Guidance Without Doubt:
“Hudan” means guidance. It also means to explain the truth, give direction and lead to it.
The first part of our relationship with the Quran is that, there is no doubt in it. It is a miracle. The second part of our relationship with the Quran is that it is guidance.
Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) in the Quran, when he describes the revelation of the Quran, he compares it to water. We are in constant need of water, and similarly we are in constant need of guidance. Guidance and thirst are closely related.
In this age of overflowing information, we often get confused on what to follow. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is giving us the answer that if we are to come to this book (the Quran) then there is no doubt that in it, we will find guidance.
Muttaqeen:
“Muttaqeen” means someone who is genuinely concerned, someone who is looking for the truth, someone who is making a genuine effort to protect themselves – whoever they may be (including the ones who haven’t found the religion yet). Then it is for those people that this Quran will be the source of guidance.
By using the word Al-Muttaqeen Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) opened the doors not just to Muslims but also to good non-Muslims. Anyone who has taqwa (i.e. they want to save themselves from evil) and comes to this book for guidance, they will find guidance in this book.
Attitude of Al Muttaqeen:
The attitude of Al Muttaqeen (believers) can be thought of as a battle horse that lost its horseshoes. Its feet have become extra sensitive. It is walking on uneven land and it watches every step that it takes.
Are Muttaqeen still present today?
With “hudal lilmuttaqeen”, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says not only does this book have the power to guide us, but it is actively engaged in guiding us.
In Surah Fatiha, we look for role models in the past. It can make us a little depressed because it gives us the implication that all the good people are gone, and there is no hope for us. But Surah Buqarah begins with a noun, Al-Muttaqeen. It represents the people of taqwa for whom the doors of guidance are always open. Nouns are timeless and that itself means that these people were in the past, are in the present and will be there in the future.
Once, Ibn Muhayriz said to Abu Jumu`ah (radi allahu anhu), “Narrate a Hadith for us that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).” He said, “Yes. I will narrate a good Hadith for you. Once we had lunch with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Abu Ubaydah (radi allahu anhu), who was with us, said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)! Are there people better than us? We embraced Islam with you and performed Jihad with you.’ He said, Yes, those who will come after you, who will believe in me although they did not see me.”
Hadith from Jami’ At-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah
Rabi’ah bin Yazid and ‘Atiyyah bin Qais narrated from ‘Atiyyah As Sa’di – and he was one of the Companions of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) – that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The servant shall not reach the state of being among the Muttaqin until he leaves what there is no harm in out of caution for its harm.”
Meaning
That is the book, no doubt in it is guidance for someone who is genuinely concerned, someone who is looking for the truth, someone who is making a genuine effort to protect themselves – whoever they may be (including the ones who haven’t found the religion yet). Then it is for those people that this Quran will be the source of guidance.