إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله تعالى من شرور أنفسنا، وسيئات أعمالنا، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه  ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين

You hear in the beginning of almost every Friday Khutba the following verse from the Quran and I am giving the common translations for the word (يُضْلِلْ) that is underlined:

مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا ]الكهف [

Whomsoever Allah guides is the one who is guided and whomsoever He sends astray (lets go astray, leaves to stray, causes to err), for him you will not find a guiding protector. (Al-Kahf 18:17)

While we all accept that Allah guides people but some people get confused with how Allah sets some people astray and causes them to err and then punishes them.    Before we address this apparent paradox, let me first define the different forms of guidance that Allah offers to mankind to know what type of guidance Allah deprives certain people from.

When we study the Quran, we realize that there are three types of guidance that Allah offers to mankind.  These are: 1) Universal guidance, 2) supporting guidance and 3) sustaining guidance.

The universal guidance is the one that Allah granted to every human being by both the nature of the creation and through instructive resources by sending messengers.

Allah has programmed every one of us with an innate (intrinsic, inborn) guidance to know Him and equipped us with the capacity to differentiate between truth from falsehood and between the right and the wrong.   Referring to this universal guidance Allah says in Surah Al-Insan (الإنسان):

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

“We guided him to the path; he will either be grateful or be ungrateful.” (Al-Insan 76:3)

The second means of the universal guidance is the educational (instructive, informative) means by sending revelations and appointing Prophets and messengers to teach and manifest these revelations.   An example of this element of universal guidance is the guidance sent to the people of Thamud.  They received this guidance thru Prophet Saleh supported with the miracle of the she-camel. Allah says regarding Thamud:

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ صَاعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُونِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ]فصلت [

“As to the Thamud, We gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness to guidance: so the stunning Punishment of humiliation seized them, because of what they had earned.’ (Fusulat 41:17)

Because Allah granted mankind free well, some people will accept Allah’s universal guidance and others will reject it.   Even those who reject this guidance falls in two groups: passive group who just don’t accept the guidance and aggressive group who do not only reject the guidance but they also become aggressors and use all means to prevent others from accepting the guidance. 

Those who accept the universal guidance will be qualified to receive the two additional guidance, the supporting guidance and the sustaining guidance.

The supporting guidance (هداية المعونة) is only offered to those who accepted the universal guidance.  Those who reject the universal guidance and transgress against those who follow it are completely deprived from this type of guidance.  

Those who willingly accept the universal guidance need this special guidance to help them stay on the straight path because following the guidance of Allah will not be easy when we realize that both human and Jinn satans will be focusing all his energy to make the believers deviate from Allah’s path.  The concept of this supporting guidance is illustrated by the verses emphasizing that Allah increases the guidance of those who are already guided.  Allah says in Surah Mohammad:

وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ  )محمد(

“But to those who consent to be guided, He increases their guidance, and bestows on them their Taqwa.” (Muhammad 47:17)

Also, Allah says in Surat Maryam:  

وَيَزِيدُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا هُدًى ) مريم(

“Allah increases guidance for those who are guided” (Maryam 19:76)

So, when Allah speaks about not guiding someone, He is peaking about the guidance of support that He offers only to those who deserve it by accepting the universal guidance.  So, when we read the following verse in Surah Al-Qasas, we recognize that Allah is speaking about the second type of guidance which is the guidance of support:

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

“You will not be able to guide whom you love; but Allah guides whom He wills and He knows best those who accepted guidance. (Al-Qasas 28:56)

You may ask, why Allah does not offer this guidance of support to everyone.  The reason is that Allah is the master and you are the slave and the slave should be the one to seek the master not vice versa.

