires crucial significance. Therefore, first of all, man determines the nature of the goal or objective he strives to attain as his purpose or ideal. After the delimitation of the objective of his pursuit and struggle, he is confronted with the desire to realize this objective. Man needs the right sense of direction to reach the specific goal or to realize his coveted objective.
As a fact, the Quran is the best guideline for man to realize the right path that leads to his destination. It has divided guidelines into many stages to make man’s path easy to travel. These divided phases of direction for humans are the tools to brighten mankind as a supreme creature. An awareness of the ideal and the objective, an identification of the right path that may facilitate the achievement of the objective, and the realization of the objective or the ideal are necessary to eliminate any scope of doubt and deflection from the right path. The above-mentioned translated verse of Al-Fatiha concentrates on explaining the three human compulsions, i.e., the three essential phases of the human conscience. It means that this particular Quranic verse provides complete guidance, from an awareness of the purpose of human existence up to the actual realization of the purpose. Besides, it provides not only abstract guidance but also furnishes a definite guarantee for the achievement of this ideal. If you keep these three stages in view and reconsider the words of the verse, the reality behind the words shall unfold itself to the discerning eye. The verse comprises three segments, which make them parallel to the three phases or voices of the human conscience: Ihidina, As-Siraat, and Al-Mustaqeem—”show me the right path.” In the first segment, through the cry of Ihidina, man beseeches the Lord to make him aware of the purpose of his existence. He asks for a kind of consciousness that may help him identify this purpose. In this way, he makes a double confession: he confesses his own helplessness as well as the infinite power of the Lord Almighty. He openly admits that God alone has the power to confer on him the consciousness of some purpose behind the apparent chaos of reality. This cry directs man to acknowledge that Almighty God is supreme in opening the ways to an enlightened destination.
Through the cry of Al-Siraat (right path or way), man beseeches God to guide him in identifying the path that leads to the fulfillment of the ideal. He desires guidance from God that may reveal the correct path—the path that runs straight to his place of destination, a path that is free from the thorns of ignorance and the potholes and grooves of arrogance. Thus, in a posture of complete submission, he cries out, “I don’t know how to differentiate between the correct and the incorrect path—the path that leads to my destiny and the path that leads away from it. Shower your special mercy on me and show me the correct path. Show me the way that leads towards my destination so that by following this path, I may realize the aim of my life.” These are some feelings emerging from man’s heart in the form of prayer, so that man may attain his aim and destiny. God responds to the sincere voice of the human conscience and blesses him with the capacity to identify the right path. But the divine response generates another human desire—the desire for a foolproof guarantee of achieving the ideal.
The third and last segment about the sense of guidance is Al-Mustaqeem. Through this cry, man desires a guarantee of stability and a guarantee of the realization of the objective. He seeks assurance from the Lord to follow the right path with unwavering stability. This sense of stability is the real guarantee to acquire the objective. Man actually prays to God, “Bless me with the riches of stability so that I may achieve my ideal without any sense of doubt or insecurity. It is possible that I may stray from the right path, and once I stray, I may not be able to rediscover my destiny. Therefore, show me the path that is safe and secure—the path where robbers do not loot the passengers, the path where the devil can’t lure travelers, and the path that generates not only a sense of stability in the journeymen but also furnishes a sure guarantee for achieving the purpose and the mission of their lives.” The Quran is complete guidance for man; the need is to follow it. So I say, “O, my Lord, guide me along the right path.” Whatever the situation and condition might be, what we need is a sensitive and honestly dedicated relation with the Creator of the universe so that we could have a path of high profile and dignity in every way. The right path means a strong relation with our Lord—love our Lord and get peace. In this context, I conclude with a saying that elucidates all in a few words: Rumi says, “If the garden of the soul did not seek the right path to propagate the smell, I could not carry Love’s message on the east wind.”
(Writer can be reached at tousifeqbal555@gmail.com)
