The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 18
CH. 1 AL-FATIHAH 6. Guide us in "the right path,6 a19:37; 36:62; 42:53, 54. destined. Of modern thinkers, Freud, the famous Austrian psychologist, has also lent powerful support to this view. He has tried to show that the adult has his actions determined by the environment and experiences through which he passes in early childhood. Unable to shed the influence of his early days, the adult is not free. True, early environment exerts an influence on the later life. The Holy Prophet of Islam, fourteen hundred years ago, drew attention to the fact that one's childhood environ- ment exerts a distinct influence on adulthood. Says he: "A child is born in the likeness of Islam; it is his parents that make him a Christian, a Jew or a Fire-worshipper" (Bukhārī). In spite of this, Islam repudiates the idea that man is not free. It is commonly seen that later in one's life, one often outgrows the atmos- phere and ideas of his childhood and instead adopts a course of life quite different from the life he would have lived if he had not outgrown those ideas. There is yet another point to be cleared about this verse. In the first four verses of this chapter, God is spoken of in the third person, but in this verse He is suddenly addressed in the second person. This abrupt change from the third to the second person may appear to be an example of bad grammar. Nothing of the kind. A thoughtful contemplation of the divine attributes in the first four 18 اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ) verses brings to the mind of the worshipper such an attractive picture of his Creator that he feels irresistibly drawn towards Him, and this, coupled with the realization of His presence, makes him address his Lord and invoke His assistance in a supplicatory tone. The Quran is not a book of philosophy but has been sent to bring about a change in man and to open up to him avenues of spiritual progress. Therefore, its style is made to fit in with the nature of man and with his innermost feelings. The contemplation of the four attributes creates in man such an irresistible longing for his Creator and such an intense desire to offer his whole- hearted devotion to Him that, in order to satisfy this longing of the soul, the third person used in the first four verses has been changed to the second in the fifth verse. It is to this point that the Holy Prophet has beautifully alluded in a ḥadīth. Says he: "Allah has divided the chapter As- Himself, the first half belongs to Salāt equally between man and Allah, the second to His servant. When, therefore, a man offers this prayer to God from the fullness of his heart and asks for something, the same is given to him" (Muslim). 6. Important Words: هداه. هدی guide is derived from) اهد means: he guided him. or s or means, he showed him the right path and made it known to him. as means: he led the way for