“Those are the ones whom Allah guided, so follow their guidance.”
[Surah al-An‘ām: 87–90]
He thus stated that He singles out for this guidance whomever He wills among His servants. He also stated that these are the ones whom Allah guided. It is therefore known that He singled out for this guidance those who were guided by it, to the exclusion of those who were not guided by it (1). This demonstrates that He singled out the rightly guided by guiding them, whereas He did not guide those who were not guided.
In one sense, guidance means making the truth clear and calling people to it; this extends to both believers and disbelievers. This is illustrated by His words, Most High:
“As for Thamūd, We showed them the way, but they preferred blindness to guidance.”
[Surah Fussilat: 17]
It may also mean that He made him (2) rightly guided, and this is exclusive to the believers. This is the meaning intended in His words:
“Guide us along the straight path.”
[Surah al-Fātihah: 7]
And in His words:
“A guidance for the God-fearing.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 2]
This is because “to guide,” in the sense of showing the way and directing, may refer to guidance in potentiality, in which case it applies to both groups; or it may refer to guidance in actuality, in which case it is exclusive to the believers. It is just as you might say (3), “I taught him, and he learned,” or, “I taught him, but he did not learn.” Likewise, one may say, “I guided him, and he followed the guidance,” or, “I guided him, but he did not follow the guidance.” The first is exclusive to the believers, whereas the second applies to both groups.
Allah’s teaching and guidance are not like human beings teaching one another. A human teacher speaks, while the learner learns through means over which the teacher has no power. Allah, Most High, is the One who places knowledge in the hearts (4) of those whom He teaches.
This is why it is sought from Him by saying:
“Guide us along the straight path.”
This is not said to human beings (5), for they have no power to accomplish it.