Surah 16:9
Show Full Scripture Context (16:9) — 1 Verse
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصۡدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنۡهَا جَآئِرٞۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ
(It is incumbent) on God (to set the) direction of the way, yet (there is) deviation from it. If He had (so) pleased, He would indeed have guided you all.
When Allah mentioned the animals which may be used for the purpose of physical journeys, He also referred to the moral, religious routes that people may follow. Often in the Qur'an there is a shift from physical or tangible things to beneficial spiritual and religious matters, as when Allah says,
And,
Since Allah mentioned cattle and other such animals in this Surah, all of which are ridden or can be used in any way necessary, carrying people's necessities for them to distant places and on difficult journeys - then He mentions the ways which people follow to try to reach Him, and explains that the right way is the one that does reach Him. He says:
This is like the Ayat,
{He said: "This is a way which will lead straight to Me."} [15:41]
Ibn 'Abbas said, "It means: to show the way to the straight path."
meaning, paths that deviate from the truth. Ibn 'Abbas and others said, "(This means) differing ways." And Allah says:
As Allah says in other Ayat:
{If your Lord had willed, then all who are in the earth would have believed.} (10:99)