What does hidâyah mean?

Question: The Islamic scholars have translated the word hidâyah as the true path for 14 centuries. But hidâyah means reaching Allah in this world, doesn’t it?

ANSWER
It never does. By saying so, you are accusing all Islamic scholars of giving wrong meaning (never!) to hidâyah. However, Allahu ta’âlâ declares, “If you do not know, ask scholars.” Our master the Prophet states, “Scholars are my and the other prophets’ inheritors.”

Thus far, none of the Islamic scholars has declared the meaning of that word to be reaching Allah. Of the such scholars as the founders of four madhhabs (namely, Imâm-i A’zam, Imâm-i Mâlik, Imâm-i Shâfi’î, Imâm-i Ahmad), great scholars within madhhabs (such as Imâm-i Ghazâlî, Imâm-i Rabbânî, Imâm-i Abû Yûsuf, Imâm-i Muhammad, Imâm-i Nawawî) or other awliyâ’ with hundreds of wonders (such as Sayyid Abdul Qâdir Gailanî, Junayd al-Baghdâdî), which one said hidâyah meant to reach Allah? Which mufassir wrote in his tafsîr book that hidâyah was to reach Allah? Out of thousands of scholars, even one scholar cannot be put forth.
What is the reason for the animosity towards Islamic savants? Isn’t the reason for it that they explained hidâyah as Islam and that they conveyed the commandments and prohibitions of the religion exactly as our master Rasûlullah communicated? Why do they not refer to Islamic scholars instead of heretics?
Have the religion of Islam come incompletely until today? Some aberrant people say, “Islam had been incomplete until our master came. He completed it.” Has Islam come to us incompletely for 1,400 years? Or did Allahu ta’âlâ communicate it incompletely (never!)? Or did our master the Prophet communicate and explain it incompletely (never!)?
Hidâyah does not mean a path. That is, it does not mean a way, path or a bridge. Hidâyah means Islam. Islam, on the other hand, means the true path shown by Allahu ta’âlâ. Therefore, hidâyah is explained to be the true path. Its antonym is dalâlah, deviating.
Hidâyah is to see right as right and wrong as wrong and to enter the right path; to keep away from deviating and false path; to have îmân and to become a Muslim.
Hidâyah is the religion and the path that Allahu ta’âlâ wants.
Since the word path explains it well, all Islamic scholars declared hidâyah to be path. All the translations of the Qur’ân on the market, true and wrong ones alike, have given hidâyah the meaning of true path, that is, they have said that it is Islam. They have not fabricated such an odd meaning as “reaching.”
Hidâyah is to become a Muslim, to accept the religion of Islam. Islam itself is the true path. Then hidâyah means the true path. Two âyat-i karîmas purport:
(You cannot make whom you like reach hidâyah. But Allah gives hidâyah to whom He wills.) [Sûrat-ul-Qasas, 56]
(Whomever Allah wills to guide to hidâyah, He expands his breast for Islam.) [Sûrat-ul-An’âm, 125]
Two hadîth-i sharîfs purport:
(Allahu ta’âlâ has sent me as compassion and hidâyah for the worlds.) [Abû Nu’aym]
(It is not within my power to give hidâyah. Shaitan, on his part, shows what Allahu ta’âlâ has prohibited as being ornate and enticing. But it is not within his power to make one deviate, either.) [I. ‘Adiy]

The number of the fundamentals of îmân is not seven
Question: Is it true to say, “It is îmân to have faith in a soul’s being reached Allah. The fundamentals of îmân are seven. Sharr (evil) is not from Allah but from nafs”?

ANSWER
Saying that evil is from nafs means that there are associates in Allah’s Attribute of Creativeness. Allahu ta’âlâ sends us afflictions owing to our sins, but we do not create the afflictions. We deserve them; as a result, Allahu ta’âlâ punishes us. Allah does not oppress His born slaves.
(If any good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if any evil reaches them, they say, “This happened because of you.” Say: “Kullun min ‘Indillaah [All things are from Allah].” What is the matter with these people that they do not understand what they are told?) [Sûrat-un-Nisâ, 78]

Question: Isn’t there the expression “reaching Allah before death” at the end of the Arabic hadîth of îmân? Have the translators not added this part?

ANSWER
There has not been a lie of this kind. One cannot reach Allah before death.
The hadîth of îmân in Arabic is as follows:
(Âmantu bi’llâhi wa malâ’ikatihî wa kutubihî wa rusulihî wal-yawm-il-âkhiri wa bil-qadari khairihî wa sharrihî minallâhi ta’âlâ walba’thu ba’d-al-mawt haqqun ash-hadu an lâ ilâha illallâh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ’abduhu wa Rasûluhu.) [Bukhârî, Muslim, Nasâî]
Sharrihî minallâhi ta’âlâ = Sharr is from Allah.
How can one deny this well-known hadîth?
Its English translation is the following:
(I have belief in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His prophets, in the Last Day [that is, to have belief in Paradise, Hell, Judgement, Mîzân], in qadar and that good (khair) and evil (sharr) are from Allahu ta’âlâ, in death and Resur-rection. I bear witness that there is no ilâh except Allah and that Muhammad “alaihisslâm” is His born slave and Messenger.) [Bukhârî, Muslim, Nasâî]

Reaching Allah before death

Question: Wherever they see the word “hidâyah” in the Qur’ân, some people, somehow, say it means a soul’s reaching Allah before death. Actually, are there any âyât or hadîths that are in accordance with this definition? What is “reaching Allah”?

ANSWERNo, there is not such an âyat or a hadîth. Nor did any Islamic scholars say such a thing.
Hidâyah has these senses: the true path, the righteous path, Islam. Its opposite is dalâlah [going astray, deviating]. Hidâyah is to enter the right path after seeing right as right and wrong as wrong; it is to turn away from dalâlah and wrong path, to have îmân and to become a Muslim.
Al-Hâdî and al-Mahdî, two of the Beautiful Names of Allah, denote the One who provides hidâyah, who guides to the right path.
There is not such an expression as “reaching Allah,” but there is such an expression as “meeting Allah.” However, it does not mean “a soul’s reaching Allah before death.” The scholars of tafsîr explain “meeting Allah” as follows:
(Those who [deny the Resurrection] do not expect to meet Us [to be questioned], who are content with [as they are heedless of the Hereafter] and take comfort [preferring this world to the next] from worldly life, and who are unaware of Our âyât [proofs that show the existence of the Creator] will go to Hell because of what they have committed [because of their sins].) [Sûrat-u Yûnus, 7-8]
(To deny the meeting with Allah after death is to deny the Rising after death.)
The following are the purport of some verses that contain the word hidâyah:
(Inna hudallaahi huwal hudaa = Allah’s path of hidâyah [Islam] is the true path through and through.) The proper English translation of this âyat is: (The true path is only Allah’s path.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 120]
(In-nalhudaa hudal-laahi = The true path is without doubt Allah’s path.) [Sûrat-u Âl-i ‘Imrân, 73]
(Ulaaikal-ladheena hadaahumul-laahu = Those are the ones whom Allah has guided to hidâyah [whom Allah has guided to the true path.) [Sûrat-uz-Zumar, 18]
(Wal-ladheena-h-tadaw zaadahum hudaa = Allah increases the hidâyah of those who have attained it [who have entered the true path].) [Sûrat-u Muhammad, 17]
(Wa man yu’min bil-laahi yahdi qalbahuu = Whoever believes in Allah, Allah guides his hearth towards hidâyah [truth].) [Sûrat-ut-Taghâbun, 11]
(Wa yazeedul-laahul-ladheena-h-tadaw hudaa = Allah increases the hidâyah of those who have attained it [who have attained îmân].) [Sûrat-u Maryam, 76]
(Wallaahu yahdee man yashaau ilaa siraatin mustaqeem = Allah provides hidâyah for whom He wills to the right path [makes him reach the right path].) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 213]
(Sayahdeehim = He makes them reach hidâyah [makes them reach the right path].) [Sûrat-u Muhammad, 5]
(Hadaanaa li haadhaa wa maa kunnaa li nahtadee = If Allah had not given us hidâyah, we could not have attained it on our own.) [Sûrat-ul-A’râf, 43]
(Ulaaikalladheena-sh-taraw-ud-dalaalata bil hudaa = Those are the ones who have bought aberration instead of truth.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 175]
(Innaka laa tahdee man ahbabta wa laakin-nallaaha yahdee man yashaau = You cannot make whom you like reach hidâyah [you cannot make whom you like a Muslim]. But Allah gives hidâyah to whom He wills.) [Sûrat-ul-Qasas, 56]
(Wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaZZaalimeen = Allah does not guide the zâlimîn to the hidâyah.) [Sûrat-ut-Tawba, 19]
(Laysa ‘alayka hudaahum = It is not your duty to make them reach hidâyah.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 272]
In addition to them, the purport of some hadîth-i sharîfs is as follow:
(Each of my Ashâb is like a star in the sky. If you follow any one of them, you will attain hidâyah [the true path].) [Dârimî, Bayhaqî, Ibni ‘Adiy, Munawî]
(My Lord revealed: “O My Messenger! Your Ashâb are like the celestial stars. Some of them are more luminous. He who follows any one of them is on hidâyah.) [Daylamî]
(He who causes a person to attain hidâyah [who causes a person to have îmân] goes to Paradise.) [Bukhârî]
(Join the suhba of those pious scholars who strive to make people attain hidâyah and keep them away from dalâlah.) [I. Mâwardî]

