As for his statement that His words, “the straight way,” refer to the way prescribed by divine law—the way of guidance and the straight path—and that, were the definite article generic, none of the ways would deviate: this is one of the two interpretations of the verse, but it is the weaker one. The correct interpretation is the other: “the way” is a generic term, but only the straight way among them leads to Allah, and that is a single way. Since the term is generic, He says, “And among them are ways that deviate.” The pronoun thus refers back to what has been mentioned without any strained interpretation.

His statement, “Were it generic, none of the ways would deviate,” is incorrect. Not all of them lead to Him; rather, only the straight way among them does—the way of guidance. A deviating way is not straight. It seems he thought that, if the term were generic, the straight course of every way would lead to Him. That is not so. Rather, only one way leads to Him: the straight path, which points to Him. All the others are ways of Satan, as He says:

“This is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other ways, lest they lead you away from His way.”

He did well—may Allah have mercy on him—to mention this possible interpretation and illustrate it with His words:

“This is a straight path leading to Me.”

As for the verse in Sūrat al-Layl, His words, “Indeed, upon Us is guidance,” Ibn ‘Atiyyah likened it to this verse, but explained it according to the first interpretation, saying: