Surah Al-Fatihah: Why Does A Muslim Need To Ask For Hidaya While We Are Already Guided To The Truth?

How many paths lead to Paradise? Do all paths lead to God? Even the paths that non-Muslims are on?

These questions are easier to answer when we dig into the Arabic words we are reciting in Surah Al-Fatihah, a Surah that we Muslims recite multiple times daily.

When’s the last time you thought about the actual words you are saying in your prayers?

When we contemplate the meanings behind the words, our prayers reach a new level.

Let’s take the verse: Sirata Al-Ladhina An’amta ‘Alayhim. Here we are asking Allah to guide us to the path of those He’s bestowed blessings on.

But we are told in the Qur’an, all blessings are from Allah. All of us, even non-Muslims are blessed daily by Allah. Food, air, health are just a few of the many blessings He bestows on us daily. So why are we asking to be put on a path we essentially are already on? 

We also ask Allah for Hidayah (guidance) but what exactly are we seeking to be guided on?

What we’ll soon discover is that there are different levels of Hidayah. 

Take a few moments to increase your understanding of the words by watching this short, informative video by Dr. Yasir Qadhi.