Whoever is for Allah, Allah will be for him

Question: Is the hadîth, “Whoever is for Allah, Allah will be for him,” which is written in Forty Ahâdîth by Sadraddîn Konawî, authentic?
ANSWERAsking this is much absurder than having an elementary child check a mathematical operation done by a professor of mathematics. Did Hadrat Sadraddin Konawî not have as much knowledge as we have? Was he so heedless and ignorant as to report a made-up hadîth in his book? The meaning of this hadîth-i sharîf is as follows:
(Whoever’s objective is the pleasure of Allah, Allahu ta’âlâ will make him attain to his objective.)
There are similar verses in the Qur’ân al-karîm. Some of them are as follows:
(Allah is pleased with those who fear [who avoid sins] their Rabb [He accepts their acts of worship. That is how he is pleased with them], and they are pleased with Him [because they have attained more than they expect].) [Sûrat-ul-Bayyinah, 8]

(Remember Me, and I will remember you.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 152]

That is, if you remember Me through acts of worship, I will remember you with compassion. If you pray to Me, I will respond to your prayer. If you remember Me in the world, I will remember you in the Hereafter. If you remember Me in times of ease and comfort, I will remember and help you in times of distress.

(If you help Allah, He will help you.) [Sûrat-u Muhammad, 7]

That is, if you strive to serve Allah’s religion, Allah, in turn, will help you against your enemies.

(Allah helps those who help Him.) [Sûrat-ul-Hajj, 40]
Helping Allah means serving His religion. In other words, Allah is the helper of those who work for the cause of Him. He multiplies His rewards in return for His slave’s a little effort. For a single good deed, He grants a tenfold recompense or seven hundredfold recompense or even more than this. (Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 261)
There are many hadîth-i qudsîs on this subject. Some of them are as follows:
(I will be the eyes which see, the ears which hear, the hands which hold things, the feet which walk, the tongue which talk, of My born servant I like. I will give him whatever he wants.) [Bayhaqî]

(Whoever approaches Me by the length of a hand-span, I will approach him by a cubit. Whoever approaches Me by a cubit, I will approach him by the length of two outstretched arms. If anyone comes to Me walking, I will approach him running.) [Bukhârî, Imam-i Ahmad, Ibni Shâhin]

(Remember Me with My tâ'at, and I will remember you with My forgiveness. Whoever remembers Me obediently, I will forgive him. Whoever remembers Me disobediently, I will remember him with My torment.) [Daylamî]

(You are grateful as long as you remember Me. You are in disbelief [that is, you are ungrateful] as long as you forget Me.) [Hatib]

(If a person remembers Me in private, I will remember him near angels. If a person remembers Me at a gathering, I will remember him at a gathering which is better and bigger than that one.) [Tabarânî]

(O son of Âdam! When you get angry, remember Me. In this way, when I become angry, I will remember you with My forgiveness and will not destroy you among those who will be destroyed.) [Ibni Shâhin]

(I am with My slave as long as his lips are moving with My dhikr [remembrance].) [Bukhârî]

What are a nabî and a rasûl?

