of Nokounam, May His Secret Be Sanctified, Session Seventy-Seven (26 July 2008)
The noble verse Ihdina al-ir al-mustaqm from Surah Al-Fatiha, as a foundational supplication in the Holy Quran, is not merely a request for guidance towards the true divine path but also a gateway to understanding the infinitude of existence and the continuous existential journey of humanity towards God. This treatise, adopting a philosophical and Quranic perspective, elucidates the concept of the Straight Path within the context of the Hereafter and Quranic ontology. By relying upon the Holy Quranic verses and rational arguments, this exegesis emphasises the boundlessness of the path of guidance and the absence of any terminus in existence. The present content, preserving all details of the seventy-seventh lecture session, has been rearticulated in an exalted language appropriate for academic audiences so as to provide a systematic analysis and simultaneously extend an invitation to contemplation on existential continuity and perpetual movement along the divine path.
In the Holy Quran, the Straight Path is introduced as the sole genuine way in the Hereafter, encompassing the entire existence of being. This path is not merely the way of worldly guidance but the axis of human existential progression in the realm of the Hereafter, which possesses no end or limitation whatsoever.
Ihdina al-ir al-mustaqm
Guide us to the Straight Path.
The Straight Path, like a faint light amidst the darkness of multiplicity, directs man towards divine unity and, in the Hereafter, manifests as the sole existential reality.
The Holy Quran introduces the Hereafter as an infinite realm devoid of any segmentation or finite termination. Numerous verses, such as the following, denote the continuity and eternity of the Hereafter:
وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ
"And the Hereafter is better and more enduring."
The Hereafter, akin to a boundless ocean, neither has an absolute beginning nor a finite end. This infinitude transforms the Straight Path into an eternal path along which man is perpetually progressing towards God.
The Holy Quran introduces nothing beyond the Hereafter. The Hereafter, as the receptacle of all existence, is not confined to anything external to itself; all that exists is encompassed within this realm.
This reality is like a mirror reflecting the entirety of existence within itself, without leaving anything outside it.
The following verse emphasises guidance towards God and the absence of any boundary in this progression:
وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ
"And decree for us good in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned to You in repentance."
The phrase inn hudn ilayk resounds as a melody that echoes mans endless journey towards the Divine, without envisioning any boundary for this guidance.
The Holy Quran mentions eternity and perpetuity for both blissful (Paradisiacal) and tormenting (Hellish) beings. This eternity indicates the infinite nature of the realm of the Hereafter in both realms of good and evil.
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا
"They will abide therein forever."
Eternity is like an eternal current which, whether in Paradise or Hell, never ceases its motion and has no end.
The Holy Quran employs the term khirah 115 times, alluding to the boundlessness and continuity of this realm. Additionally, the term abad (eternity) appears 28 times in connection with eternal permanence in the Hereafter, which applies equally to the inhabitants of both bliss and torment.
In the Holy Quran, the Hereafter is introduced as Dar al-Qarar, meaning the abode of continuity and stability, not of stillness or cessation. This stability signifies the absence of agitation, anxiety, or chaos.
إِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارُ الْقَرَارِ
"Indeed, the Hereafter is the abode of stability."
Dar al-Qarar is like a calm shore upon which the waves of existence find stability; however, this stability is not cessation, but rather an uninterrupted continuation in the divine journey.
The Hereafter, as a realm of goodness and permanence, holds an infinite value compared to the ephemeral goods of this world. This goodness and permanence elevate the Straight Path to a sublime trajectory.
وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ
"And indeed, the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who fear [God]."
The anticipation of an end or cessation on the Straight Path is an epistemological error. Existence lacks walls or dead ends; every moment is itself a new destination.
This reality resembles a river whose every drop is simultaneously a beginning and an end, never reaching a final terminus.
Existence is like a building with colourless walls, where no boundaries are discernible. Man must proceed cautiously to avoid error, yet this caution does not imply stopping, but continuous movement on the divine path.
This analogy is akin to walking in a fog, where one relies on divine guidance to find the way without seeking an end.
Stasis in existence signifies misguidance. Even what appears stationary is truly in motion. The Straight Path is a trajectory that compels man to perpetual movement.
This movement is like the dance of particles in sunlight, never ceasing and revealing a new manifestation of truth at every moment.
According to Shia narrations, the Straight Path is interpreted as the Wilaya (guardianship) of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). This path guides man towards God without requiring a search for an end.
The Straight Path is like a bridge illuminated by the light of Wilaya, leading man towards the divine destination.
Existence lacks any end or wall. There are ranks, diversity, variation, and determinations in existence, but they never culminate in a dead end.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
"Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return."
This verse is like a melody echoing the infinity of mans journey towards God.
The perspectives of some theologians and philosophers who regard existence as either absolutely created or absolutely eternal are inconsistent with the Holy Quran. Existence has neither an absolute beginning nor a finite end; rather, it is a collection of ranks and determinations.
This critique is like a warning to a painter who settles for imaginary lines instead of portraying reality.
Prosperity lies in constant readiness for death in a state of Islam. This readiness keeps man on the Straight Path.
لَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
"You shall not die except as Muslims."
This verse is like a call to live on the Straight Path with constant preparedness for the divine meeting.
The exegesis of the verse "اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ" (Guide us to the Straight Path) acts as a key unlocking the doors of ontological knowledge. The Straight Path is an infinite trajectory which, in the Hereafter as the sole existential reality, guides man towards God. The Hereafter is an unbounded realm characterised by eternity and perpetuity without end. The prayer "Guide us to the Straight Path" is a request for constant presence on this divine path, each moment of which is a new destination and a station for spiritual elevation. This interpretation, by critiquing conceptual views and emphasising constant movement, invites man to abandon the expectation of an end and to live in continuous progression towards the Beloved.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
