191 instances of dalla including its derived forms in the Quran as shown in the table below are reviewed to better understand their meaning in different contexts that upon reviewing the messages in different contexts may help us to confirm whether we are in astray or we are the guided ones:
Note: The above table is populated with the data obtained from corpus.quran.com.
Instances of adall
9 instances of adall (أَضَلّ) in the noun form in the Quran literal meaning “astray”, found in 9 verses of 7 surahs in the Quran are reviewed to better understand its meaning in different contexts to reflect that those who are heedless to the revelation of God have gone far astray:
[5:60] Say, “Shall I inform you of worse than that a compensation with God? Whomever God has cursed, and has become angry upon them, and has made from them the apes, and the pigs, and who has worshiped the false deities. Those are worse in position and faraway astray (wa-adallu) from an evenness of the path (of God).”
[7:179] And certainly, we have created many from the jinn and the human for Hell. To them there are hearts, they do not understand with them, and to them there are eyes, they do not see with them, and to them there are ears, they do not hear with them. Those are like the animals; nay, they are far astray (adallu). Those – they are the heedless ones.
[17:72] And whoever has been blind in this (world), then he will be blind in the Hereafter and is far astray (wa-adallu) from the path (of God).
[25:34] Those who will be gathered on their faces towards Hell, those are in worst position and far astray (wa-adallu) from a path (of God).
[25:42] “Even though he (prophet) had almost surely misled us from our gods, if not that we had been steadfast to them.” And they will know, when they see the punishment, whoever is far astray (adallu) from a path (of God).
[25:44] Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are not but like animals. Nay, they are far astray (adallu) from a path (of God).
[28:50] So, if they do not respond to you, then you shall know that they only follow their desires; and who is far astray (adallu) than whoever has followed his own desire having no guidance from God? Indeed, God does not guide the people of the wrongdoers.
[41:52] Say: “Have you seen if it had been from God, then you have disbelieved in it, who is far astray (adallu) than whoever he is in far off opposition?”
[46:5] And who is far astray (adallu) than whoever calls on other than God, who will not respond to him until a Day of the Resurrection, and they will be unaware of their calls.
Instances of dalaalat
9 instances of dalaalat (ضَلَٰلَة) in the noun form in Quran literal meaning “astray”, found in 9 verses of 7 surahs in the Quran are reviewed to better understand its meaning in different contexts to understand that those who have purchased the straying with the guidance have not been the guided ones:
[2:16] Those are the ones who have bought the straying (al-dalaata) with the guidance. So, their commerce has not profited, nor have they been the guided ones.
[2:175] Those are those who have purchased the straying (al-dalaata) with the guidance, and the punishment with the forgiveness. So, what has endured them is on the Fire.
[4:44] Do you not look at those who have been given a part of the scripture, are purchasing the straying (al-dalaata) as well as wishing that you go astray from the path (of God)?
[7:30] A group He has guided, while a group has justified the straying (al-dalaata) on them; indeed, they have taken the devils as allies other than God, and they think that they are guided ones.
[7:61] He (Noah) said, “O my people, there has not been any straying (dalaalatun) in me, but I am a messenger from Lord of the worlds.
[16:36] And certainly, we have raised messenger in every community that you shall worship God and shall avoid the false deities.” Then of them there is whomever God has guided, and of them there is whoever has justified the straying (al-dalaalatu) upon him. So, you shall travel on the earth, then you shall see how has been an end of the deniers.
[19:75] Say, “Whoever has been in the straying (al-dalaalati), then the Gracious surely will extend for him an extension until when they have seen what they are promised either the punishment or the Hour; then they will know whoever he is worse in position and is weaker in power.”
[27:81] Nor can you be of a guide for the blind from their straying (dalaalatihim), nor can you make hear except whoever believes in our revelations that they are submitters.
[30:53] Nor can you be of a guide for the blind from their straying (dalaalatihim), nor can you make hear except whoever believes in our revelations that they are submitters.
Instances of daall
14 instances of daall (ضَآلّ) in the active participle form in the Quran literal meaning “who goes astray/strayer”, found in 14 verses of 12 surahs are reviewed to better understand its meaning in different contexts to understand whether we are among the strayers or the guided ones, while our prayers and practices are about to stay in the path of God being prevented from the strayers:
[1:7] To a path of those whom You have favored upon them, not of those who have incurred wrath upon them, nor of those who have gone astray (al-daalleena).
[2:198] It has not been upon you any sin that you seek bounty from your Lord. Then when you have departed from `Arafat, then you shall remember God near the Sacred Monument (Muzdalifah) like that He has guided you, even though you had been before of it, surely among those who had gone astray (al-daalleen).
[3:90] Indeed, those who have disbelieved after their faith, then have increased disbelief, their repentance will not be accepted; and those – they are those who have gone astray (al-daalluuna).
[6:77] Then when he (Abraham) had seen the moon rising, he said, “This is my Lord.” Then when it had set, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, surely, I will be with the people who have gone astray (al-daalleena).”
[15:56] He said, “And who despairs from a mercy of his Lord except those who have gone astray (al-daalluuna).”
[23:106] They have said, “Our Lord, our wretchedness had overcome on us, and we had been a people who had gone astray (al-daalleena).”
[26:20] He (Moses) said, “I have done it when I was among those who had gone astray (al-daalleena).”
[26:86] “And forgive for my (Abraham) father; indeed, he has been among those who have gone astray (al-daalleena).”
[37:69] Indeed, they have found their parents were strayers (daalleena).
[56:51] “Then indeed you, O you, the strayers (al-daalluuna), the deniers.”
[56:92] And as for, if he has been one of the deniers, the strayers (al-daalleena).
[68:26] Then when they had seen it (garden), they said, “Indeed, we were surely strayers (la’daalluuna).”
[83:32] And when they had seen them, they said, “Indeed, these are surely those who have gone astray (la’daalluuna).”
[93:7] And He had found you (Muhammad) a strayer (daallan), then He has guided (you).
Instance of tadleel
1 instance of tadleel (تَضْلِيل) in the noun form in the Quran literal meaning “going astray” found in a verse in 1 surah in the Quran are reviewed to better understand its meaning in the context:
[105:2] Did He not make their plot going astray? (tadleelin).
Instances of mudill
3 instances of mudill (مُّضِلّ) in active participle form in the Quran literal meaning “misleader”, found in 3 verses of 3 surahs are reviewed to better understand its meaning in different contexts:
[18:51] I have not made them to bear witness to the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves, nor have I been One to take help of the misleaders (al-mudlileena).
[28:15] And he had entered the city at time of unawareness of its people, then he found two men were fighting each other – one was from his sect, and one was from his enemy. Then one who was from his sect had called him for help against one who was from his enemy. Then Moses had struck him, so he killed him. He said, “This is from a deed of the Satan; indeed, he is an enemy as a clear misleader (mudillun).”
[39:37] And whomever God guides, then there is no misleader (mudillin) for him. Has not been God with almighty possessing retribution?
Here is a short summary of 36 verses from different sets of instances that we may have a clear understanding of astray, straying, strayer and misleader to be the guided ones not being strayers.
Those are far astray from a path of God: whom God has cursed them, many from the human and the jinn who are like animals have hearts but do not understand, have ears but do not hear and have eyes but do not see, who will be gathered facing them towards Hell, who will be steadfast to their gods but have been blessed to see the revelations from their Lord, who follow their own desires having no guidance from their Lord and call those other than God, who cannot respond.
Those are the straying: who have purchased the straying with the guidance, who have justified the straying on them taking the devils as allies but think that they are the guided ones, who are in the straying whom God has extended for them an extension until they see the punishment, who are blind from their straying, do not hear God’s revelations to believe being submitters.
Our prayers and practices are designed to be the guided ones being prevented from going to the path of the strayers. If we have completely submitted to our Lord, then we are the guided ones, even we were among the strayers before. Most people who claim them Muslims are among the strayers as they have disbelieved after the faith and are following the footsteps of their parents. We will be among the strayers unless God guides us, while those who despair from His mercy will remain among the strayers. God has set forth an example for us to realize to be among the strayers that we can make efforts to be the guided ones. The disbelievers in the life of the world thought the believers to be among the strayers would know it on a day of the Judgment. Muhammad has been chosen as a prophet to recite the Quan to a mother city and the people around it being it a guidance for the people of the world and the statute book, even God found him among the strayers.
That God has given us hearts to understand, eyes to see and ears to hear to confirm our compensation on a day of the Judgment and that whom God guides, there is no misleader for him.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (02/28/2025).