There are 316 instances in the Quran rooted from hadaa, which can broadly be classified into 8 different groups based on their grammatical forms as shown in the table below. These instances have meanings based on their grammatical forms while an Arabic word may have different meanings in different contexts as well. However, the group that belongs to the instances of ih’tadaa in the verb form VIII in the Quran are reviewed here:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instances of ih’tadaa
There are 40 instances of ih’tadaa in the verb form VIII meaning “to be guided” in 37 verses across 24 surahs in the Quran are described below, which have reinforced that God’s guidance is the true guidance not to have in any doubt about it, while these instances are built-in passive form irrespective of their tenses whether imperfect or perfect to make it explicit that none can be guided except inspiration from God:
[2:53] And when we had given Moses the scripture and the statute book that you would be guided (la’`allakum tahtaduuna).
[2:135] And they said, “You shall be Jews or Christian, you may be guided (tahtaduu).” Say, “Nay, a religion of Abraham – monotheism, and he has not been with the idol worshipers.”
[2:137] So, if they have believed in like that you have believed with it, then certainly, they are guided (ih’tadaw), and if they have turned away, then indeed, they are in opposition. So, God will suffice you against them; and He is the Hearer, the Knower.
[2:150] And from wherever you (Muhammad) have made (the salat prayer), then you shall turn your face to the direction of the Sacred Masjid, and wherever you (the believers) have been, then you shall turn your faces to its direction that there will not be any argument for the people against you, except those who have wronged among them. You do not fear them, and you shall fear Me, and that I can complete My favor upon you, so that you may be guided (tahtaduuna).
[2:170] And when it has been said to them, “You shall follow what God has revealed,” they said, “Nay, we follow what we have found our forefathers on it.” What about if it has been that their forefathers did not understand anything, and they were not guided (wa-laa-yahtaduuna)?
[3:20] Then if they argue with you (Muhammad), then say, “I have submitted myself to God, and whoever has followed me.” And say to those who have given the scripture and the gentiles (those who do not know or follow the scripture), “Have you submitted?” So, if they have submitted, then certainly, they have been guided (fa-qad ih’tadaw). But if they have turned back, then only upon you (Muhammad) is the conveyance. And God is Seer of the servants.
[3:103] And you shall hold fast to the rope of God all together and do not be divided. And you shall remember God’s favor upon you when you have been enemies, then He has made friendship between your hearts, then you have become brethren by God’s grace. And you have been on a brink of pit of the Fire, then He has saved you from it. Thus that God makes clear His revelations for you, so that you may be guided (la`allakum tahtaduuna).
[4:98] Except the oppressed of the men, and the women, and the children who are not able to plan, nor are they guided to a path (laa-yastatee`uuna heelatan wa-laa-yahtaduuna sabeelan).
[5:104] And when it has been told to them, “You shall come to what God has revealed and to the messenger,” they said, “Our sufficiency is what we have found our forefathers on it.” What about even if it has been that their forefathers did not know anything, nor were they guided (wa-laa-yahtaduuna)?
[5:105] O you who have believed, upon you is for yourselves; it will not harm you whoever has gone astray when you have been guided (man dalla idhaa ih’tadaytum). To God is your return of all, then He will inform you of what you have done to accomplish.
[6:97] And He is the One who has made the stars for you that you may be guided by them (li’tahtaduu bihaa) in the darknesses of the land and the sea. Certainly, we have made clear the signs for a people who know.
[7:43] And we have removed whatever of malice is in their breasts. The rivers flow of their underneath, and they have said, “All praise belongs to God, the One who has guided us to this, and we have not been that we are guided (wa-maa kunnaa li’nahtadiya) if not that God had guided us. Certainly, had come our Lord’s messengers with the truth.” And they have been called that that is the Paradise you have been made to inherit it for what you have done to achieve.
[7:158] Say, “O the people, I (Muhammad) am a messenger of God to you all. The One to Him is a dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except He. He gives life and causes death.” So, you shall believe in God and His messenger, the gentile prophet, who believes in God and His words, and shall follow him that you may be guided (la`allakum tahtaduuna).
[10:35] Say, “Is there any of your partners who can guide to the truth?” Say, “God guides to the truth. Is then He whoever guides to the truth more worthy that He is followed, or he whoever may not be guided (amman laa-yahiddee) except that he is guided? Then what is for you how do you judge?”
[10:108] Say, “O people, certainly has come to you the truth from your Lord. So, whoever has been guided (fa-man ih’tadaa), then he only guides for his soul; and whoever has gone astray, then he only goes astray against it. And I am not a guardian over you.”
[16:15] And He has placed in the earth mountains lest it trembles with you, as well as rivers and roads that you may be guided (la’`allakum tahtaduuna).
