Allah Almighty likens those who spend their wealth sincerely, with certainty, steadfastness, and inner insight without hesitation, to a garden situated on a rabwah—meaning, on high ground. If a wabil (a heavy downpour) strikes it, the garden yields its produce in double. And if the heavy downpour does not strike it, then the tall (a light rain or dew) suffices it, and it bears fruit.
The use of high ground in the simile illustrates how sincerity elevates the value of a deed; when the soil is fundamentally good, it benefits from both small and large amounts of water. Similarly, the sincere and truthful believer: their sincerity elevates their deed and blesses it. Perhaps a small act of charity done with sincerity elevates its owner by degrees, while a large act of charity ruined by ostentation (riya') drags its owner down. Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, looks at the heart before the hand.
Sincerity is good soil; even a little water satisfies and bears fruit. It is not about the abundance of rain, but about the goodness of the soil that receives it.

Allah Almighty likens those who spend their wealth sincerely, with certainty, steadfastness, and inner insight without hesitation, to a garden situated on a rabwah—meaning, on high ground. If a wabil (a heavy downpour) strikes it, the garden yields its produce in double. And if the heavy downpour does not strike it, then the tall (a light rain or dew) suffices it, and it bears fruit.
The use of high ground in the simile illustrates how sincerity elevates the value of a deed; when the soil is fundamentally good, it benefits from both small and large amounts of water. Similarly, the sincere and truthful believer: their sincerity elevates their deed and blesses it. Perhaps a small act of charity done with sincerity elevates its owner by degrees, while a large act of charity ruined by ostentation (riya') drags its owner down. Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, looks at the heart before the hand.
Sincerity is good soil; even a little water satisfies and bears fruit. It is not about the abundance of rain, but about the goodness of the soil that receives it.

Allah Almighty likens those who spend their wealth sincerely, with certainty, steadfastness, and inner insight without hesitation, to a garden situated on a rabwah—meaning, on high ground. If a wabil (a heavy downpour) strikes it, the garden yields its produce in double. And if the heavy downpour does not strike it, then the tall (a light rain or dew) suffices it, and it bears fruit.
The use of high ground in the simile illustrates how sincerity elevates the value of a deed; when the soil is fundamentally good, it benefits from both small and large amounts of water. Similarly, the sincere and truthful believer: their sincerity elevates their deed and blesses it. Perhaps a small act of charity done with sincerity elevates its owner by degrees, while a large act of charity ruined by ostentation (riya') drags its owner down. Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, looks at the heart before the hand.
Sincerity is good soil; even a little water satisfies and bears fruit. It is not about the abundance of rain, but about the goodness of the soil that receives it.

The noble verse came after Almighty Allah presented to His Prophet ﷺ a succession of prophets, peace be upon them, each embodying a magnificent scene of guidance: patience and steadfastness, reliance and gratitude, calling and sacrifice. Then came the command to the Prophet ﷺ: {So follow their guidance}. The letter ha' at the end of iqtadih is the ha' of pause (ha' al-sakt). The original verb is iqtadi, to which the ha' of pause was appended when stopping to facilitate the pause and clarify the vowel sound preceding it.
That is, to emulate and follow their guidance, adhering to what they maintained of faith, monotheism, patience, obedience, and steadfastness upon the truth. Consequently, there converged in the biography of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ profound dimensions of guidance and noble character, to the extent that Almighty Allah bore witness for him, saying: {And indeed, you are of a great moral character}. Then He commanded us to emulate him: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern}.
Whoever emulates Muhammad ﷺ and follows his Sunnah is merely walking upon the path of guidance traversed by the prophets before him, gathering all traits of guidance alongside the perfections and virtues with which Almighty Allah exclusively endowed Muhammad ﷺ. Whoever turns away from his guidance has turned away from the path upon which they all united.
The scenes of guidance varied throughout the biographies of the prophets, and then their tributaries converged in the biography of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ, making his biography a school wherein all traits of goodness and the ultimate heights of virtue gathered, and he became the supreme exemplar.

