And ghayy (waywardness) is originally the verbal noun in the conjugation ghawā–yaghwī–ghayyan (“to be wayward”), just as one says lawā–yalwī–layyan (“to twist”). It is the opposite of right conduct, as Allah Most High says:

“If they see the way of right conduct, they do not take it as their way; but if they see the way of waywardness, they take it as their way.”

Right conduct is action that benefits the person who performs it, while waywardness is action that harms the person who performs it. Thus, doing good is right conduct, and doing evil is waywardness. For this reason, the jinn said:

“We do not know whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends a right course for them.”

They thus contrasted evil with right conduct. And He says at the end of the surah:

“Say: I have no power to bring you harm or guide you to a right course.”

From the same root comes rashīd (a person of sound judgment), to whom his property is handed over: someone who spends his wealth on what is beneficial, not on what is harmful.

Satan said:

“I will surely lead them all astray, except Your chosen servants among them.”

This means that he commands them to do the evil that harms them, and they obey him, as Allah Most High says:

“I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me.”

And He says:

“And Hell will be brought into full view of the wayward,”

until He says:

“Then they and the wayward will be hurled headlong into it, together with all the forces of Iblīs.”

And He says:

“Those against whom the sentence has been passed will say: ‘Our Lord, these are the ones we led astray. We led them astray just as we ourselves went astray.’”

And He says:

“Your companion has neither gone astray nor erred.”

Furthermore, if ghayy denotes an evil action that harms the person who performs it, then the consequence of that action is also called ghayy, just as the consequence of good is called rushd (right conduct), just as