Types of Guidance and the Principle Behind Allah’s DecisionWritten by: Waqar Akbar Cheema
✦ Levels and Types of Guidance
Guidance (Hidayah) means direction, leadership, and showing the right path. In the Noble Qur’an, Allah ﷻ has mentioned guidance in multiple levels, assigning each type of guidance to a particular category of creation or spiritual state.
❶ Universal Guidance
The first type of guidance is universal, meaning it applies to all created beings — living and non-living alike. Allah ﷻ states:
قَالَ رَبُّـنَا الَّذِیۡۤ اَعْطٰی کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلْقَہٗ ثُمَّ ہَدٰی
(Surah Ta-Ha: 50)
Translation: He said, "Our Lord is He who gave everything its form and then guided it."
Allah has granted every creature guidance in accordance with its nature — birds are guided to fly, trees to grow, and humans are endowed with intellect and awareness.
❷ Guidance for Jinn and Humans
This second type is specific to humans and jinn. It is the moral and spiritual guidance based on which they will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. Allah ﷻ has clearly distinguished between truth and falsehood, and given every individual the freedom of choice.
وَ نَفْسٍ وَّ مَا سَوّٰىہَا (7) فَاَلْہَمَہَا فُجُوۡرَہَا وَ تَقْوٰىہَا (8)
(Surah Ash-Shams: 7–8)
Translation: By the soul and the One who perfected it, then inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.
Accepting or rejecting this guidance is a matter of human choice, and it is this freedom that makes mankind accountable before Allah.
❸ Specific (Selective) Guidance
This third level is reserved for those who sincerely seek the truth. For such people, Allah opens up the path of righteousness even further.
وَالَّذِیۡنَ اہۡتَدَوۡا زَادَہُمۡ ہُدًی وَّ اٰتٰہُمۡ تَقۡوٰہُمۡ
(Surah Muhammad: 17)
Translation: And those who accept guidance — He increases them in guidance and grants them their righteousness.
✦ Meaning of “Allah Guides Whom He Wills”
The Qur’an repeatedly mentions that Allah guides whomever He wills and misguides whomever He wills:
فَیُضِلُّ اللہُ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَیَہۡدِیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ
(Surah Ibrahim: 4)
Translation: Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.
This does not imply arbitrariness. Rather, it means that Allah guides those who strive for truth, and He allows those who reject the truth to go astray as a consequence of their own choices.
✦ Human Free Will and Action
The Qur’an makes it clear that humans have free will. Allah has made the path of guidance clear and accessible:
وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِنۡ رَّبِّکُمْ ۟ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ فَلْیُؤۡمِنۡ وَّ مَنۡ شَآءَ فَلۡیَکۡفُرۡ
(Surah Al-Kahf: 29)
Translation: Say, “The truth is from your Lord.” Then whoever wills — let him believe; and whoever wills — let him disbelieve.
Likewise, Allah promises guidance to those who sincerely strive in His cause:
وَالَّذِیۡنَ جَاہَدُوۡا فِیۡنَا لَنَہۡدِیَنَّہُمۡ سُبُلَنَا
(Surah Al-Ankabut: 69)
Translation: And those who strive in Our cause — We will surely guide them to Our paths.
✦ How Does Allah Lead People Astray?
Allah allows misguidance for those who willfully reject the truth and remain obstinate in their rebellion:
وَمَنۡ یُّشَاقِقِ الرَّسُوۡلَ مِنۡۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَہُ الْہُدٰی… نُصۡلِہٖ جَہَنَّمَ
(Surah An-Nisa: 115)
Translation: And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him... We will leave him in the path he has chosen and enter him into Hell.
✦ What Does “Seal on Hearts” Mean?
In several places, the Qur’an mentions that Allah has sealed the hearts of the disbelievers:
خَتَمَ اللہُ عَلٰی قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ…
"Allah has set a seal upon their hearts..."
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 7)
This signifies that persistent denial and arrogance toward the truth causes a person to lose the ability to accept guidance — this is a punishment for their own actions.
✦ Summary
① Universal Guidance: Given to all creation according to their nature.
② General Guidance for Humans and Jinn: Clarifies right and wrong, leaving the choice to each individual.
③ Specific Guidance: Granted to those who genuinely seek and strive for the truth.
❖ Allah does not force anyone into guidance or misguidance.
❖ Those who seek the path of righteousness are helped and guided.
❖ Those who choose rebellion and denial are left to their own devices and eventually sealed from the truth.