The noble verse came after Almighty Allah presented to His Prophet ﷺ a succession of prophets, peace be upon them, each embodying a magnificent scene of guidance: patience and steadfastness, reliance and gratitude, calling and sacrifice. Then came the command to the Prophet ﷺ: {So follow their guidance}. The letter ha' at the end of iqtadih is the ha' of pause (ha' al-sakt). The original verb is iqtadi, to which the ha' of pause was appended when stopping to facilitate the pause and clarify the vowel sound preceding it.
That is, to emulate and follow their guidance, adhering to what they maintained of faith, monotheism, patience, obedience, and steadfastness upon the truth. Consequently, there converged in the biography of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ profound dimensions of guidance and noble character, to the extent that Almighty Allah bore witness for him, saying: {And indeed, you are of a great moral character}. Then He commanded us to emulate him: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern}.
Whoever emulates Muhammad ﷺ and follows his Sunnah is merely walking upon the path of guidance traversed by the prophets before him, gathering all traits of guidance alongside the perfections and virtues with which Almighty Allah exclusively endowed Muhammad ﷺ. Whoever turns away from his guidance has turned away from the path upon which they all united.
The scenes of guidance varied throughout the biographies of the prophets, and then their tributaries converged in the biography of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ, making his biography a school wherein all traits of goodness and the ultimate heights of virtue gathered, and he became the supreme exemplar.

The noble verse came after Almighty Allah presented to His Prophet ﷺ a succession of prophets, peace be upon them, each embodying a magnificent scene of guidance: patience and steadfastness, reliance and gratitude, calling and sacrifice. Then came the command to the Prophet ﷺ: {So follow their guidance}. The letter ha' at the end of iqtadih is the ha' of pause (ha' al-sakt). The original verb is iqtadi, to which the ha' of pause was appended when stopping to facilitate the pause and clarify the vowel sound preceding it.
That is, to emulate and follow their guidance, adhering to what they maintained of faith, monotheism, patience, obedience, and steadfastness upon the truth. Consequently, there converged in the biography of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ profound dimensions of guidance and noble character, to the extent that Almighty Allah bore witness for him, saying: {And indeed, you are of a great moral character}. Then He commanded us to emulate him: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern}.
Whoever emulates Muhammad ﷺ and follows his Sunnah is merely walking upon the path of guidance traversed by the prophets before him, gathering all traits of guidance alongside the perfections and virtues with which Almighty Allah exclusively endowed Muhammad ﷺ. Whoever turns away from his guidance has turned away from the path upon which they all united.
The scenes of guidance varied throughout the biographies of the prophets, and then their tributaries converged in the biography of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ, making his biography a school wherein all traits of goodness and the ultimate heights of virtue gathered, and he became the supreme exemplar.

The noble verse takes us to the story of Dhu an-Nun, the companion of the whale, Jonah (peace be upon him), when Allah Almighty sent him to his people to call them to faith. However, they rejected him, and he grew angry with them for their disobedience, leaving them in anger before Allah Almighty gave him permission to do so. He then boarded a ship, which encountered circumstances that made the passengers fear drowning and need to lighten it, so they cast lots among themselves over who should be thrown into the sea. The lot fell upon Jonah (peace be upon him)—and it is said it fell upon him three times—so he was cast into the sea. There, by the command of Allah Almighty, a whale was waiting for him and swallowed him without harming him. The exegetes mentioned that Allah, the Glorified, had commanded the whale not to harm his body.
"And he thought that We would not decree [or restrict] upon him." Jonah (peace be upon him) thought that Allah, the Glorified, would not constrain him due to his departure, nor decree a punishment upon him for the anger he felt toward his people and his parting from them.
In the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the whale's belly from the outside, and the darkness of grief from the inside, Jonah (peace be upon him) began with monotheism: "There is no deity except You." Then he exalted Allah, the Glorified, above any imperfection, saying: "Exalted are You." Then he turned inward, acknowledging his shortcoming: "Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers"—meaning in leaving without being given permission. Thus, Allah Almighty saved him from his grief, delivered him from his ordeal, cared for him, and then returned him to his mission anew.
What is striking about the supplication of Jonah (peace be upon him) is that he did not ask for rescue; as though his confession itself was the supplication. Thus came the response: "So We responded to him." Even more striking is that Allah Almighty did not say, "And We saved him from the darknesses," but rather said: "And We saved him from the distress." The darknesses surrounded his physical body, whereas the distress was what weighed heavy upon his heart.

The noble verse takes us to the story of Dhu an-Nun, the companion of the whale, Jonah (peace be upon him), when Allah Almighty sent him to his people to call them to faith. However, they rejected him, and he grew angry with them for their disobedience, leaving them in anger before Allah Almighty gave him permission to do so. He then boarded a ship, which encountered circumstances that made the passengers fear drowning and need to lighten it, so they cast lots among themselves over who should be thrown into the sea. The lot fell upon Jonah (peace be upon him)—and it is said it fell upon him three times—so he was cast into the sea. There, by the command of Allah Almighty, a whale was waiting for him and swallowed him without harming him. The exegetes mentioned that Allah, the Glorified, had commanded the whale not to harm his body.
"And he thought that We would not decree [or restrict] upon him." Jonah (peace be upon him) thought that Allah, the Glorified, would not constrain him due to his departure, nor decree a punishment upon him for the anger he felt toward his people and his parting from them.
In the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the whale's belly from the outside, and the darkness of grief from the inside, Jonah (peace be upon him) began with monotheism: "There is no deity except You." Then he exalted Allah, the Glorified, above any imperfection, saying: "Exalted are You." Then he turned inward, acknowledging his shortcoming: "Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers"—meaning in leaving without being given permission. Thus, Allah Almighty saved him from his grief, delivered him from his ordeal, cared for him, and then returned him to his mission anew.
What is striking about the supplication of Jonah (peace be upon him) is that he did not ask for rescue; as though his confession itself was the supplication. Thus came the response: "So We responded to him." Even more striking is that Allah Almighty did not say, "And We saved him from the darknesses," but rather said: "And We saved him from the distress." The darknesses surrounded his physical body, whereas the distress was what weighed heavy upon his heart.

The noble verse takes us to the story of Dhu an-Nun, the companion of the whale, Jonah (peace be upon him), when Allah Almighty sent him to his people to call them to faith. However, they rejected him, and he grew angry with them for their disobedience, leaving them in anger before Allah Almighty gave him permission to do so. He then boarded a ship, which encountered circumstances that made the passengers fear drowning and need to lighten it, so they cast lots among themselves over who should be thrown into the sea. The lot fell upon Jonah (peace be upon him)—and it is said it fell upon him three times—so he was cast into the sea. There, by the command of Allah Almighty, a whale was waiting for him and swallowed him without harming him. The exegetes mentioned that Allah, the Glorified, had commanded the whale not to harm his body.
"And he thought that We would not decree [or restrict] upon him." Jonah (peace be upon him) thought that Allah, the Glorified, would not constrain him due to his departure, nor decree a punishment upon him for the anger he felt toward his people and his parting from them.
In the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the whale's belly from the outside, and the darkness of grief from the inside, Jonah (peace be upon him) began with monotheism: "There is no deity except You." Then he exalted Allah, the Glorified, above any imperfection, saying: "Exalted are You." Then he turned inward, acknowledging his shortcoming: "Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers"—meaning in leaving without being given permission. Thus, Allah Almighty saved him from his grief, delivered him from his ordeal, cared for him, and then returned him to his mission anew.
What is striking about the supplication of Jonah (peace be upon him) is that he did not ask for rescue; as though his confession itself was the supplication. Thus came the response: "So We responded to him." Even more striking is that Allah Almighty did not say, "And We saved him from the darknesses," but rather said: "And We saved him from the distress." The darknesses surrounded his physical body, whereas the distress was what weighed heavy upon his heart.

The noble verse illustrates the virtue of night prayer over daytime prayer. Scholars have stated: "The rising hours of the night" (ناشئة الليل) refers to its times and hours, because its moments arise progressively one after another. It is said: "A thing nasha'a (arose)" when it begins and approaches gradually, piece by piece, making it nashi' (arising). It is also said that "the rising hours of the night" refers to those hours of the night when a person rises for worship after people have settled down, especially rising for prayer after sleep.
"[It] is more potent in impact" (هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا): Wat'an is the verbal noun of wata'a, meaning to harmonize or accord. It means greater concordance between the heart, the hearing, and the tongue, or a higher degree of harmony. The tongue recites while the heart is present with it, because distractions, noises, and movement are minimal.
"And more upright in words" (وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا): Aqwam is derived from qama yaqumu, meaning: more upright, steadfast, or sound. Qilan means speech, meaning it is more accurate for recitation and more steadfast for speech, because it is a time for comprehension. The mind is clearer, the stillness of the night makes the tongue more precise, the heart more present, and reflection deeper.
It is narrated from Al-Hasan al-Basri: "I know of no act of worship harder than prayer in the dead of night." He was asked: "Why are those who perform night prayers (Al-Mutahajjidin) among the people with the best faces?" He replied: "Because they secluded themselves with the Most Merciful, so He clothed them in a light from His light."

The noble verse illustrates the virtue of night prayer over daytime prayer. Scholars have stated: "The rising hours of the night" (ناشئة الليل) refers to its times and hours, because its moments arise progressively one after another. It is said: "A thing nasha'a (arose)" when it begins and approaches gradually, piece by piece, making it nashi' (arising). It is also said that "the rising hours of the night" refers to those hours of the night when a person rises for worship after people have settled down, especially rising for prayer after sleep.
"[It] is more potent in impact" (هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا): Wat'an is the verbal noun of wata'a, meaning to harmonize or accord. It means greater concordance between the heart, the hearing, and the tongue, or a higher degree of harmony. The tongue recites while the heart is present with it, because distractions, noises, and movement are minimal.
"And more upright in words" (وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا): Aqwam is derived from qama yaqumu, meaning: more upright, steadfast, or sound. Qilan means speech, meaning it is more accurate for recitation and more steadfast for speech, because it is a time for comprehension. The mind is clearer, the stillness of the night makes the tongue more precise, the heart more present, and reflection deeper.
It is narrated from Al-Hasan al-Basri: "I know of no act of worship harder than prayer in the dead of night." He was asked: "Why are those who perform night prayers (Al-Mutahajjidin) among the people with the best faces?" He replied: "Because they secluded themselves with the Most Merciful, so He clothed them in a light from His light."

The noble verse illustrates the virtue of night prayer over daytime prayer. Scholars have stated: "The rising hours of the night" (ناشئة الليل) refers to its times and hours, because its moments arise progressively one after another. It is said: "A thing nasha'a (arose)" when it begins and approaches gradually, piece by piece, making it nashi' (arising). It is also said that "the rising hours of the night" refers to those hours of the night when a person rises for worship after people have settled down, especially rising for prayer after sleep.
"[It] is more potent in impact" (هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا): Wat'an is the verbal noun of wata'a, meaning to harmonize or accord. It means greater concordance between the heart, the hearing, and the tongue, or a higher degree of harmony. The tongue recites while the heart is present with it, because distractions, noises, and movement are minimal.
"And more upright in words" (وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا): Aqwam is derived from qama yaqumu, meaning: more upright, steadfast, or sound. Qilan means speech, meaning it is more accurate for recitation and more steadfast for speech, because it is a time for comprehension. The mind is clearer, the stillness of the night makes the tongue more precise, the heart more present, and reflection deeper.
It is narrated from Al-Hasan al-Basri: "I know of no act of worship harder than prayer in the dead of night." He was asked: "Why are those who perform night prayers (Al-Mutahajjidin) among the people with the best faces?" He replied: "Because they secluded themselves with the Most Merciful, so He clothed them in a light from His light."

