The Broad Means of Divine Guidance and Their Role in Human Life

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Reflecting on the blessed verses from Surah Ash-Shu'ara, we see a significant exchange between Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and his people, as he was striving to deliver Allah's message and save them from their grave misguidance, above all polytheism. He worked hard to guide them and lead them along the path of truth to worship Allah alone and follow His path. He provided them with significant, convincing proofs, demonstrating to them that they had no right or justification to worship anything other than Allah, the true Owner and God of all humans. It is Allah (the Almighty) Who provides humans with all essential, important needs, so why would one turn to worship anything other than Allah?!

Prophet Ibrahim presented his argument in personal terms, speaking about himself, although it applies to everyone. Every human being is in need of Allah (Glory be to Him) in all these matters, as mentioned by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). In presenting his argument, which shows the human connection to Allah and our need for Him, he began by saying, {'[He is] the One Who created me, and He [alone] guides me'}[Ash-Shu'ara 26:78]. We began discussing this verse in yesterday's lecture.

As we mentioned, every human is in need of Allah in his very existence, for He is the One Who gave you life, Who created you, and Who blessed you with all that He created in and for you—your limbs, faculties, senses, energies, and abilities. You belong to Allah, and He is the source of all blessings. He created human beings in the best of forms and endowed us with various blessings, beginning with those within ourselves. Foremost among these blessings is the blessing of guidance, which comes before all others—we began to discuss this yesterday.

This reminder serves to clarify to humans that there is nothing that connects them in their basic needs and essential requirements to those whom they may take as equals to Allah:

• whether through polytheism, by believing in their divinity and lordship,
• or through following them in falsehood, obeying them in defiance of Allah (the Exalted), and giving their obedience precedence over that of Allah.

They did not create you, nor did they give you all these abilities. You do not rely on them for your essential needs in life, as will be discussed.

At the forefront of what humans needs most is guidance, which comes from Allah. In the Holy Quran, guidance is placed at the very forefront of blessings, as mentioned yesterday, in many verses and in various contexts. In this particular story, it is mentioned even before food and drink: {'[He is] the One Who created me, and He [alone] guides me. [He is] the One Who provides me with food and drink'}[Ash-Shu'ara 26:78-79].

Humans need divine guidance in all aspects and affairs of life. Without Allah's guidance in its various forms—as will be discussed—a person would find himself in a very difficult situation, akin to a living mass of flesh that does not comprehend what to do and how to act. He would be like a computer that has no software to run it or instruct how to use it. Indeed, he would not know how to deal with anything. Thus, humans need guidance from Allah (Glory be to Him) from the very beginning of their existence, before anything else, for it is through this guidance that they will be able to conduct their affairs. The guidance that Allah bestows upon humanity is wide-ranging and diverse, and at its forefront is innate guidance—what Allah (Glory be to Him) has embedded in human nature.

The blessing of innate guidance as an essential need for humans and animals

Humans need innate guidance from the first moment of their existence, right after birth, even before anything else. We discussed yesterday how Allah inspires infants, right after birth—when they need nourishment—to seek breastfeeding. We can observe some newborns seeking out their mother's breast and moving their mouths to suckle, even before they open their eyes. At that early stage of infancy, if Allah did not inspire and guide them to breastfeed, it would be impossible to explain or teach them how to do so.

Through what Allah (Glory be to Him) has embedded in human nature, the newborn is endowed with the ability to cry, thereby signalling his various needs and conditions. When he is hungry and in need of milk, he cries, and so does he when he feels any pain or needs changing. He also cries to signal any discomfort, whether due to heat, cold, loneliness, or other causes.

All of this is part of the innate guidance that Allah has naturally instilled in the newborn. It is one of Allah's remarkable signs and a manifestation of His care—a form of divine programming for the baby. This guidance is of great help in taking care of the child. Without it, caregiving would be extremely difficult and would require constant, exhausting attention. Instead, the child plays his part by signalling his needs. Furthermore, he finds comfort in the presence of his mother, his father, his family, and his caregivers. During his early days, he harmonises with them and forms a profound emotional bond, and so do they. Indeed, all of this comes as part of that innate guidance from Allah, the Almighty.

Innate guidance, which Allah has embedded within natural instinct, extends not only to humans but also to all living creatures and animals according to their roles and functions in life. That is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Who created and [perfectly] fashioned [all], and Who ordained [precisely] and inspired accordingly'}[Al-A'la 87:2-3]. With creation and ordainment comes guidance for living beings in how they live, survive, and carry out the roles defined for them in this life: {'He said, “Our Lord is the One Who has given everything its [distinctive] form, then guided [it]”'}[Taha 20:50]. This innate guidance is essential not just for humans but also for other creatures, all of which are guided in accordance with what Allah (Glory be to Him) has decreed for them.

Therefore, contemporary studies and research, which employ monitoring devices, precise imaging, and long-term observation of various animal species and other creatures, reveal many wonders. Their findings clearly show how Allah has inspired them to act with precision and according to a specific system. For example, in the study of birds, there are many studies and research projects, some of which are video-documented, with many documentaries already produced. The same is true in the study of ants, bees, and fish. Countless marvels come to light, which prove that these creatures act through innate guidance endowed and inspired by Allah. They behave with precision and follow a specific system in their pursuit of survival according to their defined roles in life in astonishing ways.

Therefore, Allah says about bees, {'And your Lord inspired bees: “Make [your] homes in the mountains, the trees, and in what people construct. Then, feed from all fruits and follow the ways your Lord has made easy for you.” From their bellies comes forth liquid of varying colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect'}[An-Nahl 16:68-69]. Allah (Glory be to Him) makes it clear that He has inspired them. This is the inspiration that Allah has woven into their nature; it is the innate guidance that He has bestowed upon them, enabling them to produce honey with remarkable excellence.

Likewise, this applies to other beings. In fact, they are endowed with instinctive awareness and perception that often goes beyond this: They demonstrate a remarkable level of understanding within the scope of their roles.

For example, we find in the story of the Prophet Sulaiman (PBUH) how the hoopoe communicated with him, recounting its journey to Yemen: {'But it tarried not far and said, “I have found out something you do not know. I have just come to you from Sheba with sure news. Indeed, I found a woman ruling over them, who has been given of all things, and she has a magnificent throne. I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah. For Satan has made their deeds appealing to them"'}[An-Naml 27:22-24]. The hoopoe delivered a comprehensive yet concise report on the situation of the Kingdom of Sheba at the political, religious, economic, and military levels and in terms of material conditions. It also criticised their misguidance in worshipping the sun instead of Allah and showed how Satan had ensnared and misled them, making their deviation seem appealing to them. Such understanding and perception demonstrated by the hoopoe clearly reflects the extent of divine innate guidance.

Consider also the story of the ant itself with Prophet Sulaiman (PBUH) in Surah An-Naml, when he moved with his army, as Allah says, {'And when they came across a valley of ants, an ant warned, “O ants! Go quickly into your homes so Sulaiman and his armies do not crush you, unknowingly”'}[An-Naml 27:18]. This remarkable level of awareness, knowledge, and understanding is part of the divine guidance bestowed by Allah (Glory be to Him). These abilities, as we said, vary according to each creature's role and function in life.

Humans, however, are endowed with innate guidance that is far more comprehensive than that of other creatures due to the vast scope of their duties, the variety of their affairs in life, and the magnitude of their responsibilities and role on this earth. The innate guidance that Allah has placed in human nature is profound, aligning with these broad responsibilities as vicegerent on the earth and the diversity of their needs.

Guidance through instinct, clear signs, and instruction via scriptures and messengers

In addition to this innate guidance, Allah has granted humans the faculties of perception, knowledge, discernment, and reasoning, which work in harmony with the innate guidance embedded within their nature. Through these faculties, humans acquire further knowledge and information and learn from their experiences. Thus, Allah has endowed them with the capacity to distinguish between things and to exercise sound judgment. This is why Allah (the Almighty) says, {'And Allah brought you out of the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing, and gave you hearing, sight, and intellect so perhaps you would be thankful'}[An-Nahl 16:87].

Allah (Glory be to Him) has also established signs of guidance in the world around humans, through which they can find their way and gain the knowledge needed to navigate the journey of life. This is why the concept of guidance in the Holy Quran is often linked to reminders of Allah's blessings found in these very signs. For example, Allah says, {'He has placed into the earth firm mountains, so it does not shake with you, as well as rivers, and pathways so you may find your way. He has set landmarks, too, and by the stars they find their way'}[An-Nahl 16:15-16]. Allah also says, {'Or [ask them,] “Who guides you in the darkness of the land and sea"'}[An-Naml 27:63].

The guidance Allah provides for humans is vast, encompassing the means of livelihood and survival, the way to pursue good and repel harm, and their broad activity in life:

• inner guidance within the human being;
• external guidance through clear signs in the environment; and
• instructional guidance, derived from Allah's books, His messengers, and His prophets, continuing after them through the inheritance of His books by the righteous guides among His servants.

Allah (Glory be to Him) has granted humanity vast guidance. The blessing of guidance is immense and plays a significant and essential role in human life. This is why humans are endowed with innate guidance and, as previously mentioned, the faculties of perception, discernment, and reasoning essential for comprehension. At the same time, innate guidance encompasses essential principles, basic truths, and axioms that humans rely on as vital knowledge, inherently known to them by necessity, and upon which many cognitive aspects of human life are built. This is an important matter, playing a huge role in human life, as these principles are shared among all humans and are necessarily known. Therefore, they cannot be denied or rejected without departing from the realm of rationality. Such denial can only be seen as wilful obstinacy or what is often called sophistry or nonsense.

Within what Allah has instilled in human nature—in innate guidance itself—are foundations needed for further instructional guidance. Indeed, this guidance is in perfect harmony with what Allah has embedded in our nature:

• At the forefront of this is the recognition of Allah's Lordship. Every person has innate knowledge of the fact that he is a servant of Allah and that Allah is his Lord—the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Creator of all things. This is a matter implanted in every person's very nature.
• Then comes instructional guidance to further expand a person's knowledge so that he comes to know Allah more fully and gain more understanding through reflecting on the manifestations of His power, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, and so on.
• Additionally, moral principles and qualities, as well as virtues are rooted in human nature as part of this innate guidance.

Allah (Glory be to Him) speaks of human nature and innate guidance concerning His Lordship in the Holy Quran saying, {'And [mention] when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. [Allah asked,] “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” [He cautioned,] “Now you have no right to say on the Day of Resurrection, 'We were not aware of this.' Nor say, 'It was our forefathers who had associated others [with Allah in worship] and we, as their descendants, followed in their footsteps. Will You then destroy us for the falsehood they invented?'”'}[Al-A'raf 7:172-173]. That means human beings can never use their forefathers' deviation from the principle of monotheism as an argument, nor can they justify their disregard of this principle. Why can they not do that? It is because Allah (Glory be to Him) has planted the recognition of His Lordship in their souls. As a result, they have no foundation, justification, or argument for opposing that. Furthermore, Allah has sent His messengers and prophets to remind people of this great principle and profound truth, upon which all further details are built.

As for virtues, noble character, and moral concepts, Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And by the soul and [the One] Who fashioned it, then with [the knowledge of] right and wrong inspired it!'}[Ash-Shams 91:7-8]. Hence, the human soul is indeed inspired—part of that inspiration is through innate guidance.

That is why we find all people recognise all those themes related to virtues and good morals, such as truth, enlightenment, justice, honesty, benevolence, honour, chastity, loyalty, mercy, and generosity. While they may differ in the details, they fundamentally acknowledge these as virtues and marks of human excellence, with people admiring and praising those who possess these traits.

In principle, they also agree that the opposites of these virtues are bad and reflect a flaw in one's character. For instance, lying is condemned by all humans. It is never considered a virtue; rather, it is recognised by all as a vice, and anyone known for it is criticised. The same applies to injustice, vice, and all types of crime, such as theft. Human beings are in agreement on this matter.

What is the reason behind this agreement among humans? It is because of the innate guidance that Allah (Glory be to Him) has instilled in their human nature. This is the truth, although people may differ in certain details, and some—out of rebellion, stubbornness, or misguidance—may attempt to invert the facts regarding these concepts, calling their injustice justice or their lies truth, and so forth. This is nothing but deliberate evil exploitation, and it is not due to any confusion about what these terms truly mean. Indeed, the matter is clear to all humans when it comes to the reality of truth, falsehood, justice, injustice, and so on. In fact, this is part of the innate guidance embedded in human nature, ensuring full harmony and alignment with the instructional guidance provided through the prophets and messengers and through the divine scriptures of Allah, the Almighty.

For example, the concept of guidance is highly respected among humans, while the concept of misguidance is seen as something evil. This is why even those who are themselves misguided try to present themselves to others as offering guidance. Firaawn himself said to his people, {'I am guiding you only to the right path'}[Ghafir 40:29]—Why? That is because he knew that human nature is naturally drawn to the idea of guidance and perceives the right path and the correct stance as being associated with guidance. So he tried to exploit this concept in order to deceive them, not because there was any confusion about what this concept truly represented. It was all for the sake of deception. Similarly, people have a low opinion of falsehood and misguidance—the very opposites of guidance and truth— and those who cling to them are universally condemned. These are innate truths, instilled by Allah's guidance (Glory be to Him) in the very nature of humanity.

How can human nature be negatively affected? And how can we preserve the purity of the soul?

Many negative influences may affect a person's innate guidance and cause him to turn away from it. Even the inner moral compass, often referred to as 'conscience', can be affected. A person's natural disposition allows him not only to know what is right but also to resonate with it emotionally: He reveres truth, guidance, and noble morals, seeing them as honourable, dignified, and sacred magnifies and feeling drawn to them. He also recognises that disgraceful traits, Immoral behaviours, crimes, and corruption are bad things, so he recoils from them and considers them shameful and incompatible with his human dignity and honour. Therefore, this is not only about intellectual awareness but also feelings. And all of it originates from divine guidance. However, when a person persists in falsehood and misguidance, this corrupts his soul, starting with his feelings. Even if he still has the knowledge to distinguish between what is good and what is evil, he begins to normalise evils and vices. In other words, due to his persistence in wrongful actions, his inner self becomes corrupt, and his conscience begins to fade. He also begins to drift away from noble values—they grow emotionally detached from them and eventually adopt a completely different direction in life.

Therefore, guidance is essential for moral refinement and the cultivation of the noble traits embedded in our nature. However, Given the complexity of human life and its responsibilities, we also need instructional guidance from Allah through His scriptures, messengers, and prophets.

Due to the significance of man's role in life and the vastness of that role, he needs to receive broader divine guidance in the form of instructions, since human life is broader in terms of responsibilities than the life of other animals and creatures. In fact, man in this life is connected to Allah and cannot detach himself or turn away from Him without consequences, as if it were simply a matter of personal choice and nothing more. You, as a human being, are a servant of Allah, living on His earth, within a small part of His vast kingdom. This entire universe belongs to Allah (Glory be to Him), for He is the Lord of all worlds and the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth. Therefore, you are His servant, existing within His kingdom. This earth is but a tiny space within Allah's vast kingdom. It is He Who brought you into existence, gave you life, endowed you with abilities and faculties, and subjected many things to your use, both as an individual and as a human society, to fulfil a role that does not go beyond the scope of servitude to Him, the Almighty. You are a servant of Allah (Glory be to Him) and therefore have responsibilities to fulfil in this life. You are not here without purpose, nor were you created to wander aimlessly as you please. Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'For Allah created the heavens and the earth for a purpose, so that every soul may be paid back for what it has committed'}[Al-Jathiyah 45:22].

Given the fact that Allah endowed humans with innate abilities and faculties and granted them dominion over the heavens and the earth, humans bear a tremendous responsibility. What Allah has bestowed upon them is a profound trust, and how they manage it is of utmost importance. In everything they do, humans are dealing with what belongs to Allah. This earth belongs to Him, with everything within it. You and all that you are blessed with belong to Him. Therefore, you must act in accordance with His permission, His instructions, and His guidance.

Allah has outlined for you the most upright way to live the best possible life. When a person takes the wrong path and deviates from his role in this life, it leads to significant harm and corruption. Humans have a responsibility to fulfil before Allah, which is why the Quran emphasises the magnitude of this responsibility, as Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they [all] declined to bear it, being fearful of it. But humanity assumed it, for they are truly wrongful and ignorant'}[Al-Ahzab 33:72]. When a person takes the wrong path, despite what Allah blessed Him with, including his abilities, capacities, and faculties, it results in great corruption and injustice and leads to grave consequences. Human actions, whether good or evil, have a profound impact on life, unlike other creatures with limited roles and limited impact. Allah says, {'Corruption has spread on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned'}[Ar-Rum 30:41].

Given the importance of humans' role and the weight of their responsibility, Allah set a significant and immense reward for good deeds, including His pleasure, Jannah, and pure eternal bliss. As for those who deviate from Allah's path and His message, choosing the path of evil, they are destined for severe eternal punishment in the Fire and the wrath of Allah, the Almighty.

The sheer scale of reward and punishment reflects the magnitude of human responsibility in this life. Therefore, humans need Allah's guidance and instruction. This is because deviation from the right path is extremely dangerous for both himself and his life, leading to immense corruption and grave consequences.

This brings us to the topic of divine guidance in terms of instruction and legislation; however, we will continue our discussion in tomorrow's lecture, Allah willing.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.