بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

﴿صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّآلِّينَ ﴾

(7. The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (that) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray).

`Those upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace’ are those mentioned in Surat An-Nisa’ (chapter 4), when Allah said,

(And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad ), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, the Prophets, the Siddiqin (the truly faithful), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! Such is the bounty from Allah, and Allah is sufficient to know) (4:69)

Allah’s statement, (Not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray) meaning guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom you have bestowed Your grace, that is, the people of guidance, sincerity and obedience to Allah and His messenger

They are the people who adhere to Allah’s commandments and refrain from committing what He has prohibited.

But, help us to avoid the path of those whom Allah SWT is angry with, whose intentions are corrupt, who know the truth, yet deviate from it. 🏼Also, help us avoid the path of those who were led astray, who lost the true knowledge and, as a result, are wandering in misguidance, unable to find the correct path.

Allah SWT asserted that the two paths He described here are both misguided when He repeated the negation `not’. These two paths are the paths of the Christians and Jews, a fact that the believer should beware of so that he avoids them. The path of the believers is knowledge of the truth and abiding by it.

 In comparison, the Jews abandoned practicing the religion, while the Christians lost the true knowledge. This is why `anger’ descended upon the Jews, while being described as `led astray’ is more appropriate of the Christians. Those who know, but avoid implementing the truth, deserve the anger, unlike those who are ignorant. The Christians want to seek the true knowledge, but are unable to find it because they did not seek it from its proper resources.

This is why they were led astray. We should also mention that both the Christians and the Jews have earned the anger and are led astray, but the anger is one of the attributes more particular of the Jews. Allah SWT said about the Jews, (Those (Jews) who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath)(5:60).

The attribute that the Christians deserve most is that of being led astray, just as Allah SWT said about them, (Who went astray before and who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the right path) (5:77).

🏼Also, when Zayd bin `Amr bin Nufayl  went with some of his friends – before Islam – to Ash-Sham seeking the true religion, the Jews said to him, “You will not become a Jew unless you carry a share of the anger of Allah SWT that we have earned.” He said, “I am seeking to escape Allah’s anger.” Also, the Christians said to him, “If you become one of us you will carry a share in Allah’s discontent.” He said, “I cannot bear it.” So he remained in his pure nature and avoided worshipping the idols and the polytheistic practices. He became neither a Jew, nor Christian.

 As for his companions, they became Christians because they found it more pure than Judaism. Waraqah bin Nawfal was among these people until Allah SWT guided him by the hand of His Prophet, when he was sent as Prophet, and Waraqah believed in the revelation that was sent to the Prophet Muhammad  may Allah be pleased with him.

THE SUMMARY OF AL-FATIHAH

The honorable Surah Al-Fatihah contains seven Ayat including the praise and thanks of Allah, glorifying Him and praising Him by mentioning His most Beautiful Names and most high Attributes.

It also mentions the Hereafter, which is the Day of Resurrection, and directs Allah’s servants to ask of Him, invoking Him and declaring that all power and strength comes from Him.

It also calls to the sincerity of the worship of Allah alone, singling Him out in His divinity, beli eving in His perfection, being free from the need of any partners, having no rivals nor equals.

Al-Fatihah directs the believers to invoke Allah to guide them to the straight path, which is the true religion, and to help them remain on that path in this life, and to pass over the actual Sirat (bridge over hell that everyone must pass over) on the Day of Judgment. On that Day, the believers will be directed to the gardens of comfort in the company of the Prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the righteous.

 Al-Fatihah also encourages performing good deeds, so that the believers will be in the company of the good-doers on the Day of Resurrection.

 The Surah also warns against following the paths of misguidance, so that one does not end up being gathered with those who indulge in sin, on the Day of Resurrection, including those who have earned the anger and those who were led astray.

AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST