Allah’s guidance to people
falls under four categories:
First: General guidance: All beings are guided to their interests in terms of their living and subsistence. Such guidance encompasses all that lives: humans, jinn, animals, birds, etc.
Second: Guidance in which accountable servants are shown the way and things are made clear for them. It is the argument of Allah Almighty against His servants, none will be punished except after it has been established against him.
Allah Almighty says:
{As for Thamūd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over the guid...}
[Sur at Fussilat: 1 7]
Third: Guidance of help, inspiration, and making the heart inclined to accept the truth and be pleased with it. Allah Almighty says:
{Whoever Allah guides is truly guided...}
[Surat al-Isrā’: 97]
{...Whoever believes in Allah, He will guide hi s heart...}
[Su rat at - Taghābun: 11]
Hence, Allah Almighty commands His servants to ask Him for guidance. He even instructs them to do so in every Rak‘ah (unit of prayer):
{Guide us to the straight path.}
[Surat al - Fātihah: 6]
Fourth: Guidance to Paradise and to Hellfire on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty says:
{He will guide them, and will set their condition right.}
[Surat Muhammad: 5]
{...They will say, “All praise be to Allah Who has guided us to this, for We would not have been guided to this if Allah had not guided us...}
[Surat al-A‘rāf: 43]
As for guidance to Hellfire, Allah Almighty says:
{[The angels will be told], “Gather all those who did wrong and their fellows, and whatever they used to worship besides Allah, and lead them to the way of Hell.}
[Surat as-Sāffāt: 22-23]
{As for Thamūd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over the guidance ...}
[Surat Fussilat: 17]
Third: Guidance of help, inspiration, and making the heart inclined to accept the truth and be pleased with it. Allah Almighty says:
{Whoever Allah guides is truly guided...}
[Surat al - Isrā’: 97]
{...Whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart...}
[Surat at - Taghābun: 11]
Hence, Allah Almighty commands His servants to ask Him for guidance. He even instructs them to do so in every Rak‘ah (unit of prayer):
{Guide us to the straight path.}
[Surat al - Fātihah: 6]
Fourth: Guidance to Paradise and to Hellfire on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty says:
{He will guide them, and will set their condition right.}
[Surat Muhammad: 5]
{.. .They will say , “All praise be to Allah Who has guided us to this, for We would not have been guided to this if Allah had not guided us...}
[Surat al - A‘rāf: 43]
As for guidance to Hellfire, Allah Almighty says:
{[The angels will be told], “Gather all those who did wrong and their fellows, and whatever they used to worship besides Allah, and lead t hem to the way of Hell.}
[Surat as - Sāffāt: 22 - 23]
