Straight Path – Siraat e Mustaqeem

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ.

All Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, is His servant, and His messenger.

Dear Brothers and Sisters …

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Devotion in the Path of Allah Almighty is the greatest matter that a Muslim should strive for in this worldly life.  Mankind was created for the sake of this servitude.

Ad Dhariyat (51) 56: And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

And the Muslim recites Surah Al Fatihah at least twenty times a day declaring his servitude to Allah Almighty:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ -الفاتحة

Al Fatihah 5: It is You we worship and You we ask for help. And there is great reward in this world and the next for steadfastness in this worldly life. Allah said in Surah Fusillat.

Fusillat (41) 30-32: (30) Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allah” and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised. (31) We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish] (32) As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful.”

But what is the standard for steadfastness?  And when can it be said: This person is upright or this person is not upright. Is it based on general rules? Or is it based on human laws? Or is it based on mental whims? No, it is not based on this or that. And indeed, it is according to the Allah’s commands. So whoever implements them realizes uprightness and righteousness. And whoever does not implement them is neither upright nor righteous.

And Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet ﷺ: Ash Shura (42)15: And remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations

And Allah commanded him: In Surah Hood (11) 112-113: (112) So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do. (113) And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allah any protectors; then you would not be helped.

And Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet ﷺ: Ash Shura (42)15: And remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations

And Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet ﷺ: Al Anam (6)153

وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطِى مُسْتَقِيمًۭا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

Indeed, that is My Path—perfectly straight. So follow it and do not follow other ways, for they will lead you away from His Way. This is what He has commanded you, so perhaps you will be conscious ˹of Allah˺.

اور یہ کہ یہ دین میرا راستہ ہے جو مستقیم ہے سو اس راه پر چلو اور دوسری راہوں پر مت چلو کہ وه راہیں تم کو اللہ کی راه سے جدا کردیں گی۔ اس کا تم کو اللہ تعالیٰ نے تاکیدی حکم دیا ہے تاکہ تم پرہیزگاری اختیار کرو۔

So be upright as you have been commanded. Not as you desire or want.   And not as your family desires or wants. And not as society desires or wants.  And not as any person of this world desires or wants. Rather as Allah wants and as Allah loves and is pleased with. And what is besides that is transgression as:

Allah said in Hood (11) 112: So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.

And it is misguidance as Allah commanded in Surah Saad (38) 26: And do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah.

And Allah said: Al Mulk (67) 22: Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path?

And steadfastness in path of Allah is not limited to oneself. Rather it includes all acts of worship. And performing the commands and avoiding the prohibitions. And everything that Allah loves and is pleased with from speech, actions, beliefs- apparent and hidden.

So a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he wrongs people and spreads corruption even if he spends the night prostrating and standing in prayer

And a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he destroys others’ wealth through cheating, falsehood and extortion even if he goes to the masjed before the caller to prayer.

And a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he commits evil and has bad character and behavior even if he safeguards the prayers.

And a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he has good character and behavior but abandons the obligations commanded by Allah.

And a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he worships Allah night and day in an innovated fashion. And it was authenticated from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation (Bid’ah) and every innovation is a going-stray. [Sunan Ibn Majah 42]

https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:42

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

‏ مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ

Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e. Islam) that is not part of it, will have it rejected. [Bukhari 2697, Muslim 1718a]

https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2697

And a person is not upright as commanded by Allah and His messenger if he goes against their commands with deviated thoughts and innovated opinions. Even if he prays the night prayer and fasts the days and does not part with the Quran. As the Prophet ﷺ said:

There will be people among my Ummah (nation) after me who will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go any deeper than their throats. They will pass through Islam like an arrow passing through its target, then they will never return to it. They are the most evil of mankind and of all creation. [Muslim 1067, Sunan Ibn Majah 170].

https://sunnah.com/muslim:1067

Be conscious of Allah and be upright as Allah wants. You will succeed in this world and the hereafter.

All praise is due to Allah Who guided us to Islam. For indeed the path to steadfastness upon what Allah Almighty wants is through holding on to the Book of Allah.

Allah Almighty commanded: Az Zukhruf (43) 43: So adhere to that which is revealed to you. Indeed, you are on a straight path.

And Allah said regarding the Quran: At Takwir (81) 28-29: (28) For whoever wills among you to take a right course. (29) And you do not will except that Allah wills – Lord of the worlds.

Verily, being steadfast upon the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is part of steadfastness on the command of Allah. For whatever the Prophet ﷺ commands and forbids is indeed revelation from Allah the Almighty said:

An Najm (53) 1-4: (1) By the star when it descends (2) Your companion [i.e., Moḥammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred, (3) Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.(4) It is not but a revelation revealed,

And the Almighty said: An Nisa (4) 80: He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away – We have not sent you over them as a guardian.

And Allah commanded:  Al Hashr (59) 7: And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

And Allah Almighty said: Al Mominoon (23) 73-74: (73) And indeed, you invite them to a straight path. (74) But indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are deviating from the path.

And it has been authenticated from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch when he hears something regarding me which I have commanded or forbidden and says: We do not know. What we found in Allah’s Book we have followed. [Sunan Abu Dawood 4605]

https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4605

So be conscious of Allah and hold on to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah and request guidance from Allah:

In Sura Al Hajj (22) 54: And indeed is Allah the Guide of those who have believed to a straight path. Oh Allah guide us through the Noble Quran and the Sunnah of the leader of the messengers. Verily You are All Hearing, Answering.

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

Allahumma Sallai Al’a Muahmmad’n wa’aila Muhammad

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favours – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.

BY IMAM MAHBOOB RASOOL