Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 9

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Undertaken by Allah is (to show) the right path, while there are some (paths) that are crooked. Had He so willed, He would have led all of you to the right path.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

It is upon Allah ˹alone˺ to ˹clearly˺ show the Straight Way. Other ways are deviant. Had He willed, He would have easily imposed guidance upon all of you.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is upon Allah to show the straight path, while other ways are deviant. If He had willed, He could have guided you all.

A. J. Arberry

God's it is to show the way; and some do swerve from it. If He willed, He would have guided you all together.

Abdul Haleem

God points out the right path, for some paths lead the wrong way: if He wished, He could guide you all.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And upon Allah is the direction of the way, and thereof is some crooked; and had He willed He would have guided you all.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And unto Allah leads straight the Way, but there are ways that turn aside; if Allah had willed, He could have guided all of you.

Abul Ala Maududi

It rests with Allah alone to show you the Right Way, even when there are many crooked ways. Had He so willed, He would have (perforce) guided you all aright.

Ahmed Ali

To God leads the right path, though some deviate. If He willed He could guide you all to the right way.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the middle path rightly leads to Allah – any other path is wayward; and had He willed He would have brought all of you upon guidance.

Ali Quli Qarai

With Allah rests guidance to the straight path, and some of the paths are devious, and had He wished He would have guided you all.

Ali Ünal

With God (being your Creator) rests the goal of the way (to which He will guide and which you must follow). And some (ways) are crooked (misleading those who follow them). But if God had willed (to impose His guidance without granting people freedom of choice), He would surely have guided you all together (on His way).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (because He is our Creator) upon Allâh lies (the responsibility of) leading to the right path, for there are some (paths) deviating (from the right and moderate course and so they lead astray). And if He had (enforced) His will, He would have guided you all.

English Literal

And on God (is) the path`s/way`s objective/direction , and from it, (there is) unjust/deviation , and if He willed/wanted He would have guided you all together .

Faridul Haque

And the middle path rightly leads to Allah - any other path is wayward; and had He willed He would have brought all of you upon guidance.

Hamid S. Aziz

(Unto or For Allah) is the direction of the Straight Way; from it some turn aside (or are not straight): but had He pleased He would have led you all straight.

Hilali & Khan

And upon Allah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path (i.e. Islamic Monotheism for mankind i.e. to show them legal and illegal, good and evil things, etc. so, whosoever accepts the guidance, it will be for his own benefit and whosoever goes astray, it will be for his own destruction), but there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism, Christianity, etc.). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And (He made) horses and mules and asses that you might ride upon them and as an ornament. And He creates what you know not.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And upon Allah it rests to show the right way, and there are some deviating (ways); and if He please He would certainly guide you all aright.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And Allah's is the direction of the way, and some (roads) go not straight. And had He willed He would have led you all aright.

Muhammad Sarwar

Some paths lead away from God but one must follow the path that leads to God. Had God wanted, He could have guided (all to the right path).

Qaribullah & Darwish

It is for Allah to show the way. Some swerve from it, but had He willed, He would have guided all of you.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And it is up to Allah to show the right way. But there are ways that stray. And had He willed, He would have guided you all.

Wahiduddin Khan

The straight way leads to God and there are ways which deviate from the right course. If He so wished, He would guide you all.

Talal Itani

It is for God to point out the paths, but some of them are flawed. Had He willed, He could have guided you all.

Tafsir jalalayn

And God's is the direction of the way, that is, to point out the straight path, and some of them, that is, the paths, are deviant, swerving away from straightness. And had He willed, to guide you, He would have guided you, to seek the way, all, so that you would be [rightly] guided of your own choice.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Explanation of the Different Religious Paths

When Allah mentioned the animals which may be used for the purpose of physical journeys, He also referred to the moral, religious routes that people may follow. Often in the Qur'an there is a shift from physical or tangible things to beneficial spiritual and religious matters, as when Allah says,

وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى

And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is Taqwa (piety, righteousness). (2;197)

And,

يَـبَنِى ادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَرِى سَوْءَتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ

O Children of Adam! We have granted clothing for you to cover yourselves, as well as for adornment; but the raiment of righteousness, that is better. (7;26)

Since Allah mentioned cattle and other such animals in this Surah, all of which are ridden or can be used in any way necessary, carrying people's necessities for them to distant places and on difficult journeys - then He mentions the ways which people follow to try to reach Him, and explains that the right way is the one that does reach Him.

He says;

وَعَلَى اللّهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيلِ

And it is up to Allah to show the right way.

This is like the Ayat,

وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ

And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow the (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. (6;153)

and,

قَالَ هَذَا صِرَطٌ عَلَىَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ

(Allah) said;"This is the way which will lead straight to Me." (15;41)

وَعَلَى اللّهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيلِ

And it is up to Allah to show the right way.

Mujahid said;

"The true way is up to Allah."

Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said;

"It is up to Allah to clarify, to explain the guidance and misguidance."

This was also reported by Ali bin Abi Talhah, and was also the opinion of Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak.

Hence Allah said;

وَمِنْهَا جَأيِرٌ

But there are ways that stray.

meaning they deviate from the truth.

Ibn Abbas and others said;

"These are the different ways,"

and various opinions and whims, such as Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism.

Ibn Mas`ud recited it as
وَمِنْ
كُمْ
جَأيِرٌ
,

"But among you are those who stray."

Then Allah tells us that all of that happens by His will and decree.

He says;

وَلَوْ شَاء لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ



And had He willed, He would have guided you all.

And Allah says;

وَلَوْ شَأءَ رَبُّكَ لامَنَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا

If your Lord had willed, then all who are in the earth would have believed. (10;99)

وَلَوْ شَأءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ

إِلاَّ مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ وَلِذلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبّكَ لَامْلَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely, have made humanity one Ummah, but they will not stop disagreeing. Except those for whom your Lord has granted mercy. And it is for this that He did create them; and the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e. His saying);"Surely, I shall fill Hell with Jinn and men all together." (11;118-119