Question: Some people, in order to represent their masters as rasûls, say, “A prophet to whom a Book was sent is called a nabî (prophet), while a prophet to whom no Book was sent is called a rasûl (messenger).” Has prophethood not ended? Is our Prophet not the last prophet?

ANSWER
Such claims that have nothing to do with the Islamic faith are of the tactics and ruses of the enemies of Islam who want to demolish our religion from within. Saying “Only the Qur’ân!” and interpreting the âyât (Qur’anic verses) according to their own minds, they show no regard for the explanations given by the Messenger of Allah. They consider all ahâdîth to be made-up.
A prophet to whom a Book was sent is called a rasûl. A nabî, on the other hand, is a prophet who disseminated the religion of the rasûl coming before him. A prophet who did not bring a new religion but invited people to the previous religion is called a nabî. Every rasûl is a nabî at the same time, yet every nabî is not a rasûl. Payghambar is a Persian word which is used in the meaning of rasûl or nabî. Our master the Prophet is referred to as a Rasûl, and sometimes as a Nabî, in many places of the Qur’ân al-karîm. His being referred to as a nabî does not prevent him from being a rasûl. That is, calling a rasûl a nabî does not mean that he is not a rasûl. It is similar to sometimes calling the chief of the general staff a general, a senior military officer, or a soldier.
In the communication (tablîgh) of commands and in calling the people to Allahu ta’âlâ’s religion, there is no difference between a rasûl and a nabî. The 27th verse of ‘Ankabût Sûra purports, “We gave him [Ibrâhîm] Ishâq and Ya’qûb [after Ismâîl] as well. We bestowed on his descendants prophethood [being a nabî] and the Books [the Tawrât, the Injîl, the Zabûr, the Qur’ân].” According to this verse, as prophethood [being a nabî] was bestowed upon the descendants of Ibrâhîm ‘alaihis-salâm, so there were also rasûls among his descendants who were given Books. (Baydâwî, Madârik, Jalâlayn)

Let us give examples of rasûls with a Holy Book. Hadrat Mûsâ (Moses) was a rasûl. The purport of some Qur’anic verses is as follows:
(Mûsâ said, “O Pharaoh! Undoubtedly, I am a rasûl sent by the Rabb of the worlds.) [Sûrat-ul-A’râf, 104]
(Even this verse alone suffices to show up their lies. The Tawrât was descended to Hadrat Mûsâ; that is, a Book was sent to him. For this reason, he is called a rasûl. As a Book was revealed to our master the Prophet as well, many verses mention him as a rasûl. The word rasûl appears a lot more because when the word rasûl is used, it also includes the word nabî in itself. In the same way, the word rasûl appears in the Kalama-i shahâdat. If being a nabî were higher in rank, then that word would have been used.)
(We sent Mûsâ with Our miracles to Pharaoh and his establishment. Mûsâ said, “I am the Rasûl of the Rabb of the worlds.”) [Sûrat-uz-Zukhruf, 46] (He explicitly states in this verse that Hadrat Mûsâ was a rasûl.)
Hadrat Mûsâ, like our master the Prophet, was both a rasûl and a nabî. The purport of the following verse declares:
(Remember Mûsâ in the Book. Certainly, he was a servant with ikhlâs, and he was a nabî, a rasûl.) [Sûrat-u Maryam, 51]

