Surah Az-Zumar — Verse 57

Word Meanings:

• Hadaani (هَدَانِي): Guided me, directed me, or granted me divine success (tawfiq) to the right path.
• Al-Muttaqin (الْمُتَّقِينَ): The God-conscious, those who are mindful of Allah and protect themselves from sin, shirk (associating partners with Allah), and disobedience by following His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

Tafsir (Explanation):

This verse continues to describe the desperate regrets and excuses that people will make on the Day of Judgment when they witness the reality of their deeds and the consequences of their choices in this worldly life. Here, Allah mentions another excuse a person might utter: "Or they might say, 'If only Allah had guided me, I would have been among the righteous and God-conscious.'"

This is a person who tries to blame their fate on divine decree (qadar), claiming that they were not guided because Allah did not will it for them. They argue: "If Allah had granted me His special grace and tawfiq, I would have been among those who feared Him, obeyed His commands, and avoided His prohibitions." They use this as a pretext to absolve themselves of responsibility for their own negligence and sins.

However, this excuse is invalid and rejected. Allah has given every human being the faculties of reason, intellect, and free will, and He has sent messengers and revealed scriptures to guide humanity. The path of guidance was clear and accessible to all who sincerely sought it. Those who truly desired guidance and made the effort to seek it were indeed guided by Allah, for Allah does not let the effort of those who strive go to waste. The problem was not that guidance was withheld from them—rather, they turned away from it, preferred their desires, and failed to act upon what they knew. They cannot blame Allah for their own choices, because the means of guidance were placed before them, and they chose to ignore them.

This verse serves as a powerful reminder for us today. It teaches us that we must never use the concept of divine decree as an excuse for our own shortcomings and sins. Yes, guidance ultimately comes from Allah, but He has placed within us the ability to choose, to reflect, to seek knowledge, and to act. When we fall into sin or neglect our duties, we cannot say, "If Allah had guided me, I would have been righteous." Instead, we must take responsibility, repent, and strive to improve ourselves, knowing that Allah's mercy is vast and His door of forgiveness is always open to those who sincerely turn back to Him.

This verse also instills in us a sense of urgency. The time to act is now, in this life, before the Day comes when excuses and regrets will be of no avail. Let us not be among those who wait until it is too late, but rather let us seize every moment to draw closer to Allah, to increase in our taqwa, and to live our lives in obedience to Him. For the truly successful are those who respond to their Lord's call today, not those who make excuses tomorrow.