Al-Hâdî: The Guide

"Allah is sufficient for a Guide and Helper" (25:31).

The Guide is Allah's quality of being, first of all, the guide of Allah's servants to knowledge (ma `rifah) of Allah's Essence in order that they bear witness with this knowledge. Secondly, the Guide guides the common people among Allah's servants to the things that Allah has created in order that they might be able to use them as their witness. Finally, Allah guides every creature to that which is indispensable for the satisfaction of its needs. Allah guides the infant to nursing at his mother's breast from the time of his birth, guides the young bird to pick up seeds from the time of its hatching, guides the bee to building its house in hexagonal form since this is the most appropriate form for the bee's body--that form which is the most cohesive and the least likely to be affected by deep gashes. This subject, which is lengthy, is best defined in the saying of Allah, "He (is the One) who gave unto everything its nature, then guided it aright," (20:50) and in His words, "(He is the One) who measures, then guides" (87:3). Whoever Allah has guided, none can lead astray. Whoever Allah has lead astray, none can lead to the Straight Path. However, Allah creates all creatures with the ability to be guided on the Straight Path, in submission to the will of the One God. It is the misuse of their free-will and ego, strengthened by satanic suggestions, that causes Allah to lead them astray.