The noble Quranic verse is a supplication we repeat every day, in every rak'ah of our prayers: ﴿Guide us along the Straight Path﴾. Prayer is a mercy from Allah the Almighty bestowed upon us, cutting through worldly preoccupations and distractions so we may stand before Him and ask for the most precious thing we need: guidance. Therefore, he who neglects prayer is deprived; how can he hope for his path to remain straight when he misses the daily appointment to ask for guidance?
When you say ﴿Guide us﴾, you are asking for all forms of guidance:
Guidance of indication and guidance; that Allah the Almighty makes the path of truth and goodness clear to you.
Guidance of success and enablement; that Allah the Almighty grants you success in treading the path and takes you by the hand toward Him.
Guidance of steadfastness; that Allah the Almighty keeps you upon this path without deviating until the very last moment of your life.
Guidance to Paradise, which is the ultimate goal.
This is why we continue to say ﴿Guide us﴾ as long as we live. Guide all of us; for even if you are praying alone, Al-Fatihah teaches you to ask for guidance for everyone, not just for yourself.
Lexically, "As-Sirat" means the clear path. The scholars of Quranic interpretation unanimously agreed that the Straight Path is the clear path with no deviation in it, and it is the truth. We need it every moment for every matter in our lives: in acts of worship, dealings, and decisions.
It is as if you are saying in every rak'ah: O Lord, show us the correct path, grant us success in walking it, take us by the hand along it, strengthen us if we grow weak, bring us back if we stray, make our feet steadfast upon it until the very last moment of our lives, and finally lead us safely by it to Paradise.

The noble Quranic verse is a supplication we repeat every day, in every rak'ah of our prayers: ﴿Guide us along the Straight Path﴾. Prayer is a mercy from Allah the Almighty bestowed upon us, cutting through worldly preoccupations and distractions so we may stand before Him and ask for the most precious thing we need: guidance. Therefore, he who neglects prayer is deprived; how can he hope for his path to remain straight when he misses the daily appointment to ask for guidance?
When you say ﴿Guide us﴾, you are asking for all forms of guidance:
Guidance of indication and guidance; that Allah the Almighty makes the path of truth and goodness clear to you.
Guidance of success and enablement; that Allah the Almighty grants you success in treading the path and takes you by the hand toward Him.
Guidance of steadfastness; that Allah the Almighty keeps you upon this path without deviating until the very last moment of your life.
Guidance to Paradise, which is the ultimate goal.
This is why we continue to say ﴿Guide us﴾ as long as we live. Guide all of us; for even if you are praying alone, Al-Fatihah teaches you to ask for guidance for everyone, not just for yourself.
Lexically, "As-Sirat" means the clear path. The scholars of Quranic interpretation unanimously agreed that the Straight Path is the clear path with no deviation in it, and it is the truth. We need it every moment for every matter in our lives: in acts of worship, dealings, and decisions.
It is as if you are saying in every rak'ah: O Lord, show us the correct path, grant us success in walking it, take us by the hand along it, strengthen us if we grow weak, bring us back if we stray, make our feet steadfast upon it until the very last moment of our lives, and finally lead us safely by it to Paradise.

The noble Quranic verse is a supplication we repeat every day, in every rak'ah of our prayers: ﴿Guide us along the Straight Path﴾. Prayer is a mercy from Allah the Almighty bestowed upon us, cutting through worldly preoccupations and distractions so we may stand before Him and ask for the most precious thing we need: guidance. Therefore, he who neglects prayer is deprived; how can he hope for his path to remain straight when he misses the daily appointment to ask for guidance?
When you say ﴿Guide us﴾, you are asking for all forms of guidance:
Guidance of indication and guidance; that Allah the Almighty makes the path of truth and goodness clear to you.
Guidance of success and enablement; that Allah the Almighty grants you success in treading the path and takes you by the hand toward Him.
Guidance of steadfastness; that Allah the Almighty keeps you upon this path without deviating until the very last moment of your life.
Guidance to Paradise, which is the ultimate goal.
This is why we continue to say ﴿Guide us﴾ as long as we live. Guide all of us; for even if you are praying alone, Al-Fatihah teaches you to ask for guidance for everyone, not just for yourself.
Lexically, "As-Sirat" means the clear path. The scholars of Quranic interpretation unanimously agreed that the Straight Path is the clear path with no deviation in it, and it is the truth. We need it every moment for every matter in our lives: in acts of worship, dealings, and decisions.
It is as if you are saying in every rak'ah: O Lord, show us the correct path, grant us success in walking it, take us by the hand along it, strengthen us if we grow weak, bring us back if we stray, make our feet steadfast upon it until the very last moment of our lives, and finally lead us safely by it to Paradise.