In asking Allah (SWT) for “الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ”, we are acknowledging that this is a specific path. The alif and laam on “الصِّرَاطَ” and “الْمُسْتَقِيمَ” denotes that this is something specific and designate and it is not something general. The word “الْمُسْتَقِيمَ” told us some of the attributes of that path. That one word encapsulated many aspects of the description of this path. Then, further, the Qur’an gives us another description; “صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ”. The fatha on “صِرَاطَ” indicates that it is the recipient of the same verb – “اهْدِنَا” – “guide us to the path of”. The word path is repeated, and there could be many reasons for this – one is to indicate the significance for the path, and the second is that there is another kind of description being given about the path. The first is about the path itself and the second is how to find that path. “صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ” – “The path of those you have favored.” This part in surah Al-Fatiha is, just like the rest of it, is extremely important, because this is now getting into how to find the way to the path and how to navigate on the path. It is the path of those that Allah (SWT) has favored. The question arises; “Which favors are we talking about? Allah (SWT)’s favors are many.” Allah (SWT) may favor someone by giving them health, wealth, or happiness; Allah (SWT) might favor someone by giving them power – these could all be potential bounties of Allah (SWT). So, which bounties are we talking about here, and how do we know which favored people of Allah (SWT) have walked on this path? The Qur’an explains this in a few places.
In one place, in surah Nisa, “One who obeys Allah (SWT), and his prophet (SAW) will be with those whom Allah (SWT) has favored.” The description is: the prophet (SAW) and his true followers, those who gave everything for the sake of Allah (SWT), including their lives, and those who are upright and pious. This is, according to many Mufassireen, the most accurate description of this verse. Just for the sake of expanding our knowledge, let us look at other places in the Qur’an that mentions the word “أَنْعَمْتَ”. “Allah (SWT) gives two kinds of bounties; those that are obvious and visible to anyone who sees them, and those that are known to the person that is receiving them or are internal.” This is one categorization of the ni’mah of Allah (SWT). “Those that Allah (SWT) has favored; who are they? The progeny of Adam (AS) and from the progeny of those that Allah (SWT) has saved with Nuh (AS) and other prophets.” Zaid ibn Haritha, as we know, was freed by the prophet (SAW) – he was adopted by him and married off by the prophet (SAW). Allah (SWT) says, “Allah (SWT) has favored him, and so has the prophet (SAW).” Allah (SWT) had favored him by keeping him by the side of the prophet (SAW) and by giving him the ability to choose the prophet (SAW) over anyone and everyone else.
There are other uses of this word in the Qur’an as well, but the summary is that these are people that Allah (SWT) has favored specifically with the bounties of deen, whether in the form of receiving a message directly from Allah (SWT) such as the prophets (AS), or it was the people who implemented that message to the highest level. It is almost as if these people have been designated as the signs or milestones that mark that path and help you navigate it. May Allah (SWT) give us tawfiq.
