—in every cycle of the prayer to say: “Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those You have favored, not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.” 1

Those who have incurred wrath are the people who know the truth but do not follow it, like the Jews; while the astray are those who perform acts—outward and inward—without knowledge, like the Christians. Accordingly, Allah described the Jews as deviators when He said: “I shall turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly on earth without right; even if they see every sign they will not believe in it, and if they see the path of guidance they will not adopt it.” 2

He likewise portrayed the scholar who fails to act on what he knows: “Recite to them the story of the one to whom We gave Our signs, but he cast them off; so Satan followed him, and he became one of the deviators. Had We willed, We would have raised him by means of them, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desire.” 3

Allah also branded the Christians as misguided: “Do not follow the desires of a people who went astray before and who led many others astray, themselves straying far from the Straight Way.” 4

And He gave the same verdict on anyone who follows his own whim without knowledge: “Indeed, many lead others astray by their desires, without knowledge. Truly your Lord knows best those who exceed all bounds.” 5