In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allah, The Most High, said:

الٓر‌ۚ ڪِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ لِتُخۡرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ

ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۗ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ۬ شَدِيدٍ

ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَحِبُّونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَہَا عِوَجًا‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ فِى ضَلَـٰلِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬

Alif-Laam-Raa. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. (This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness by their Lord’s Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise. Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth! And woe unto the disbelievers from a severe torment. Those who prefer the life of this world instead of the Hereafter, and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah (i.e. Islam) and seek crookedness therein – They are far astray. [Ibraaheem. 1-3]

الٓر‌ۚ ڪِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ لِتُخۡرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم

Alif-Lam-Ra. (This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness by their Lord’s Leave.

Imam Ash-Shanqeetee, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Allah, The Most High, clarified in this noble verse that He sent down this great Book unto His Prophet in order that he may remove mankind from the darkness of disbelief and misguidance and (enter them) into the light of Iman and guidance. The meaning of this verse has been made clear in other verses, such as the saying of Allah:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِۦۤ ءَايَـٰتِۭ بَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ لِّيُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ‌ۚ

It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light]. [Al-Hadid. 9]

Indeed, Allah clarified in this verse that none can be removed from darkness and (entered) into light except by His permission, as He stated:

بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم

By their Lord’s Leave.

This has been made clear in other verses, such as the saying of Allah:

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ

We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah’s Leave. [Nisaa. 64]

Also the saying of Allah:

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تُؤۡمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ

It is not for any person to believe, except by the Leave of Allaah] [Yunus. 100] [1]

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Allah, The Most High, informed (us) that He revealed His Book unto His Messenger Muhammad for the benefit of the creation, so that they maybe be removed from the darkness of ignorance, disbelief, evil manners and all types of disobedience, (and entered into) the light of knowledge, Iman and good manners.

And regarding Allah’s statement:

بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم

By their Lord’s Leave.

Meaning, they cannot reach the goal of that which is pleasing to Allah, except by Allah’s Will and Help. So in this there is an exhortation for the servants to seek help from their Lord. Then Allah explained (the meaning of the) light to which this Book guides to, saying:

إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيد

To the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise.

The path that leads to the abode of honour (i.e. paradise), which (is achieved) through knowledge of the truth and acting upon it.

And regarding Allah’s statement:

ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ

The All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise;

(which is stated) after the mention of the path leading to Him: in this is an demonstration that the one who follows the straight path is given might by Allah and he is a strong person, even if there are no helpers for him except Allah. He is praiseworthy in his affairs and will achieve a good end. This also demonstrates that Allah’s path is the greatest proof that He, The Most High, possesses Perfect Attributes and Lofty Descriptions, and that what He has appointed for His slaves is mighty authority. He is praised in His Statements, Actions and Rulings. He alone is described with all the perfect Names and Attributes, the only one worthy of worship through those acts of worship (He has prescribed), which are the dignified signposts of the straight path.

And just as He is the owner of the kingdom of the heavens and the earth-The Creator, The Sustainer, The Controller of the affairs of the universe- also, He has religious rulings for His slaves because He is their Owner, and it does not befit His (Wisdom, Majesty, Glory etc) that He leaves them Suda [neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by Him].

After Allah clarified the evidences and proofs, He then made a promise to the one who does not pay attention, saying:

وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ۬ شَدِيد

And woe unto the disbelievers from a severe torment.

Then Allah described them, saying:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَحِبُّونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ

Those who prefer the life of this world instead of the Hereafter

They make it a duty and are satisfied with it, whilst being heedless of the afterlife. [وَيَصُدُّونَ – And they hinder] mankind [ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ– From the Path of Allah] which Allah has appointed for His slaves, clarified in His Books and conveyed through the speech of His Messengers.

Thus, these people have indeed turned away from their Protector through enmity and waging war against Him.

[وَيَبۡغُونَہَا عِوَجًا‌ۚ – And seek crookedness therein (i.e. in Allah’s Religion)].

That is: They are eager to ridicule and make it look repugnant, in order to make people flee from it; however Allah will not allow that to happen, rather He made His religion uppermost even though the disbelievers may hate it. (2)

They desire that Allah’s path should become crooked, swaying towards (corruption) and deviated from the right course, even though it is self-evident -neither can it be harmed by the one who opposes it nor by the one who forsakes it. [Qurratul Ainayn Alaa Tafseer Al-Jalaalayn]

So with this desire of theirs, they are in ignorance and straying far away from the truth and rectification. (3)

[1] Tafseer Al-Qur’an Bil-Qur’an Min Adwaa Al-Bayaan

[2] Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan

[3] Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer