The Meaning of Allah’s Saying: “And He found you lost, so He guided you,” and an Explanation of the Types of Guidance
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The Shaykh :[Ad-Duhaa 93:6-7] Allah is the greatest of Allah’s blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). At first, he was lost; he did not know anything, he did not know anything at all. Allah the Exalted says: [Al-'Ankabut 29:48]. And He the Exalted says: [Ash-Shuraa 42:52] What? [Ash-Shuraa 42:52] Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had not been revealed to. Rather, Allah the Exalted mentioned his state before the revelation to make clear thereby the magnitude of Allah’s blessing upon him with the revelation. For this reason, it is said: By its opposite, what? Things become clear. So, mention Allah’s blessing upon you when you did not know anything, lost, meaning you had no knowledge, so He guided. Guided, what? Did He guide with guidance of indication or guidance of indication and success? It appears that you have no knowledge of the two types of guidance? Yes, guidance of indication is to direct someone to good. Guidance of success is for that person to do that good.
Guidance of indication, for example, is when you come to a person and say, “My brother, prayer is obligatory in congregation, and it is obligatory for you to follow the imam and not to precede the imam.” This is guidance of indication. But his praying in congregation and following the imam, that is guidance of success. Guidance of success belongs to Allah alone. O Allah, guide us. Guidance of indication is for Allah the Exalted, for the messengers, and for the inheritors of the messengers from the scholars; all of them guide people. Listen, Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): What? Meaning, you direct people to it. And Allah the Exalted said in another verse: [Al-Qasas 28:56] This guidance which Allah negated is guidance of success. No one can guide anyone, meaning make them successful so they act, ever. Sometimes you bring your children, advise them, and clarify the truth to them, but they do not agree, because guidance is in the hand of whom? Guidance of success is in the hand of whom?? In the hand of Allah. So, [Ad-Duhaa 93:7] Which of the two guidances is it? Both guidances.
Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:113] This is guidance of indication. Guidance of success: the one who guided people in the worship of Allah is the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Now, the word “guided” needs an object. Where is its object? We need someone else. You, may Allah reward you with good, please.
The student: The implied object
The Shaykh : The implied object
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Perfect. By analogy with what came before, you answered by analogy with what came before, correct.[Ad-Duhaa 93:7] Did He guide you, or did He guide you and guide through you? He guided you and guided through you.
How many people were lost whom Allah guided, may Allah have mercy on you, whom Allah guided through the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib when he sent him to Khaybar: Meaning, camels.
(6) Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? (7) And He found you lost and guided [you],
ألم يجدك يتيما فآوى ووجدك ضالا فهدىAnd you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe one with your right hand
وما كنت تتلو من قبله من كتاب ولا تخطه بيمينكAnd thus We have revealed to you an inspiration of Our command.
وكذلك أوحينا إليك روحا من أمرناYou did not know what is the Book or [what is] faith
ما كنت تدري ما الكتاب ولا الإيمانGuidance of indication, for example, is when you come to a person and say, “My brother, prayer is obligatory in congregation, and it is obligatory for you to follow the imam and not to precede the imam.” This is guidance of indication. But his praying in congregation and following the imam, that is guidance of success. Guidance of success belongs to Allah alone. O Allah, guide us. Guidance of indication is for Allah the Exalted, for the messengers, and for the inheritors of the messengers from the scholars; all of them guide people. Listen, Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
And you are indeed guiding
وإنك لتهديto a straight path
إلى صراط مستقيمIndeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills
إنك لا تهدي من أحببت ولكن الله يهدي من يشاءAnd He found you lost and guided [you],
وجدك ضالا فهدىAllah the Exalted said:
and has taught you that which you did not know
وعلمك ما لم تكن تعلمThe student: The implied object
The Shaykh : The implied object
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Perfect. By analogy with what came before, you answered by analogy with what came before, correct.
And He found you lost and guided [you],
ووجدك ضالا فهدىHow many people were lost whom Allah guided, may Allah have mercy on you, whom Allah guided through the hand of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib when he sent him to Khaybar: