Comment fully on verses 5 and 6 of Suratul Fatihah

Explanation

Verse 5

This verse literally means: 'Thee alone do we worship, and Thee alone do we implore for help.' This is the fifth verse of theSurah. The author of the Commentary, giving a descriptive translation writes:

"The (verse)Iyy?ka na’budu wa iyy?ka nasta’?nmeans: O Thou Lord of perfect attributes and source of the four graces, we worship Thee alone and in the due performance of duty of worship and in other calls and needs we seek only Thy help. Thou art our only God and in order to reach Thee we choose no other deity as our medium, neither man nor idol, nor do we rely on our wisdom or our knowledge; in everything we implore Thee, the Absolute Almighty, for help."

Verse 6

Guide us to the straight path . . . nor of those gone astray:The meaning of“al-hidayah” (??????? = guidance, to guide) may easily be understood, if we consider first the significance of the “path”.“as-Sirat”(?????? = path) is synonymous withat-tar?q (??????) andas-sab?l(???????).

In these verses, Allah has commended the path that it is straight and that it is the path taken by those upon whom Allah has bestowed His bounties and favours. It is this path guidance to which has been asked for. And it is the ultimate goal of the worship: The servant prays to his Lord that his worship, clean from all im­purities, be performed in this path.

Allah has mentioned in His Book that He has laid down a path for man, nay, for all the creation, a path upon which they are proceeding. He says:

Oman! Surely thou art striving to thy Lord, a hard striving, until thou art to meet Him(84:6);

. . . and to Him is the ultimate resort(64:3);

. . . now surely to Allah do all affairs eventually come(42:53).

There are many such verses, showing that all are proceeding on a prescribed road and that their destination is Allah. So far as the way is concerned, Allah has said that there are two ways, not one: