Basics of Religious Education — Page 60
B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION 60 60 60 60 60 Again the prayer is not restricted to any specific purpose, but one may re- sort to this prayer for whatever one may require. The word occurring in the verse appropriately signifies the sense of straightness, and hence a Muslim prays for the shortest way and most effective means for the attainment of his objectives. The last verse is: Siraat-allazeena an`amta alaihim, ghairil magh-doobi alaihim wa ladh-daal-leen ‘The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy favours, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. ’ Elsewhere, the Qur’an explains that the favoured people comprise the proph- ets, the truthful (saints), the martyrs and the righteous (4:70). Thus a Mus- lim has before him the loftiest ideal conceivable when he prays to be guided on the path of the chosen ones of God. One precaution, however, is needed. It happens sometimes that one wins the favour of one’s beloved but then some unforeseen thing happens and everything comes to a naught. Either something happens which causes the displeasure of the beloved and thus the lover loses the favor gained, or some- times faithlessness on the part of the lover himself, turns his mind from the object of his love. In order to guard against both these contingencies, the prayer is supplemented by the words, ‘ The path of those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. ’ We learn from the sayings of the Holy Prophet saw of Islam that the people specially referred to in Al-Maghdoobi were the Jews upon whom God showed His choicest blessings but who by their persistent transgressions, particularly against Jesus, incurred the wrath of God while the people re- ferred to in Ad-Daalleen are the Christians who forsook the teachings of Jesus by later on deifying him. The last verse embodies a mighty prophecy and deserves special attention. It is made incumbent upon every Muslim to pray that he may be saved from 2. 4 Verse 7 A A A A A LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH AND AND AND AND AND THE THE THE THE THE H H H H H OL OL OL OL OLY Y Y Y Y Q Q Q Q Q UR UR UR UR UR ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ AN AN AN AN AN — S — S — S — S — S URAH URAH URAH URAH URAH A A A A A L L L L L -F -F -F -F -F A A A A ATIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA AND AND AND AND AND C C C C C OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENTAR AR AR AR ARY Y Y Y Y 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5