Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 153

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And: This is My path that is straightforward. So, follow it, and do not follow the (other) ways, lest they should make you deviate from His way. This is what He has enjoined upon you, so that you may be God-fearing.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, that is My Path—perfectly straight. So follow it and do not follow other ways, for they will lead you away from His Way. This is what He has commanded you, so perhaps you will be conscious ˹of Allah˺.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

This is My straight path; follow it and do not follow other ways, lest they lead you away from His way. This is what He commands you, so that you may become righteous.”

A. J. Arberry

And that this is My path, straight; so do you follow it, and follow not divers paths lest they scatter you from His path. That then He has charged you with; haply you will be godfearing.'

Abdul Haleem

this is My path, leading straight, so follow it, and do not follow other ways: they will lead you away from it- ‘ This is what He commands you to do, so that you may refrain from wrongdoing.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And that: verily this is my path, straight; follow it then, and follow not other ways; that will deviate you from His way. Thus He enjoineth you, that haply ye may fear God.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Verily, this is My way, leading straight; follow it; follow not (other) paths; they will scatter you about from His (great) path; thus doth He command you. that ye may be righteous.

Abul Ala Maududi

(x) This is My way -that which is straight: follow it, then, and do not follow other paths lest they scatter you from His path. This is what He has enjoined upon you, so that you may beware.'

Ahmed Ali

(He has further commanded:) 'This is My straight path, so walk along it, and do not follow other ways, lest you should turn away from the right one.' All this has He commanded. You may perhaps take heed for yourselves."

Ahmed Raza Khan

“And that, ‘This is My Straight Path, so follow it; and do not follow other ways for they will sever you from His way; this is commanded to you, so that you may attain piety.’”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘This indeed is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way. This is what He enjoins upon you so that you may be Godwary.’

Ali Ünal

"This is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, lest they scatter you from His Path. This He has enjoined upon you, that you keep from disobedience to Him in reverence for Him and piety to deserve His protection."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (the Lord says,) `This is My exact right path, so follow it, and follow not (diverse) ways, lest they should deviate you away from His (straight) way.´ That is what He enjoins you with, that you may guard against evil.

English Literal

And that, that (is) My straight/direct road/path, so follow it, and do not follow the roads/paths, so it separates (divides) with you from His road/path, that He directed/commanded you with it, maybe you fear and obey (God).

Faridul Haque

“And that, ‘This is My Straight Path, so follow it; and do not follow other ways for they will sever you from His way; this is commanded to you, so that you may attain piety.’ ”

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, this is My Straight Way; so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest you part yourselves from His way. This is what He has ordained for you, per chance (or possibly) you may fear (and avoid evil)!

Hilali & Khan

"And verily, this (i.e. Allah's Commandments mentioned in the above two Verses 151 and 152) is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And approach not the property of the orphan except in the best manner, until he attains his maturity. And give full measure and weight with equity -- We impose not on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability. And when you speak, be just, though it be (against) a relative. And fulfil Allah’s covenant. This He enjoins on you that you may be mindful;

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And (know) that this is My path, the right one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He has enjoined you with that you may guard (against evil).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (He commandeth you, saying): This is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest ye be parted from His way. This hath He ordained for you, that ye may ward off (evil).

Muhammad Sarwar

This is My path and it is straight. Follow it and not other paths which will lead you far away from the path of God. Thus does God guide you so that you may become pious.

Qaribullah & Darwish

This Path of Mine is straight. Follow it and do not follow other paths, for they will scatter you away from His Path. With such Allah charges you, in order that you be cautious.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may have Taqwa."

Wahiduddin Khan

[He has enjoined], "This is My straight path; so follow it, and do not follow other ways: that will lead you away from His path." That is what He enjoins upon you, so that you may guard yourselves.

Talal Itani

This is My path, straight, so follow it. And do not follow the other paths, lest they divert you from His path. All this He has enjoined upon you, that you may refrain from wrongdoing.

Tafsir jalalayn

And that (read anna, with lm [of li-anna, `because'] being implied, or inna, as beginning a new sentence) this, that I have charged you with, is My straight path (mustaqman, `straight', is a circumstantial qualifier), so follow it; and do not follow other ways, paths opposed to it, lest it separate you (tafarraqa; one of the two letters t' [of the original tatafarraqa] has been omitted) make you incline, away from His way, His religion. This is what He has ordained for you, that perhaps you will be God-fearing'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Command to Follow Allah's Straight Path and to Avoid All Other Paths

Allah says;

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

ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ



"And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may have Taqwa."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented on Allah's statements,
وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ
(And follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path.), and,
أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ
(Saying) that you should establish religion and make no divisions in it), (42;13) and similar Ayat in the Qur'an,

"Allah commanded the believers to adhere to the Jama`ah and forbade them from causing divisions and disputes. He informed them that those before them were destroyed because of divisions and disputes in the religion of Allah."

Similar was said by Mujahid and several others.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,

"The Messenger of Allah drew a line with his hand (in the sand) and said,

هَذَا سَبِيلُ اللهِ مُسْتَقِيمًا

This is Allah's path, leading straight.

He then drew lines to the right and left of that line and said,

هَذِهِ السُّبُلُ لَيْسَ مِنْهَا سَبِيلٌ إِلاَّ عَلَيْهِ شَيْطَانٌ يَدْعُو إِلَيْه

These are the other paths, on each path there is a devil who calls to it.

He then recited,

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

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

Al-Hakim also recorded this Hadith and said; "Its chain is Sahih, but they did not record it."

Imam Ahmad and Abd bin Humayd recorded (and this is the wording of Ahmad) that Jabir said;

"We were sitting with the Prophet when he drew a line in front of him and said,

هَذَا سَبِيلُ الله

This is Allah's path.

He also drew two lines to its right and two lines to its left and said,

هَذِهِ سُبُلُ الشَّيْطَان

These are the paths of Shaytan.

He then placed his hand on the middle path and recited this Ayah;

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

ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ


And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may have Taqwa.

Imam Ahmad, Ibn Majah, in the Book of the Sunnah in his Sunan, and Al-Bazzar collected this Hadith.

Ibn Jarir recorded that;

a man asked Ibn Mas`ud, "What is As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim (the straight path)?"

Ibn Mas`ud replied,

"Muhammad left us at its lower end and its other end is in Paradise. To the right of this Path are other paths, and to the left of it are other paths, and there are men (on these paths) calling those who pass by them. Whoever goes on the other paths will end up in the Fire. Whoever takes the Straight Path, will end up in Paradise."

Ibn Mas`ud then recited the Ayah;

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

And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path.'"

Imam Ahmad recorded that, An-Nawwas bin Sam`an said that the Messenger of Allah said,

ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلً صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا وَعَنْ جَنْبَي الصِّرَاطِ سُورَانِ فِيهِمَا أَبْوَابٌ مُفَتَّحَةٌ

Allah has given a parable of the straight path, and on the two sides of this path, there are two walls containing door ways.

وَعَلَى الاَْبْوَابِ سُتُورٌ مُرْخَاةٌ وَعَلَى بَابِ الصِّرَاطِ دَاعٍ يَدْعُو يَا أَيَّهَا النَّاسُ هَلُمُّوا ادْخُلُوا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

On these door ways, there are curtains that are lowered down. on the gate of this path there is a caller heralding, `O people! come and enter the straight path all together and do not divide.'

وَدَاعٍ يَدْعُو مِنْ فَوْقِ الصِّرَاطِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الاِنْسَانُ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ شَيْيًا مِنْ تِلْكَ الاَْبْوَابِ قَالَ وَيْحَكَ لَا تَفْتَحْهُ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ فَتَحْتَهُ تَلِجْهُ

There is also another caller that heralds from above the path, who says when a person wants to remove the curtain on any of these doors, `Woe to you! Do not open this door, for if you open it, you will enter it.

فَالصِّرَاطُ الاِسْلَامُ وَالسُّورَانِ حُدُودُ اللهِ وَالاْاَبْوَابُ الْمُفَتَّحَةُ مَحَارِمُ اللهِ وَذَلِكَ الدَّاعِي عَلَى رَأْسِ الصِّرَاطِ كِتَابُ اللهِ وَالدَّاعِي مِنْ فَوْقِ الصِّرَاطِ وَاعِظُ اللهِ فِي قَلْبِ كُلِّ مُسْلِم

The (straight) path is Islam, the two walls are Allah's set limits, the open doors lead to Allah's prohibitions, the caller on the gate of the path is Allah's Book (the Qur'an), while the caller from above the path is Allah's admonition in the heart of every Muslim.

At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith, and At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib."

Allah's statement,
فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ
(so follow it, and follow not (other) paths...),

describes Allah's path in the singular sense, because truth is one. Allah describes the other paths in the plural, because they are many and are divided.

Allah said in another Ayah,

اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَوْلِيَأوُهُمُ الطَّـغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَـتِ أُوْلَـيِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ

Allah is the Wali (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their supporters are Taghut (false deities), they bring them out from light into darknesses. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever. (2;257