To illustrate this second type of guidance, the guidance of support, let me give you this real example.   Few years back before we have google maps on our phone, I went with a colleague to visit a company in Granville, Ohio which is located about 60 miles from Columbus. When we arrived to Columbus, we rented a car and rented a GPS and used it to take it to the address.  It took us over 1 ½ hrs to reach the company passing through several cities.  When we were leaving, I told my colleague who was driving, let us stop at the gate and ask the guard for direction to the airport.  He said:  why bother, we already have the GPS.  I said: it will not hurt.  So, instead of just dropping the visitors’ badges int the box located outside, I went inside and asked the guard about the way to the airport.  He said:  When you exit turn left and that road will take you directly to the airport.   I said:  thank you very much, if you did not tell us, we would have followed the GPS that would have let us go right and took us through a very complicated road. 

He said:  No problem, but be careful, after 20 miles, you will be passing by a city and he named the city.  When you reach that city, don’t exceed the speed limit because the police are always hiding on the side roads and catching anyone even if you are driving just 1 mile/hr over the speed limit.

I went to my friend and told him to take the direction given by the guard and to forget about the GPS and told him about the city.  Surely, when we reached the city that the guard named, we were very careful with the speed and soon enough, a car came passing on our left and then a siren sounded.  We did not notice from where the police car came but it stopped the car that passed us.

Now, the guard gave us guidance that he would have given to anyone.  We had the choice to either accept his guidance or reject it.  But when we accepted his guidance and expressed our gratitude to him, he provided us with helping information about the police trap without we even asking for it.  This additional information is a supporting guidance that will only be given to those who accept the first guidance and express their gratitude for it. 

But if we rejected the guidance, we had two choices. One choice is to just say thanks and leave and follow the GPs and this will passive rejection. Second choice is to ridicule the guard and his recommendation because it did not match what we know from the GPS. 

Allah has clearly identified to us in the Quran the type of people whom Allah will not guide, not the universal guidance, but the supporting guidance.

Allah said: (وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ) “Allah does not guide the unjust/wrong doers”.   This statement is clearly spelled out in the Quran 10 times (Al-Baqara 258, Al-Imran 86, Al-Maeda 51, Al-An’am 144, Al-Tuba 19, Al-Tuba 109, Al-Qasas 50, Al-Ahqaf 10, Al-Saf 7, Al-Jumma 5)

Injustice is the attribute the most repeated in the Quran as a cause for Allah depriving people from the supporting guidance.  The severest injustice is Shirk, as Allah says:

وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيم

“Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of teaching: “O my dear son! Do not ascribe partners to Allah: for ascribing partners (to Him) is tremendous injustice.” (Luqman 31:13)

The danger of injustice is emphasized by the Prophet (PBUH) in hadeath that has been reported by many companions (Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah, Ibn Omar, Abu Hurirah, Abu Saed Al-Khudri):

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ، فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Beware of injustice. Injustice will be multi darkness on the Day of Resurrection.

In addition to injustice, there are other attributes that makes the person not deserves Allah’s guidance:

Allah says: (وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ) (All does not guide the rebellious). This statement is repeated 5 times in the Quran (Al-Maeds 108, Al-Tuba 24, Al-Tuba 80. Al-Saff 5, Al-Munafeqoon 6)

فَلَمَّا زَاغُوٓاْ أَزَاغَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَہۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ) الصف: 5

“So, when they went astray Allah sent their hearts astray. And Allah does not guide the rebellious (the evil does, the sinful, the transgressor).” (Al-Saff 61:5)

Allah also gives the warning: (وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ) “Allah does not guide the disbelievers/those who reject faith”.  This warning is clearly spelled out in the Quran 4 times (Al-Baqara 264, Al-Tuba 37, Al-Nahl 107, Al-Maeda 67)

Other practices that Allah warned that those who engage in them will be deprived from this guidance include:

(وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي كَيْدَ الْخَائِنِينَ) “Indeed, Allah does not guide the snare the betrayers, (Yusuf 12:52)

(إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ) “Indeed, Allah does not guide anyone who is liar, disbeliever.” (Al-Zumur 39:3)

(إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ) “Indeed, Allah does not guide the extravagant, the liar.” (Ghafer 40:28) 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلًا ]النساء[

‘’ Indeed, those who believe, then disbelieve and then (again) believe, then disbelieve, and then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them, nor will He guide them unto the (right) path.” (Al-Nisa 4:137)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَظَلَمُوا لَمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقًا ]النساء[