[16:16] And landmarks and with the stars – they may be guided (hum yahtaduuna).
[17:15] Whoever has been guided (man ih’tadaa), then he has only been guided for his soul (fa-innamaa yahtadee li’nafsihi); and whoever has gone astray, then he only goes astray against it. And a bearer of burden will not bear burden of another. And we have not been punishers until we send a messenger.
[18:57] And whoever is more wicked than whoever has been reminded of their Lord’s revelations, then he has turned away from them and has forgot what has sent forth his hands? Indeed, we have placed covering on their hearts lest they understand it (Quran), and deafness in their ears. And if you (Muhammad) call them to the guidance, then they will never ever be guided (fa-lan yahtaduu idhan abadan).
[19:76] And God increases guidance of those who have been guided (alladheena ih’tadaa); and the everlasting of the righteous deeds is better for reward with your Lord and better for return.
[20:82] Indeed, I am surely Forgiving for whoever has repented, and has believed, and has done as a righteous, then he has been guided (thumma ih’tadaa).
[20:135] Say, “Everyone is waiting, so you shall wait; then you will know whoever is of companions of the even path, and whoever has been guided (wa-mani ih’tadaa).”
[21:31] And we have placed mountains in the earth lest it trembles with them, and we have made wide paths in it so that they may be guided (la`allahum yah’taduuna).
[23:49] And certainly, we have given Moses the scripture so that they may be guided (la`allahum yah’taduuna).
[24:54] Say, “You shall obey God, and shall obey the messenger.” So, if you turn away, then only upon him what has been placed, and upon you what has been placed you. And if you obey him, you may be guided (tahtaduu). And upon the messenger is not except conveyance of the clarifying message.
[27:24] “And I (Solomon) have found her and her (Sheba) people to prostrate to the sun, other than God, and the Satan has made fair-seeming their deeds to them, and has averted them from the path; so, they are not guided (fa-hum laa-yahtaduuna).”
[27:41] He (Solomon) said, “Remodel her (Sheba) mansion for her, we will see whether she will be guided (a’tahtadee), or will be with those who are not guided (alladheena laa-yah’taduuna).”
[27:92] And that I recite the Quran. So whoever has been guided (fa-mani ih’tadaa), then he is only guided for himself (fa-innamaa yahtadee li’nafsihi), and whoever has gone astray, then say, “I am one of the warners.”
[28:64] And it has been said, “Call your partners.” Then they have called them, but they do not respond to them, and they have seen the punishment, if that they had been to be guided (law annahum kaanuu yah’taduuna).
[32:3] Or do they say, “He (Muhammad) has fabricated it (Quran)?” Nay, it is the truth from your Lord that you may warn a people, has not come to them any warner before yourself, so that they may be guided (la`allahum yah’taduuna).
[34:50] Say, “If I (Muhammad) have erred, then only I err against myself; and if I have been guided (wa-in ih’tadaytu), then it is of what my Lord inspires to me. Indeed, He is Hearer, Near.”
[39:41] Indeed, we have revealed the scripture with the truth through you (Muhammad) for the people, So whoever has been guided (fa-mani ih’tadaa), then (it is) for himself; and whoever has gone astray, then he only goes astray against it. And you are not an advocate over them.
[43:10] The One who has made the earth habitat for you, and has made roads in it for you so that you may be guided (la’`allakum tahtaduuna).
[46:11] And those who have disbelieved said to those who have believed, “If it had been good, they would not have preceded us to it.” And when they are not guided with it (wa-idh lam yahtaduuna bihi), then they will say, “This is an ancient lie!”
[47:17] And those who have been guided (wa-alladheena ih’tadaw), He has increased them in guidance, and has given them their righteousness.
[53:30] That is their extent of the knowledge. Indeed, your Lord is He who knows best of whoever has strayed from His path, and He knows best of whoever has been guided (wa-huwa a`lamu bi-mani ih’tadaa).
This review is a God given opportunity to confirm by ourselves who are guided and who are not guided reflecting to the messages in the instances of ih’tadaa in the passive verb form. God has made it very simple how we can be the guided knowing that we can only be guided being inspired by Him, while He knows best who have been guided and who have strayed from His path. Those who have been guided have held fast to the rope of God and have followed what He has revealed to His messenger who had followed His words, while those who have not been guided when reminded them with His revelations have turned away from them for having covering on their hearts and deafness in their ears. Those who have been guided have guided their souls, while those who have gone astray have gone against their souls. God increases guidance of those who are guided and gives them their righteousness. Thus, those who have been guided, their final destination is Paradise and those who have not been guided, their final destination is Hell, while no soul will bear burden of another soul.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (11/04/2022).