Hadrat ‘Îsâ (Jesus), too, was a rasûl with a Book. The purport of a verse is as follows:
(The Messiah [‘Îsâ], son of Maryam, is only a rasûl.) [Sûrat-ul-Mâ’ida, 75]
(Because of their saying, “We killed ‘Îsâ, son of Maryam, Allah’s Rasûl,” We cursed them [the Jews] and expelled them from Our compassion.) [Sûrat-un-Nisâ’, 157]
Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm, a rasûl with a Book, desired that Hârûn (Aaron), his brother, should be his vizier, that is, his helper.
An âyah purports as follows:
(O my Rabb! From my family, appoint Hârûn, my brother, to be my helper. Support me with him, and make him a partner in my task.) [Sûrat-u Tâhâ, 29-32]
Accepting his (this) prayer, Allahu ta’âlâ declares:
(Allah said, “O Mûsâ! You have been given what you asked.”) [Sûrat-u Tâhâ, 36]
(We gave Mûsâ the Book, and We appointed Hârûn, his brother, to be his helper.) [Sûrat-ul-Furqân, 35]
It was Hadrat Mûsâ who was given a Book and who was a rasûl. Hadrat Hârûn, on the other hand, was his vizier, that is, his helper. Could his helper be higher than he? When Hadrat Mûsâ was a rasûl, Hadrat Hârûn was appointed as a nabî. The purport of a verse is as follows:
(Out of Our mercy, We granted him his brother Hârûn as a nabî.) [Sûrat-u Maryam, 53]
Hadrat Hârûn was a nabî, who disseminated the religion brought by Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm, that is, the Musawî religion (true religion of Hadrat Mûsâ).
(When Zakariyya was performing salât in the mihrab, the angels called out to him saying, “Allah gives you good news of Yahyâ [John], who is a confirmer of Kalimullah [Jesus], who is a chief [leader of his tribe], who controls his nafs, and who is a nabî from among the pious.”) [Sûrat-u Âl-i ‘Imrân, 39] (The fact that Hadrat ‘Îsâ was a rasûl with a Book has been made known with the verses above. Hadrat Yahyâ was a nabî, who spread the religion brought by Hadrat ‘Îsâ, that is, the Isawî religion [true religion of Hadrat ‘Îsâ].)
As it is seen clearly from these examples, a prophet to whom a Book was given is called a rasûl. A prophet who spread the religion brought by a rasûl is called a nabî. Every rasûl is a nabî at the same time. No nabî will succeed our master the Prophet. As a matter of fact, an âyah purports as follows:
(He is the Rasûl of Allah and the last of the nabîs.) [Sûrat-ul-Ahzâb, 40]

Now that no nabî will succeed him, a rasûl never succeeds him because the rank of being a rasûl is more special and higher than the rank of being a nabî. Having cited these Qur’anic verses, now let us list the pertinent ahâdîth:
(Nubuwwa [prophethood] and risâla [messengership] ended. No nabî or rasûl will succeed me.) [Tirmudhî]
(The coming of nabîs ended with me.) [Muslim]
(The first of the rasûls is Âdam and the last is Muhammad.) [Hakim, Tabarânî]
(I am not saying this to boast [I am telling the truth]: I am the master of the mursals [all prophets who were sent either as a rasul or as a nabî]. I am the final of them all and the first of intercessors.) [Dârimî]
(My status in comparison with the other nabîs is like this exemplification: A person builds a nice house, but one brick is missing from it. The visitors like the house, only they say, “If only a brick had been put in this gap.” Lo! I am that brick. I am the last and completer of nabîs.) [Bukharî, Muslim]
(O ‘Alî! Whatever Hârûn was in relation to Mûsâ, you are the same in relation to me. But no nabî will come after me.) [Bukhârî, Muslim, Tirmudhî, Ibn Mâja, Imam-i Ahmad, Tabarânî]
Our master the Prophet is not only the rasûl of his time and of Arabia but also the rasûl of all people that will exist up until the end of the world and of the whole world. An âyah purports:
(We have sent you to all people only as a bringer of good tidings and as a warner, but most of people do not know.) [Sûrat-u Saba’, 28]
A hadîth-i sharîf purports: (I have been sent to all humankind.) [Muslim]

(We have sent you a rasûl from among you, who will recite Our âyât to you, who will purify you from every evil, who will teach you the Book and wisdom, and who will inform you about what you do not know.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 151]
(This verse, too, proves that a Book was sent to a rasûl, not a nabî.)
After proclaiming that the Messenger of Allah is the last nabî, the Qur’ân al-karîm explains as follows the fact that the building of Islam has been completed:
(This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and approved for you Islam as the religion.) [Sûrat-ul-Mâ’ida, 3]
Now that Allahu ta’âlâ has completed His religion by sending His last nabî and rasûl and now that there is no deficiency left in the religion, looking for another religion and prophet means denying the Qur’ân al-karîm.
The 164th verse of Nisâ’ Sûra, which purports, “We also sent rasûls whose parables We have not related to you,” demonstrates that the number of rasûls has not been stated in the Qur’ân al-karîm. It is declared in a hadîth-i sharîf:
(There are 124 000 nabîs and 313 rasûls.) [Hakim]
This hadîth-i sharîf shows that rasûls, who brought Books, is fewer than nabîs in number. The reason why nabîs are more in number is that they promulgated the religions of rasûls.