“Indeed, those who disbelieve and committed injustice, Allah is not going to forgive them, nor will He guide them to anyway.” (Al-Nisa 4:168)

So, there should be no confusion or surprises. Allah sets these laws and spells them clearly to everyone.  If someone does not like this divine law, this is his problem.   Allah’s laws never cause injustice on anyone, but people do injustice even against themselves, as He said:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظۡلِمُ ٱلنَّاسَ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ أَنفُسَہُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ) یُونس (

“Allah certainly does not wrong people in any way, rather it is people who wrong themselves.” (Younes 10:44)

The third type of guidance that Allah will grant those who accepted the universal guidance is the sustaining guidance.  This guidance is not only needed while we are alive but it is absolutely necessary after we die and after the resurrection.    This guidance is needed for successfully answering the questions in the grave about who is your Rabb, what is your religion and who is your messenger.  Without this guidance, no one will be able to answer these simple questions.  Allah says:

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ ]إبراهيم[

Allah reinforces those who believe with the proper response, in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah misguides the unjust: Allah does whatever He wills. (Ibrahime 14:27)

This special guidance is needed even for the martyrs to guide them to paradise. In this regard Allah says:

 وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ (٤) سَيَہۡدِيہِمۡ وَيُصۡلِحُ بَالَهُمۡ (٥) وَيُدۡخِلُهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمۡ (٦)]محمد[

“And those who are killed on the way of Allah, He will never let their deeds go in waste (4) He will guide them and set right their state (5), and admit them to Paradise which He has made known to them. (Mohammad 47:4-6)

This guidance is also needed to project light in front of us to stay on the path to

Paradise. In this regard Allah says:

يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَى نُورُهُمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ بُشْرَاكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ]الحديد[

“On that day you will see the believing men and the believing women with their Light shining forward before them and by their right: (their greeting will be): “Good News for you this Day, gardens beneath which rivers flow to live in forever.  Truly, this is the greatest success.” (Al-Hadead 57:12)

If you accept Allah’s Universal guidance, He will provide you with both the supporting guidance in this life and the sustaining guidance after we our departure from this life. By accepting Allah’s guidance and following His commands, you will be helped in more ways that you can even imagine because you will develop special relationship with Allah; you will be His “Wali” (His ally) and Allah will be your guardian. 

Being a wali of Allah, you will have no fear, nor grief because Allah will ensure your success in this life and in the hereafter, as Allah said:

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيم  )يونس(

“Behold! verily on the allies of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; Those who believe and are constantly conscientious of Allah.  For them are Glad Tidings, in the present life and in the Hereafter.  There can be no change in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme Felicity.” (Younes 10:62-64)

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ نَصِيرًا

“Allah has full knowledge of your enemies: Allah is enough as guardian for a Protector, and Allah is enough for a supporter.” (Al-Nisaa 4:45)

In Hadeeth Qadsi, Allah describes how to become a Wali of Allah, so you will always be under His protection and guidance. He will guide your actions and will protect you from the actions of others.

‏عن ‏ ‏أبي هريرة ‏ ‏قال ‏: قال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏إن الله قال ‏ ‏من عادى لي وليا فقد ‏ ‏آذنته ‏ ‏بالحرب وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضت عليه وما يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبه فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به وبصره الذي يبصر به ويده التي يبطش بها ورجله التي يمشي بها وإن سألني لأعطينه ولئن استعاذني لأعيذنه وما ترددت عن شيء أنا فاعله ترددي عن نفس المؤمن يكره الموت وأنا أكره مساءته )صحيح البخاري (

 “Allah said: Whosever shows enmity towards my Wali I will declare war against him.  My servant does not draw nearer to me by anything more than what I made obligatory upon him.  And my servant continues to draw near to me with the supererogatory (optional) “Nawafel” works until I love him.  When I love him, I become his hearing that he hears with; his sight that he sees with, his hand that he strikes with, his foot that he walks with. If he asks Me I’ll give him and if he seeks My refuge, I will protect him. I never hesitate about anything I do except about taking his soul because I know he hates death and I hate hurting him.”

