This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Prohibition of Crooked Paths
❀ The Divine Command is:
وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٥٣﴾
"This is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, for they will separate you from His way and cause you to go astray. This is the guidance your Lord has given you so that you may avoid wrongdoing."
Reference: (6-Al-An'am:153)
According to the narration of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) indicated these paths as follows:
”خط لنا رسول الله خطا وخط خطوطا عن يمينه وشماله ثم قال هذا سبيل الله وهذه سبل على كل سبيل منها شيطان يدعو إليه“
The Prophet (peace be upon him) drew a long line and then drew many lines to its right and left. Then he said: "This is the straight path of Allah, and these are the other paths, and on each of these paths is a devil calling you towards it."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad 435/1, Sunan al-Kubra by al-Nasa'i 11174, Sunan al-Darimi 208)
After that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited this verse from the Holy Quran:
وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ
"This is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, for they will separate you from His way and cause you to go astray."
Reference: (6-Al-An'am:153)
On this basis, Allah Almighty has commanded that we say this supplication in prayer:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ﴿٧﴾
Reference: (1-Al-Fatiha:6,7)
The explanation of "those who have earned Your anger" and "those who go astray" was given by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself:
”اليهود مغضوب عليهم والنصارى ضالون“
"Those who have earned Your anger are the Jews, and those who go astray are the Christians."
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Tafsir al-Quran: Chapter on Surat Al-Fatiha, Hadith: 2954)
The Straight Path is Clear
A few days before his death, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) clarified the religion and the straight path, saying:
”تركتكم على البيضاء النقية ليلها كنهارها لا يزيغ عنها بعدي الا هالك“
"I am leaving you on a clear and pure religion, whose night is as bright as its day. Whoever perishes after me will do so due to turning away from it."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Introduction, Chapter on Following the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Hadith: 43
In another place, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
”ما تركت من شيء يقربكم من الجنة الا وقد حدثتكم به ولا من شيء يبعدكم عن النار الا وقد حدثتكم به“
"I have informed you of every deed that could be a means of nearness to Paradise and distance from Hell."
Reference: (Sharh al-Sunnah by al-Baghawi 13/303, Shu'ab al-Iman by al-Bayhaqi 10376)
