of Nokounam , session sixty (29 June 2008)
Surah Al-Fatiha, like a radiant gem within the Holy Qur'an, presents the monotheistic doctrines in a compact and profound structure. The verse اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ, the heart of this chapter, is a supplication that seeks guidance from God. This interpretation focuses on the meaning of Sirat and distinguishes it from Sabl and Tarq, engaging in a lexical, semantic, and mystical exploration of this verse. Through an analytical examination of the usage of these terms within the Holy Qur'an and a critical review of prior exegeses, this treatise endeavours to elucidate the precise and scholarly meanings of the Qur'anic lexicon. Composed in an exalted style and systematic structure, it invites erudite readers to embark on a journey into the depths of Qur'anic knowledge, aspiring as travellers on the Straight Path to seek the truth of guidance.
The verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ, with its distinct syntactic structure, emphasises the exclusivity of worship and seeking assistance from the Most Holy Divine Essence. إِيَّاكَ (You alone we worship, and You alone we seek help from) signifies the vessel of divine unity, whereas نَعْبُدُ (worship) and نَسْتَعِينُ (seeking assistance) pertain to the created, human dimension. This verse, by direct address to God, excludes any form of polytheism or dispersion from worship and assistance, steering them towards monotheistic unity.
You alone we worship, and You alone we seek help from.
إِيَّاكَ refers to the God described at the outset of the Surah with the attributes اللَّهِ, رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ, الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ, and مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ. These attributes encompass lordship, mercy, compassion, and sovereignty on the Day of Judgement, thereby providing the hermeneutical context for understanding إِيَّاكَ. This coherence demonstrates the systematic nature of Surah Al-Fatiha, progressing from divine description to human action.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment.
نَعْبُدُ and نَسْتَعِينُ, as human acts, belong to the domain of creation; yet, their value and meaning emerge in relation to إِيَّاكَ (the Divine Essence). This distinction indicates two ontological levels: the created level dependent on human will and action, and the real level that refers back to the Divine Essence. This structure guides worship and seeking assistance from dispersion towards monotheistic unity.
The verse اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ, as the central supplication within Surah Al-Fatiha, requests guidance to a straight and undeviating path. This phrase, beginning with the imperative verb Guide us (اهْدِنَا), encapsulates the essence of the Surah and directs humanity towards an exalted destination.
Guide us to the Straight Path.
The Surah introduces three distinct paths: Sirat al-Mustaqim (the Straight Path), Sirat alladhina anamta alayhim (the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour), and the paths of Maghdbin alayhim (those who have incurred wrath) and Dlln (those who have gone astray). These three paths represent the differentiation between divine guidance and human deviations.
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Sirat in the lexicon refers to a neutral path, which is given meaning through accompanying adjectives or contextual indicators. In the Holy Qur'an, Sirat is predominantly employed with the adjective Mustaqim (straight), indicating the path of divine guidance. Nevertheless, in rare instances, such as Sirat al-Jahm (Surah As-Saffat: 23), it signifies a path of error. The term Sirat appears approximately 40 times in the Qur'an, mostly accompanied by positive attributes.
And indeed, they (the two [books of Moses and Jesus]) are on a straight path.
Sabl, which appears with broader usage (approximately 170 instances in the Qur'an), refers to various paths, encompassing both right and wrong. Its plural form, Subul, indicates multiplicity and diversity. In the Qur'an, Sabl is used for the path of guidance (Sabl al-Rashd) as well as the path of error (Sabl al-Ghayy).
And We guided them to the path of righteousness.
arq, with a more limited usage (approximately 9 occurrences in the Holy Quran), is the most general term for path or way. This term, like sabl, refers to various paths (both right and wrong), but due to its limited occurrence, it holds a broader meaning.
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَهَدَيْنَاهُ طَرِيقًا
And if We had so willed, We would certainly have guided him on a path.
ir, due to its predominant usage with the adjective straight (مستقیم) and its association with eschatological concepts (such as the Bridge of ir), is more sacred and specific than sabl and arq. Sabl, because of its frequent use and pluralisation, refers to various diverse paths, while arq, given its infrequent usage, carries the most general meaning. These distinctions demonstrate the linguistic precision of the Holy Quran in its selection of vocabulary.
Allmeh Tabtab in Al-Mzn (Vol. 1, p. 28) considered ir, sabl, and arq to be near in meaning (قریب المعنا) and did not draw a clear distinction between them. This view, due to the lack of precise contextual and statistical analysis, is insufficient. Differences in the number of occurrences (ir: 40, sabl: approximately 170, arq: 9) and Quranic contexts demonstrate that these terms possess distinct meanings.
Traditional exegesis methods, due to the absence of precise lexical root analysis and reliance on narrations without Quranic analytical approach, have led to ambiguity in the meanings of terms. This approach prevents attaining accurate and systematic meanings.
In narrations, the straight path (ir al-mustaqm) has been interpreted as the guardianship (wilyah) of Imam Al (peace be upon him) and the infallible Imams (peace be upon them). This interpretation emphasises the sanctity of the ir and its connection to divine guidance.
Narration: Ihdin al-ir al-mustaqm, ir Al
Guide us to the straight path, the path of Al.
ir refers to the Bridge of ir on the Day of Resurrection, which only the guided pass over. This concept is exclusive to ir and is not attributed to sabl or arq, underscoring the semantic distinction of ir.
For an accurate understanding of ir, sabl, and arq, lexical root analysis (etymology) and contextual examination are essential. Without such analysis, interpretations remain superficial and erroneous. The Holy Quran, as the supreme lexical reference, enables the extraction of precise meanings.
Differences in the number of usages (ir: 40, sabl: approximately 170, arq: 9) reveal the semantic distinctions of these terms. ir, due to its predominant use with the adjective straight, is more sacred. Sabl, because of its frequency and variety, is more general, while arq, due to limited usage, carries the broadest meaning.
The poem On the straight path, O heart, no one is astray aligns with the Holy Quran, since the straight path is the way of guidance. However, the Qalandari viewpoint that on the arq, whatever befalls the seeker is good is erroneous, because paths leading to error culminate in Hell.
The interpretation of the phrase اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ in Srah al-Ftiah, through an investigation into the meaning of ir and its distinction from sabl and arq, sheds light on Quranic knowledge. إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ, by emphasising divine unity, allocates worship and seeking help exclusively to the Divine Essence, preparing the ground for the prayer for guidance in ihdin. ir, due to its predominant association with the adjective straight and connection to the guardianship of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and the Bridge of ir, is the most sacred and specific term for the path of guidance. Sabl, with its diversity and frequency, and arq, with its broader meaning, differ from ir.
The critique of previous exegeses, such as Allmeh Tabtabs view that ir, sabl, and arq are near in meaning, demonstrates the necessity of lexical root analysis and contextual examination. The Holy Quran, as the best lexical reference, facilitates extraction of precise meanings. Narrations interpreting ir as the guardianship of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) underscore the sanctity of this term. This interpretation, coupled with an invitation to scientific and systematic analysis, paves the way for deeper research in Quranic sciences. It is hoped that these insights, like a lamp on the straight path, guide travellers towards divine guidance.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
