The Etymological Meanings of “Swirath al-Mustaqim”, Synonym of “Islam”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a paper by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghafur ‘Abd ar-Rahim.  One of the factors which stand against change and reform of Islamic law is the current rigid conceptualisation of some basic terms.  The development of fiqh led to the construing of the terms “diyn”, “islam”, and “shari’ah” in concrete fiqhi terms.  The underlying ethical principles which the concrete fiqhi values embodied became insignificant or of secondary importance.  Consciously or not, this in turn led to the equation of forms and principles, thereby making change extremely difficult.  Any proposed change came to be conceived as undermining the principles themselves embodied in the fiqhi forms. 

Now we address synonyms of the term, “islam”.  By synonyms, it is meant those terms which were used during the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.) as having the same meaning as islam.  Such terms include hanafiyyah, tazakki, and swirath al-mustaqim will be examined. 

Another term having a synonymous relation to the term “islam” is “swirath al-mustaqim”, “straight path”.  The Qur’an frequently States that the Prophet (s.a.w.) is on, and inviting people to, a swirath al-mustaqim.  It reminds his followers in the following verse to pray continually to God to Guide them to swirath al-mustaqim: 

سُوۡرَةُ الفَاتِحَة

ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٦) 

Show us swirath al-mustaqim. (Surah al-Fatihah:6) 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) explained “swirath al-mustaqim” in this verse as meaning islam.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) himself is also reported to have explained islam as swirath al-mustaqim.  When a man once asked the Prophet (s.a.w.) to explain islam,  the Prophet (s.a.w.) responded saying, “Say ‘I believe in God’, and then steadfastly pursue the right way”. 

The synonymous relation between the two terms is seen in other ways.  The Qur’an Considered the pre-Muhammadan prophets as muslimin, and that they invited people to islam.  Similarly the Qur’an States that all these prophets were on a swirath al-mustaqim.  It States that God Guided Moses (a.s.) and Aaron (a.s.) to a swirath al-mustaqim.  Jesus (a.s.) invited his people, the children of Israel, to a swirath al-mustaqim.  The terms “islam” and “swirath al-mustaqim” are also linked to salvation.  Here, the Qur’an States that anyone who “surrenders his whole self to God and is muhsin”, shall attain Salvation: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

بَلَىٰ مَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ وَجۡهَهُ ۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٌ۬ فَلَهُ ۥۤ أَجۡرُهُ ۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (١١٢) 

Nay - whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is muhsin ― he will get his Reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Surah al-Baqarah:112) 

And then, there is this verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ حٰمٓ السجدة / فُصّلَت

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَـٰمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ (٣٠) 

In the case of those who say, “Our Lord is Allah”, and further, istiqam, the angels descend on them (from time to time): “Fear you not! (they suggest), nor grieve!  But receive the Glad Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss), the which you were promised!” (Surah Fuswswilat:30) 

Here, it states that those who are to attain salvation are “those who say their Lord is God and then istaqam”. 

The Qur’an elaborates on the meaning of swirath al-mustaqim.  In some instances, it describes swirath al-mustaqim as belief in God and worship of Him Alone.  According to the Qur’an, Jesus (a.s.) said to his people: 

سُوۡرَةُ مَریَم

وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُ‌ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ (٣٦) 

Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve you: this is swirath al-mustaqim. (Surah Maryam:36) 

Similarly another verse States: 

سُوۡرَةُ یسٓ

۞ أَلَمۡ أَعۡهَدۡ إِلَيۡكُمۡ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ (٦٠) وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِى‌ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ (٦١) 

“Did I not enjoin on you, O you children of Adam, that you should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed? ― and that you should worship Me, (for that) this was swirath al-mustaqim? (Surah YaSin:60-61) 

At other instances, swirath al-mustaqim also includes to live in accordance to God’s Guidance.  The Qur’an Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

… وَمَن يَعۡتَصِم بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ هُدِىَ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬ (١٠١) 

…  Whoever holds firmly to Allah will be shown a swirath al-mustaqim. (Surah Ali ‘Imran:101) 

This guidance is further elaborated at length 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

۞ قُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ أَتۡلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّڪُمۡ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ‌ۖ أَلَّا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَڪُم مِّنۡ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬‌ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُڪُمۡ وَإِيَّاهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (١٥١) وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡڪَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۖ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۖ وَإِذَا قُلۡتُمۡ فَٱعۡدِلُواْ وَلَوۡ ڪَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰ‌ۖ وَبِعَهۡدِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡفُواْ‌ۚ ذَٲلِڪُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ (١٥٢) وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطِى مُسۡتَقِيمً۬ا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ‌ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمۡ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ (١٥٣) 

Say: “Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from”: join not anything with Him; Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want; ― provide sustenance for you and for them; ― come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah has Made Sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus does He Command you, that you may learn wisdom.  And come not nigh to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he attain the age of full strength; give measure and weight with (full) justice; ― no burden do We Place on any soul, but that which it can bear; ― whenever you speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned; and fulfil the Covenant of Allah: thus does He Command you, that you may remember.  Verily, this is My Way swirath al-mustaqim: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His path: thus does He Command you, that you may be righteous. (Surah al-An’am:151-153) 

Here swirath al-mustaqim  apparently refers to worship of God and to the moral duties, such as kindness to one’s parents, safeguarding the orphan’s property, dealing justly in trade by giving full measure and weight, giving testimony in truth and thus observing the bond with God.  Thus “islam”, as a synonym of “swirath al-mustaqim”, has this same meaning.