سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 9
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصْدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنْهَا جَآئِرٌ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And upon Allâh is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path. But there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism and Christianity). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَعَلَى
waʿalā
And upon
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
قَصْدُ
qaṣdu
(is) the direction
ٱلسَّبِيلِ
l-sabīli
(of) the way
وَمِنْهَا
wamin'hā
and among them
جَآئِرٌۭ ۚ
jāirun
(are) crooked
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَآءَ
shāa
He willed
لَهَدَىٰكُمْ
lahadākum
surely He would have guided you
أَجْمَعِينَ
ajmaʿīna
all
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah9) ➊ {وَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيْلِ … :} After mentioning some human necessities, the most essential thing, that is, the arrangement for showing the correct path, is especially mentioned, because without this, nothing else matters. That is why we pray for this in every prayer: «{ اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ }» [ الفاتحۃ : ۵ ] "Guide us to the straight path." {’’ قَصْدُ ‘‘} means to be straight. {’’ السَّبِيْلِ ‘‘} means path, so {’’ قَصْدُ السَّبِيْلِ ‘‘} means the straight path in which there is no crookedness. It is also called "Sabeel Qasd" and "Sabeel Qasid." Thus, {’’ قَصْدُ ‘‘ } is a verbal noun in the meaning of an active participle, which is annexed to the described noun. It is established that the shortest line between two points is a straight line, meaning that guiding His servants to the straight path is the responsibility of Allah alone, and He has taken this responsibility upon Himself out of His grace; no one has compelled Him. Or, the translation can also be that the straight path leads to Allah, meaning that if a person remains upon his natural disposition, he will automatically affirm the oneness of Allah. This indicates that just as Allah has provided for the physical needs of man, in the same way, He has also determined the path of guidance for him.
➋ When the Giver of life Himself has determined the path, thinkers, philosophers, and lawmakers should refrain from the trouble of making constitutions or laws, because their knowledge does not encompass everything; therefore, the constitutions and laws they make keep changing and always result in the ruin of mankind. The job of rulers is not to make constitutions, but to practically implement the constitution and law given by Allah. Unfortunately, as a result of several centuries of effort by the disbelievers, Muslims eventually assumed the position of Allah themselves and, after abolishing the caliphate, became constitution-makers and lawmakers in the name of democracy. Now their name is Muslim, but their system is rebellion against Allah and acting upon the command of the disbelievers or their own desires.
➌ { وَ مِنْهَا جَآىِٕرٌ: ’’جَارَ عَنِ الطَّرِيْقِ‘‘} deviated from the path. {’’ جَآىِٕرٌ ‘‘} is an active participle; all those paths that are not from Allah, that is, neither proven from the Quran nor from Hadith, all of them are deviated from the straight path, and those who adopt them are misguided.
➍ {وَ لَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدٰىكُمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ :} But by this, the real purpose of creating man, which is trial, would be lost, because as far as showing the way is concerned, that has been fulfilled by sending prophets and revealing books, but walking on that path has been left to man's own choice, so that he may be rewarded or punished according to his deeds.
➋ When the Giver of life Himself has determined the path, thinkers, philosophers, and lawmakers should refrain from the trouble of making constitutions or laws, because their knowledge does not encompass everything; therefore, the constitutions and laws they make keep changing and always result in the ruin of mankind. The job of rulers is not to make constitutions, but to practically implement the constitution and law given by Allah. Unfortunately, as a result of several centuries of effort by the disbelievers, Muslims eventually assumed the position of Allah themselves and, after abolishing the caliphate, became constitution-makers and lawmakers in the name of democracy. Now their name is Muslim, but their system is rebellion against Allah and acting upon the command of the disbelievers or their own desires.
➌ { وَ مِنْهَا جَآىِٕرٌ: ’’جَارَ عَنِ الطَّرِيْقِ‘‘} deviated from the path. {’’ جَآىِٕرٌ ‘‘} is an active participle; all those paths that are not from Allah, that is, neither proven from the Quran nor from Hadith, all of them are deviated from the straight path, and those who adopt them are misguided.
➍ {وَ لَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدٰىكُمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ :} But by this, the real purpose of creating man, which is trial, would be lost, because as far as showing the way is concerned, that has been fulfilled by sending prophets and revealing books, but walking on that path has been left to man's own choice, so that he may be rewarded or punished according to his deeds.
