هِدَايَةُThe guidanceالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the believers
The guidance of the believers.
وَضَلَالُand the misguidanceالْمُعْرِضِينَof those who turn away
And the misguidance of those who turn away.
وَلَمَّاAnd whenكَانَwasطَالِبُthe seekerالصِّرَاطِof the pathالْمُسْتَقِيمِthe straightطَالِباًseekingأَمْراًa matterأَكْثَرُmostالنَّاسِpeopleنَاكِبُونَare deviatingعَنْهُfrom it
And when the seeker of the straight path was seeking a matter that most people are deviating from.
مُرِيداًDesiringلِسُلُوكِto followطَرِيقٍa pathمُرَافَقَةًaccompaniedفِيهَاin itفِيinغَايَةِthe utmostالْقِلَّةِscarcityوَالْعِزَّةِand rarity
Desiring to follow a path accompanied by a very small and rare group.
وَالنُّفُوسُAnd the soulsمَجْبُولَةٌare inclinedعَلَىtoوَحْشَةِthe lonelinessالتَّفَرُّدِof individualityوَعَلَىand toالْأُنْسِthe companionshipبِالرَّفِيقِwith the companion
And the souls are inclined to the loneliness of individuality and to the companionship with a companion.
نَبَّهَalertedاللَّهُGodسُبْحَانَهُGlory be to Himعَلَىtoالرَّفِيقِthe companionفِيinهَذِهِthisالطَّرِيقِroad
God, Glory be to Him, alerted to the companion on this road,
وَأَنَّهُمُand that theyهُمُareالَّذِينَthose whoأَنْعَمَbestowedاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِمْupon themمِنَfrom amongالنَّبِيِّينَthe prophetsوَالصِّدِّيقِينَand the truthfulوَالشُّهَدَاءِand the martyrsوَالصَّالِحِينَand the righteous
and that they are those whom God has bestowed favors upon from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.
وَحَسُنَAnd they are beautifulأُولَئِكَthoseرَفِيقاًas companions
And they are beautiful as companions.
فَأَضَافَSo He addedالصِّرَاطَthe pathإِلَىtoالرَّفِيقِthe companionsالسَّالِكِينَwalking on it
So He added the path to the companions walking on it.
وَهُمُAnd theyالَّذِينَare those whoأَنْعَمَbestowedاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِمْupon them
And they are those whom God has bestowed upon.
لِيَزُولَso that it may removeعَنْfromالطَّالِبِthe seekerلِلْهِدَايَةِof guidanceوَسُلُوكِand the followingالصِّرَاطِof the pathوَحْشَةُthe lonelinessتَفَرُّدِهَاof its individualityعَنْfromأَهْلِthe peopleزَمَانُهُof his timeوَبَنِيand the kindredجِنْسُهُof his kind
So that it may remove from the seeker of guidance and the following of the path the loneliness of his individuality from the people of his time and the kindred of his kind.
وَلِيَعْلَمَAnd to knowأَنَّthatرَفِيقَهُhis companionفِيinهَذَاthisالصِّرَاطِpathهُمُare those whoأَنْعَمَbestowedاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِمْupon them
And to know that his companion on this path are those whom God has bestowed upon.
فَلَاSo do notيَكْتَرِثْbe concernedبِمُخَالَفَةِabout the oppositionالنَّاكِبِينَof those who turn awayعَنْهُfrom it
So do not be concerned about the opposition of those who turn away from it.
فَإِنَّهُمْFor they areهُمُthe ones whoالْأَقَلُّونَare fewerقَدْراًin worthوَإِنْalthough they areكَانُواtheالْأَكْثَرِينَmost in number
For they are those who are fewer in worth, although they are the most in number.
كَمَاAsقَالَsaidبَعْضُsomeالسَّلَفُof the predecessors
As some of the predecessors said:
عَلَيْكَTake upon yourselfبِطَرِيقِthe path ofالْحَقِّtruthوَلَاand do notتَسْتَوْحِشْbe dauntedلِقِلَّةِby the scarcityالسَّالِكِينَof those who walk it
"Take your way with the path of truth, and do not be daunted by the scarcity of those who walk it,
وَإِيَّاكَand bewareوَطَرِيقِof the path ofالْبَاطِلِfalsehoodوَلَاand do notتَغْتَرّْbe deceivedبِكَثْرَةِby the abundanceالْهَالِكِينَof those who perish
and beware of the path of falsehood, and do not be deceived by the abundance of those who perish."
وَكُلَّمَاAnd wheneverاسْتَوْحَشْتَyou feel lonelyفِيinتَفَرُّدِكَyour individualityفَانْظُرْthen lookإِلَىtoالرَّفِيقِthe companionالسَّابِقِwho came before
And whenever you feel lonely in your individuality, look to the preceding companion,
وَاحْرِصْand striveعَلَىtoاللِّحَاقِcatch up withبِهِمْthem
and strive to catch up with them.
وَغُضَّAnd turn awayالطَّرْفَthe gazeعَمَّنْfrom whoever isسِوَاهُمْother than them
And turn away your gaze from others.
فَإِنَّهُمْFor theyلَنْwill neverيُغْنُواbe able to availعَنْكَyouشَيْئاًanythingمِنَfromاللَّهِGod
For they will never be able to avail you anything against God.
وَإِذَاAnd ifصَاحُواthey call outبِكَto youفِيinطَرِيقِthe path ofسَيْرِكَyour journeyفَلَاdo notتَلْتَفِتْturn to them
And if they call out to you in the path of your journey, do not turn to them.
فَإِنَّكَFor youمَتَىwheneverالْتَفَتَّyou turnإِلَيْهِمْto themأَخَذُوكَthey will take youوَعَاقُوكَand hinder you
For if you ever turn to them, they will take you and hinder you.
وَقَدْAnd indeedضَرَبْتُI have setلِذَلِكَfor thisمَثَلَيْنِtwo examplesفَلِيَكُونَاso let them beمِنْكَfor youعَلَىwith regard toبَالٍmind
And I have set two examples for this; keep them in mind:
الْمَثَلُThe exampleالْأَوَّلُfirstرَجُلٌa manخَرَجَwent outمِنْfromبَيْتِهِhis houseإِلَىtoالصَّلَاةِthe prayerلَاnotيُرِيدُwantingغَيْرَهَاother than it
The first example: A man who went out from his house to the prayer, wanting nothing other than it.
فَعَرَضَAnd there presentedلَهُto himفِيonطَرِيقِهِhis wayشَيْطَانٌa devilمِنْfromشَيَاطِينِthe devils ofالْإِنْسِmankind
And there presented to him on his way a devil from the devils of mankind
فَرَمَاهُwho threw at himبِمَاwith whatيُؤْذِيهِhurts him
who threw at him what hurts him.
فَوَقَفَSo he stoppedوَرَدَّand respondedعَلَيْهِto himوَتَمَاسَكَاand they wrestled
So he stopped and responded to him, and they wrestled.
فَرُبَّمَاPerhapsكَانَhe wasشَيْطَانُa devil ofالْإِنْسِmankindأَقْوَىstrongerمِنْهُthan himفَقَهَرَهُso he defeated himوَمَنَعَهُand prevented him
Perhaps the devil of mankind was stronger than him, so he defeated him and prevented him.