U MUHAMMAD IQBAL makes a study of the last verse of Surah Fatiha in the light of different translations and concludes that the prayer for guidance cannot be without a reference to forgiveness.
Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
This is how Pickthall translates the last verse of Surah Fatiha and says that the words in brackets are interpolated to explain the meaning.
Ahmed Zaki Hammad translates the last verse in this way:
“(Guide us) not the way of those upon whom there is wrath nor those astray.”
This translation is highly unsatisfactory. It may be recast as follows:
“(Guide us) not along the way of those upon when there is no wrath, and not along that of those astray.”
Both Pickthall and Hammad insert the word ‘path’ or ‘way’ in the translation because in the past an Arab commentator of the Qur’ān did so. The influence of this commentator can be seen in the translations done by Hadrat Rafiuddin Shah Dehlavi, Imam Ahmed Raza Khan, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanavi, Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi, et al. All these translators are stalwarts in their own right.
The main unsatisfactory element in this translation is that the first chapter of the Qur’ān seems to refer to three paths – the path of the rewarded, the path of those who earned anger, and the path of the directionless.
Another similar element is that the way sought for pursuit has only one distinguishing feature – the rewards. This feature becomes blurred when it is realised that Allah blesses all and rewards all without discrimination. We want to follow the path of the Prophets, the Truthful, the Witnesses to Truth, and the Righteous, who were favoured and rewarded and we don’t want to follow all and sundry. These four ideal groups must have other features too to distinguish them from the rest than the feature of rewards.
Allama Yusuf Ali translates the last verse as follows: Those whose (portion) is not wrath, and those who go not astray.
Maulana Maudoodi’s version: Who did not incur Your wrath, (and) who are not astray. (‘and’ added by me because it is there in the text).
The use of ‘who’ in Maulana’s translation confirms Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani’s assertion that the last verse is the extension of the relative pronoun, allatheena.
The advantages of this translation are many. We come to learn that there is a radical difference between the rewards given to all and the rewards given to the four ideal groups. Maulana Maudoodi notes that out of three distinguishing features associated with the rightly guided people, one is positive and two are negative. He draws the following conclusion from the two negative features. “By In’am, we mean the genuine and eternal favours which inevitably crown the efforts of righteousness and the efforts to please God. By In’am, we don’t mean the ephemeral and ostentatious honours which the Pharaohs, the Nimrods, and the Qaroons received and which the tormentors, the rogues and the misguided receive even today before our eyes.”
Another advantage is that two very significant and distinguishing features are highlighted about this group. One feature is that Allah is pleased with them and forgives them and excludes them from His anger. The pharaoh was both rewarded and punished, whereas Allah is pleased with the Prophet (May Allah bless and greet him) and wants to please him too. Allah is pleased with his companions too. “(O Prophet) your Lord has neither forsaken you, nor is He displeased.”(93:3) “Verily your Lord will soon give you so amply that you will be well-pleased.” (93:5) “Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him.” (98:8) “Allah has remitted their evil deeds and has set their condition right.” (47:2) “Seek forgiveness for your shortcomings.”(40:55) “Allah may forgive you your shortcomings, whether earlier or later and may complete His favours to you.” (48:2) Jonah (peace be unto him) repented thus: la ilaha illa unt, subhanak, inni kuntu minad dalimeen.(21:87)
The other feature is that they cling to Allah and His revelation and deviation from the path shown to them is totally out of the question. God recalled a covenant with the Jews. “Hold fast to the Book that We had given you and remember the directions and commandments in it that you may be pious.”(2:63) “O John! Hold on to the Book with all your strength.” (19:12) The order to cling to the Qur’ān is given to Muslims too. If this order is followed in letter and spirit and if Allah and His Messenger are obeyed, the possibility of going astray is ruled out.
Another advantage of this translation is that the symmetrical structure of the Surah is holistically preserved. There are three major concepts in the Surah. They are Allah, His worshippers, and the Sirat (path/way). For each concept, four details are given. Allah is Rabb, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, the Owner of the Day of Judgment. The worshippers offer hamd (praise and thanks), worship Allah, seek His help and seek guidance. Each activity relates to the four attributes of Allah in the same sequence. The details of the Sirat are matched sequentially with the details of the other two major concepts. This translation, as given by Allama Yusuf Ali and Maulana Maudoodi, refers to only one Sirat whose details are four – straightness of Sirat, rewards are associated with it, protection from divine wrath and protection from straying too. The other translation refers only to two qualities – the straightness and the rewarding nature of the path. The ideal groups followed the Path – which is steadfastly straight, which brought (and will bring) them rewards, and which sheltered and shielded them from wrath and which did not deprive them of sense of direction.
In the Surah one quality of Sirat – its straightness – is directly mentioned. The other three qualities are mentioned as those of the devotees; I attribute them to Sirat because the reference to the devotees functions as Mudaf–ilaih, and “Sirat” functions as Mudaf: The word ‘Sirat’ is repeated twice. In the first instance, it is a part of an attributive (Tauseefee) construct and in the second instance it is a part of a genitive (Idafi) construct. There are three examples of such a construct in the Surah. Aalameen is the property of Rabb; youmideen is the property of Malik. In the same way, the distinguishing features of the ideal groups are inseparably linked to ‘Sirat’. The Sirat belongs to those who follow it and they belong to the Sirat. What belongs to one belongs to the other. We have to remember that Sirat is not without Allah, who rewards, who protects from anger and who prevents straying. Inna Rabbi ala Siratim Mustaqeem. (11:56)
The focus of the commentators has been upon two words – Maghdoob and Dalleen. The Jews and the Christians are cited respectively as examples of the two groups on the Prophet’s authority. Maulana Ameen Ahsan Islahi refers to the following verse in this connection.” Say: O People of the Book! Do not exceed the proper limits in your religion at the cost of Truth.” (5:77) Many others can be Maghdoob and Dalleen.
Actually, the prayer is: Direct us to the path of those who did not incur your wrath and who are not astray. What did those ideal people do to avoid incurring God’s wrath and to avoid going astray? The focus should be on the answer to this question! Among other things, they sought forgiveness constantly to avoid God’s wrath and performed Tauba. Istighfar and Taubah were the two tools used by them. These two qualities are cheek by jowl. If Istighfar is there, can Taubah be far behind? The Qur’ān says, “But Allah was not to chastise them while you are in their midst; nor was Allah going to chastise them while they sought His forgiveness.” (8:33) This verse makes it clear that seeking forgiveness is the key to distance oneself from God’s anger.
Prophet Moses (unto him be peace) says, “So turn in repentance to your Creator.” (2:54) John the Baptist and Jesus Christ (peace be unto both) commenced their mission with the clarion call, “Repent”. (St. Matthew, 3:2; 4:17) The word heard by Brahma before the act of creation is reported to be “Tapah”.
The Lord’s Prayer contains this request explicitly “Forgive us our sins/ debts.” The concepts of forgiveness and repentance are embedded in the last verse of Surah Fatiha. The Qur’ān is the Book which says that when one gets victory, one should seek forgiveness, (110:3) and that when one gets guidance, one should seek forgiveness. (18:55) So the prayer for guidance cannot be without a reference to forgiveness.