The Straight Path and the Paths of Misguidance

Explanation of the Book of Sunnah, from Sunan Ibn Mājah: Methodology and Belief.

Chapter 1: ‘Following the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam).’ Based on the explanation of the noble Scholar, the Shaikh, ʿAbdul Muhsin al-ʿAbbād (may Allah preserve him), with additional notes from Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid.

Hadeeth Number 11.

The author, Ibn Mājah (رحمه الله) said:

Abu Sa’eed ‘Abdullāh bin Sa’eed narrated to us, saying that Abu Khālid al-Ahmar narrated to us, saying that I heard Mujālid mentioning from ash-Sha’bi from Jābir bin ‘Abdillāh who said:

كنا عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فخط خطا, وخط خطين عن يمينه, وخط خطين عن يساره, ثم وضع يده في الخط الأوسط, فقال: “هذا سبيل الله”, ثم تلا هذه الآية:
{وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ}
الأنعام: 153

“We were with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and he drew a line, then he drew two lines to its right and two lines to its left. Then he placed his hand upon the middle line and said: ‘This is the straight path of Allah.’ Then he recited this āyah:

‘And indeed this is My straight path, so follow it. And do not follow the other paths, for they will separate you from His path.’ (al-An’ām 6:153)” ¹

Explanation

Ibn Mājah (رحمه الله) sealed this chapter with the hadīth of Jābir bin ‘Abdillāh (رضي الله عنه).

He said: “We were with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and he drew a straight line. Then he drew two lines to its right, and two lines to its left. Then he placed his hand upon the middle line and said, ‘This is the straight path of Allah.’”

Meaning: this is the Truth, it is guidance, and whoever traverses it, then he is upon the Truth. Whoever deviates from it to the other paths—to the right or to the left—then he has strayed from the steadfast and straight path. He has turned instead to crooked ways that lead away from the guidance of Allah, about which He, the Most High, said:

“And indeed this is My straight path, so follow it. And do not follow the other paths, for they will separate you from His path.” ²

That is: do not follow those deviated paths, for they will divert you away from the path of Allah, and in the end, they lead only to Jahannam (Hell).

So, when the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) drew the line of guidance, and alongside it the lines of digression, it was to illustrate the reality: that salvation is in following only one path. It is an encouragement to remain steadfast upon that singular path, the path of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Companions.

And at the same time, it is a stern warning against traversing the divergent paths that oppose it. These other ways represent the people of desires and innovations.

From this, the false slogans of today collapse—sayings such as, “All the pathways lead to Makkah,” or, “All the rivers flow into the same sea.” These are empty words. In Islām, there is only one straight path. Unity is not unconditional. True unity is conditional: it rests upon adherence to the Book, the Sunnah, and the way of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم).

The Men in the Chain of Narration

Abu Sa’eed ‘Abdullāh bin Sa’eed: al-Ashaj, trustworthy and reliable (thiqa). All six books narrate from him. ³

Abu Khālid al-Aḥmar: truthful (ṣadūq), though he makes mistakes. All six books narrate from him. ⁴

Mujālid: weak (ḍa’īf), not strong in narrating. Muslim narrates from him only with supporting narrators. The Companions of the Sunan narrate from him. ⁵

Ash-Sha’bi: ‘Āmir bin Sharāḥīl, trustworthy and reliable (thiqa). All six books narrate from him. ⁶

Jābir bin ‘Abdillāh: al-Anṣārī (رضي الله عنه), one of the seven prolific narrators of the hadīth of Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). ⁷

The Grading of the Hadīth

In this chain, there is Mujālid, and he is weak (da’īf). There is speech concerning him, and he is not strong in narrating. However, this hadīth has support from the narration of ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (رضي الله عنه), reported by Imām Ahmad, ad-Dārimī, and others. ⁸

Therefore, the hadīth is established. It is not harmed by the weakness of Mujālid.

The hadīth of Ibn Mas‘ūd is as follows:

“Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) drew a line for us one day and he said: ‘This is the straight path of Allah.’ Then he drew lines to the right and to the left and said: ‘These are the divergent paths. Upon the end of each path there is a devil calling to it.’ Then he recited the same āyah: ‘This is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow the other paths, for they will divert you from His path.’” ⁹

This hadīth has been authenticated by Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله). ¹⁰

The Zawā’id of Ibn Mājah

This narration is from the zawā’id of Ibn Mājah—those additional narrations that are unique to him and not found in the other five books. It is the final narration in this chapter: “Following the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم).”

This chapter contains eleven ahādīth. Five of them are from the zawā’id of Ibn Mājah. And all five are authentic and established.

Those among them that have some weakness are supported by other authentic narrations with good chains found in the other books. Some narrations are unique to Ibn Mājah from a particular Companion, while others are reported in the collections of other Imāms through different Companions.

Conclusion

This hadīth of Jābir, supported by the narration of Ibn Mas‘ūd, leaves no doubt. There is but one straight path. Whoever holds onto it is upon guidance. Whoever turns to the right or the left has followed the call of Shayṭān.

So hold fast, O Muslims, to the path of Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his noble Companions. For in it lies safety and salvation.

والحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Footnotes

1. Ibn Mājah, Sunan, Kitāb as-Sunnah, no. 11.
2. Qur’ān, Sūrah al-An’ām 6:153.
3. Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 15/105.
4. Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 2/203.
5. Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 28/235.
6. Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 22/270.
7. Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (52), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (16).
8. Musnad Aḥmad (1/435), ad-Dārimī (1/67).
9. Musnad Aḥmad (1/435).
10. Al-Albānī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi‘ (no. 7294).