Deviation from the Straight Path (Al Sirat) and Hindering the Followers from Crossing it

The holy Quran expresses the deviation from the Straight Path through two ways. One time he pictures the Straight Path as a vertical way and describes deviating from it through the word “lost” when saying: “do not oppress or My dis-pleasure shall descend upon you. Indeed, those on whom My displeasure descends are lost (fall down)[1]”. In this holy verse, God talks with a logical standard and says: do not oppress and violate because God’s dis-pleasure will surely follow you; whoever disrespects God will descend God’s dis-interest and will fall down and lose. “Falling down” is the noun of the verb “fall” which means descending rapidly from a higher to lower level. This shows that a man’s path should be vertical upright because falling down happens vertically. Thus, expressing that through the word “ascend” in the holy verse “Unto Him ascend all good words”[2] also shows this meaning.

 

In another way, he pictures Al Sirat (the Straight Path) as a horizontal way and describes deviating from it as (swerving) and deviation: “You are inviting them to a straight  path ? But those who do not believe in the Hereafter are swerving from the path”[3]. Then, those who stay behind the Straight Path are either people of “descending” or “swerving”.

 

If a man is subjected to deviation or falling down but he has the ability to repent, then he can turn back and continue the path. On the other hand, if he runs out all his power and loses the ability to return, he will sit in the middle of the path and hinder the followers from it. In this way, he changes the idea of being created to pass through the Straight Path into being a bandit. People like those, even if they were panned out to repent, their repentance most probably is hard to be accepted because there is a very hard condition for repentance to be accepted which is guiding all those whom he was a reason for their deviation and descending. God almighty says:” Except such of them as repent and amend and make manifest (the truth). These it is toward whom I relent. I am the Relenting, the Merciful”.[4] This action is too hard to be accomplished because they should first admit their sins then guide those whom they were a reason for their deviation.

 

Those who lost the way, ran out their power, and became a struggle in others path are “human devils” whom the Prophet shouaib (pbuh) prohibited them from lurking in the guidance path of other and hindering them from God’s path through senseless promises and lifeless threats: (And sit not on every road, threatening, and hindering from the Path of Allah those who believe in Him. and seeking to make it crooke)[5] because preventing people from guidance is a devil deed: (I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path)[6].

 

In conclusion, he who doesn’t continue on the Straight Path and ends up in deviation or descending from it, his destination will be as a bandit; same as those who continue in God’s path will be gathered with God’s people of guidance: (Whoever obeys Allah, and the Messenger, they are with those whom Allah has favored, the Prophets, the sincere, the martyrs and the righteous, and these are the best company)[7], same as bandits will be gathered with devils: (By your Lord, We will round them up, along with the devils)[8].

 

Hint: the secret behind seeking guidance for ourselves and others (as if talking with others), in addition to the reasons for using the plural form when saying in the holy Quran “We worship only You” and “We seek help from You”, is that the leaders whom their followers guidance helps in the success of their revival ask God for the guidance and righteousness of their friends and pathmates: (So stand you upright, as you have been commanded, and (also) those who (have left their evil ways and) turned to Allâh (in repentance) and joined you)[9]. They (the religion’s imams peace be upon them) can ask God for the continuity of their guidance and also ask for a better guidance according to the upright pathway of it.

 

[1] Surah Taha, 81

[2] Surah Fater, 10

[3] Surah Al Mu'minun, 73-74

[4] Surah Al Baqara, 160

[5] Surah Al A’raf, 86

[6] Surah Al A’raf, 16

[7] Surah Al Nisa’, 69

[8] Surah Mariam, 68

[9] Surah Houd, 112