So, now we realize that there are two types of guidance that Allah will deprive the unjust, the rebellious, the disbelievers, the betrayers, the liars and the extravagant from them. Therefore, we need to realize that this is what is intended when we read verses such as:

مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا ]الكهف [

Whomsoever Allah guides is the one who is guided and whomsoever He sends astray, for him you will not find a guiding protector. (Al-Kahf 18:17)

وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِهِ ۖ ]الإسراء[

He whom Allah guides is the guided one; as for him whom He sends astray, you will never find for them guardians other than Him (Al-Isra 17:97)

ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ]الزمر[

Such is Allah’s guidance, wherewith He guides whom He wills. And whomsoever He sends astray, for him there is no guide. (Al-Zumur 39:23)

Allah will never (يُضْلِلْ), send people astray after He has guided them as He said:

وَمَا ڪَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوۡمَۢا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَٮٰهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ) التوبة: 115

“Allah will never lead people astray after He had guided them until He had made clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allah is Aware of all things.” (Al-Tuba 9-115)

But those who reject the universal guidance, Allah will deprive them from the supporting guidance and will leave them in their transgression as Allah said:

مَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا هَادِىَ لَهُ ۥ‌ۚ وَيَذَرُهُمۡ فِى طُغۡيَـٰنِہِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ (١٨٦)

“For those whom Allah sets astray, there is no one to guide them, and He leaves them wandering blindly in their transgression.” (Al-Araf 7:186)

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۖ فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَاتٍ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ]فاطر[

“Verily, Allah sets astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So do not destroy yourself in sorrow for them. Truly, Allah is the All-Knower of what they do!” (Fater 35:8)

‌ۚأَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهۡدُواْ مَنۡ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ ۥ سَبِيلاً۬ (٨٨)

“Do you want to guide him whom Allah sends astray? And he whom Allah sets astray; you will never find a way (of guidance) for him” (Al-Nisa 4:88)

Does Allah deprive some people from guidance and sets them astray, the answer is: Yes. But we now know what type of guidance we are talking about and who are those people.  The problem in explaining some verses in the Quran arises when Muslims don’t know and then get confused by non-Muslims who say how can your God sets people astray and then punishes them and quote the verses I quoted.  Delivering the message of Islam truthfully needs knowledgeable people because the clear answer to any perplexing question is in the tadabour of the Quran; as Allah says:

وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ‌ۖ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡعَـٰلِمُونَ (٤٣)

“And these similitudes We put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except the knowledgeable ones.” (Al-Ankaboot 29:43)

If anyone continues to argus thepoint, why Allah does not offer those people who reject the universal guidance the supporting guidance.  Here, we must realize that everything that Allah does is always measured based on His infinite knowledge and infinite wisdom: Allah says:

وَڪُلُّ شَىۡءٍ عِندَهُ ۥ بِمِقۡدَارٍ

“Everything with Him is measured.” (Al-Rad 13:8)

وَخَلَقَ ڪُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ فَقَدَّرَهُ ۥ تَقۡدِيرً۬ا

“And He created everything and designed it in a perfect measure.” (Al-Furqan 25:2)

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ بِقَدَرٍ۬

“Verily, We have created all things by perfect measure.” (Al-Qamar 54:49)

 فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَحۡوِيلاً (٤٣)

“You will never find in Allah’s practice any change, and you will never find in Allah’s practice any diversion.” (Fatir 35:43)

Instead of arguing why Allah does such and such, your responsibility is to know Allah’s laws that He clearly spelled out in the Quran.  If you are committing certain practices Allah will sets you astray and deprives you from His special guidance and dismisses you from His mercy.  On the other hand, if you do certain practices, Allah will guide you and you will fall under His mercy.  This is the divine law that Allah established for mankind and these practices are clearly specified in the Quran.  

We pray to Allah to bless us with His supporting and sustaining guidance and to set for us light that runs ahead of us to lead us to the gates of paradise.

DUA