of Nekounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 70)
The verse ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ from Surah Al-Fatiha, as an existential supplication, summons humanity towards harmony with the order of existence and progression towards the origin of perfection. This verse, by requesting guidance to the straight path, entails not merely theoretical cognition but also a practical movement that aligns the individual with the ceaseless flow of divine grace. This book, adopting a philosophical, scientific, and narrational approach, conducts an in-depth analysis of this verse and, by critiquing traditional perspectives, elucidates the concept of guidance as arrival at the existential destination. The structure of the work, aiming to meet the needs of expert audiences, presents all details in a refined and systematic language.
The verse ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ poses guidance as a fundamental request that transcends mere presentation and indication, referring instead to arrival (reaching the destination).
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the straight path.
Arrival is a concept broader than presentation, for it encompasses, besides guidance and explanation, bringing the entity to its final destination. This definition elevates guidance from a verbal plane to an ontological domain.
Guidance is actualised in two domains: the Divine (the Truth) and the created beings (the creatures). This guidance flows universally and infinitely, ranging from a single drop of water to the existence of a Prophet.
Guidance is exponential and infinite such that if one unit of guidance doubles, then increases to ten, and continues exponentially, it eventually reaches infinity.
وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَٰمٌ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ
If all the trees on earth were pens and the sea, replenished by seven seas after it, were ink, the words of God would not be exhausted.
This verse demonstrates the vastness and infinity of divine guidance, which surpasses human comprehension.
Contrary to traditional views that limit guidance to presentation and indication, guidance is defined here as arrival, which inherently includes presentation.
Some commentators, such as Sheikh Tusi in Tafsir Tebyn, interpret guidance as encompassing two meanings: instruction (irshd) and success (tawfq). This definition is inadequate due to the lack of precise elucidation of these terms.
Reference to the interpretation attributed to Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him) for defining guidance is dubious because the narration is disconnected (mursal) and its chain of transmission weak. Some narrations, such as "Return to the narrators of our traditions", suffer from similar evidential issues and are unreliable.
The request ٱهْدِنَا is neither acquisition of a tangible benefit nor seeking reward; rather, it is an endeavour to harmonise with the cosmic order and to align affairs along the straight path.
Defining guidance as worship is erroneous as it restricts the expansive concept of guidance. Guidance encompasses all existential dimensions beyond worship alone.
Limiting ٱهْدِنَا to seeking reward is a popular but superficial view inconsistent with the ontological depth of the verse.
Interpreting ٱهْدِنَا as requesting an increase in guidance is incorrect because this verse is a direct request for guidance, not its augmentation.
وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى
And those who are guided He increases them in guidance.
This verse refers to the increase of guidance, whereas ٱهْدِنَا is an independent request for guidance.
The perspective that supplication generates expediency is insufficient since divine expediency is independent of human prayer. God accomplishes expediency without human requests.
The guidance granted to Moses (peace be upon him) occurred without his request, indicating that divine grace can flow independently of supplication.
فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
Remove your sandals; you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.
This verse demonstrates that divine guidance sometimes unfolds without human solicitation.
The Sunni viewpoint that a jurists ruling is the cause of the divine decree contrasts with the Shia perspective (considered erroneous) that holds the divine decree is independent of the jurists ruling.
The velocity of the cosmic movement exceeds the speed of light, and guidance is an effort to synchronise with this velocity. In comparison with the renewal of existence, lights speed is akin to that of a chariot.
The verse ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ, through an existential plea, invites humanity towards alignment with the cosmic order and progression towards the origin of perfection. Guidance, understood as arrival, transcends presentation and indication, encompassing all domains of the Divine and creation, and, by virtue of its exponential and infinite nature, exceeds human comprehension. Critiques of traditional viewssuch as defining guidance as instruction, success, worship, or reward-seekingunderscore their insufficiency. The request ٱهْدِنَا is not for creating expediency but for harmonisation with divine order, which sometimes, as exemplified by the guidance granted to Moses (peace be upon him), flows without human invocation. This interpretation, adopting a philosophical and scientific approach, invites profound reflection on the relationship between humanity, the origin of existence, and the flow of divine grace.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
