Ep. 24: Fatiha 19 (Istiqama and the Asbab of the World) | The Quran of Fajr

We ask Allah (SWT) to guide us or take us onto the “الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ”. We spoke very briefly about the word “sirat” and its implications. This word, “مُسْتَقِيمَ”, is derived from the root “qama”. One meaning of “qama” is to stand. The other meaning of “qama” is “to be upright”. It is taken from the same root, because when you are standing, you are in an upright position, and when you take this verb and put it into the form of “istiqama,” it would literally mean “to seek” or “to be upright,” or the desire to be upright. From this, the meaning of “straight” is derived. “مُسْتَقِيمَ”, then, would be a straight line, and this verse would be translated as “the straight path”.

As far as that aspect of the word is concerned, a straight line is simply the shortest distance between A and B. However, this is not the complete meaning of this verse. It is merely an aspect of it. The word “qama” also has the meaning of being existent and independent on its own. Allah (AWJ) is this word – everything else is existent on Allah (SWT) only because Allah (SWT) is keeping it existent. One meaning of “istiqama” is existent in and of itself, and in the context of deen, shari’a, and the path of guidance, this path is not dependent on another path. It is coming directly from Allah (SWT) and is its own path. The word “istiqama” also has the meaning of being stable and strong. One of the beautiful names of Allah (SWT) is “Al-Qayyum” – the One who keeps everything in place with its functionalities. Al-Qayyum is the One keeping the earth in orbit on its axis and allowing everything to exist on it. Allah (AWJ) says, “It is from the signs of Allah (SWT) that the skies, earth, and their systems are all strong, established, and operating by the amr of Allah (SWT)” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:25).

Look at all the meanings that istiqama gives us: it is a straight path, meaning it does not take you around bends – it is, as mentioned before, a corridor with walls on both sides. The path is delineated and very well defined. It is not just a straight path, but it is an upright path, an independent, and a very powerful path. There is one more meaning that the word istiqama brings in. We know this term, and we say, “I am seeking istiqama in my deen.” What does this mean? Steadfastness. Istiqama also has the meaning of steadfastness and being able to endure and do something consistently over a long period of time. This path is something that takes a long time to traverse and requires consistency from anyone who wants to tread on it. So, we say, “اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ”; “O Allah (SWT), guide us to the straight, firm, upright path”, or, the more complete meaning, “Take us onto the path”.

The sunnah of Allah (SWT) and His way is that anything we ask for, we must also work for. For example, in the hadith Qudsi, Allah (SWT) says, “O My slaves, you are all lost except for those whom I guide, so seek guidance from Me and I will guide you” (Sahih Muslim 2577). Look at the things that follow: “O My slaves, you are all unclothed except for those whom I clothe – therefore, seek your clothing from Me, and I shall clothe you.” Again, after that, “O My slaves, all of you are hungry and will starve except for those I feed, therefore, seek your food from Me and I shall feed you.”

How many people in the world have gotten their clothes just by asking Allah (SWT), and how many have ever gotten food without lifting a finger for it? The way of the law of Allah (SWT) is that He has created the means in this world, and we must acquire those means. We will have to acquire the means to completion because there are some means that will bring us to part of the goal, and there are other means we must adopt to take us to the completion of the goal.

For example, people need to eat, or they need grains to survive. Someone plants barley and wheat. They say, “Yes, we have adopted the means that Allah (SWT) has provided us, and we have used those means and are now going to acquire food through them.” Let’s say after sowing the seeds and looking after the crops, when the harvest season comes, people say, “We have done our job, so now we have food. Let us go and eat it.” The grain in that food, while still in the plant, is not suitable to eat. Another process of harvesting the crops is needed. They have acquired the means to take them part of the way, but now they must use another means to continue. So, they harvest. Then, they have to separate the weeds from the chaff. After that, people take handfuls of grain to eat, but will this sate their hunger? No. They acquired the means to have grain in their hands, but if they want to make the grain consumable, they must take another step and grind it into flour. Grain is such that it cannot be consumed whole after harvest. Even after making flour, there is still a step left – to make it into dough and cook it. Only then will it fill their stomachs.

Like this, there is a complete chain of asbab, meaning causes or tools, and until you follow it to completion, you will not get the results you want. Allah (SWT) taught us to seek food by doing two things: one is asking Allah (SWT) to give it to us and provide us with the asbab for food, and the second is using those asbab in the way that Allah (SWT) has laid down as the law of this earth. It is a rather elaborate series of processes used to acquire anything in this world. If hidayah is the most crucial thing, what makes us think that we should simply sit down and make du’a to Allah (SWT) and we will receive all of it? Allah (SWT) can guide anyone He wants, but just as this world is one of asbab for material things, it is also one of asbab for spiritual things. There are material asbab for material things and spiritual asbab for spiritual acquisitions and achievements. What is happening with us is that we are making du’a and praying, but if we want to take the next step in hidayah, we must use the asbab to get there.

“اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ” is a du’a, and the Qur’an is a book explaining how to implement this du’a and what the asbab of hidayah are. It enumerates and encapsulates all the things a human being needs in order to acquire hidayah. This is being mentioned because, of all the du’as a human could make, there is only one du’a that is fardh – that is this du’a, “اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ”. One du’a that every Muslim must recite. There is no escape or exemption from this. If we were to take this du’a seriously, we would understand that adopting the means of acquiring this hidayah is also fardh. Without this, we cannot survive or succeed. This du’a is an urgent plea for Allah (SWT) to guide us onto the straight path. “Path” implies that this is not an immediate destination; rather, it is a path that we must keep walking upon. It will take us to our destination, provided that we are ready to walk upon it until our last breath.

These are some of the implications of this blessed verse. Adopting the asbab of something is a part of making du’a for that thing. If a person wants children, they must acquire the means through which children are born, and this applies to everything else in the world. Allah (SWT) has created those means, so turning to Him and seeking help from Him by asking with our tongues and using the means He has created for us to obtain that thing – this is how we take from Allah (SWT). The rest of the Qur’an, after this verse, is all explaining that path and how to follow it. With Allah (SWT)’s tawfiq, InshaAllah, we will continue this discussion.