The sign of remembering Allahu ta’âlâ

It is a great bliss to remember and make mention of Allah when one goes to and comes back from work, performs a task, and at every possible opportunity. It is an utter misfortune to forget Him and to be heedless and unmindful of His remembrance. People always remember their beloved ones. If they love much, they never forget. The basis of îmân is to love Allahu ta’âlâ. The symptom that indicates this love, in turn, is to remember Him frequently. That is, those who love Allahu ta’âlâ remember Him much, and those who remember Him much love Him.

It was stated in a hadîth-i sharîf:
(The sign of loving Allahu ta’âlâ much is to love remembering Him.) [Ibni Shâhin]

The Holy Qur’an purports:
(To remember Allahu ta’âlâ is greater than everything else.) [Sûrat-ul-‘Ankabût, 45]

(O Believers! Remember Allah much.) [Sûrat-ul-Ahzâb, 41]

(Remember Allah’s blessings, so that you can attain salvation.) [Sûrat-ul-A’râf, 69]

(Know well that only in the remembrance of Allahu ta’âlâ do hearts find satisfaction, rest.) [Sûrat-ur-Ra’d, 28]

(He who does not remember Me will experience woes, and He will be raised up blind on the Day of Resurrection.) [Sûrat-u Tâhâ, 124]

The symptom of whether the remembrance of Allahu ta’âlâ has settled in a heart manifests itself through a person’s having (Islamic manners called) adab and beautiful morals. The following ahâdîth declare:
(The difference between a person who remembers Allahu ta’âlâ and who does not is like the difference between a living person and a dead one.) [Bukhârî]

(Remember Allahu ta’âlâ so much that you will be called a madman in the end.) [Hâkim]

(Remember Allahu ta’âlâ in such a way that hypocrites will call you pharisees.) [Bayhaqî]

Haqq ta’âlâ (Allahu ta’âlâ) declared: (I will treat My slave the way My slave thinks of Me. Whenever he remembers Me and makes mention of Me, I will be with him. If My slave remembers Me at a gathering, I will remember Him at a gathering better than it.) [Bukhârî]

(There is a varnish for everything. The varnish of the heart is the remembrance of Allahu ta’âlâ.) [Bayhaqî]

(The most virtuous dhikr [remembrance] is to say Lâ ilâha ill-Allah.) [Nasâî]

(He who remembers Allahu ta’âlâ among negligent and heedless people is like a soldier who continues to fight while everyone is fleeing from the front.) [Tabarânî]

(He who makes remembrance much will be safe from hypocrisy.) [Ibni Shâhin]

(Remembering Allahu ta’âlâ in the morning and in the evening is superior to fighting in the way of Allah.) [Daylamî]

(He who cannot perform acts of worship at night, who cannot spend his property on charity, and who is afraid of fighting with the enemy [jihâd] should remember Allahu ta’âlâ much.) [Bazzâr]

Haqq ta’âlâ (Allahu ta’âlâ) declared:
(I will take him out of Hell who has remembered Me for a day or who has feared Me once.) [Hâkim]

Those who remember Allahu ta’âlâ will reflect on His greatness, attributes, commandments and prohibitions. So they will develop a desire to do good deeds and to avoid evil ones. In this respect, it is highly effective to remember Allahu ta’âlâ.

Hadrat Hasan-i Basrî declared:
The remembrance of Allahu ta’âlâ is of two kinds:
1. It is very thawâb to remember Allahu ta’âlâ through the heart.
2. What is better than the former is that when one intends to commit a harâm, one remembers Allahu ta’âlâ and quits it.