Surah 16

Surah 16:9

"(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."
Explanation of the Different Religious Paths Verses 16:9
Show Full Scripture Context (16:9) — 1 Verse
Verse 9

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.

Quoted Scripture
"9. And it is up to Allah to show the right way. But there are ways that stray. And had He willed, He would 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 take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is Taqwa (piety, righteousness).} [2:197]

And,

{O Children of Adam! We have granted clothing for you to cover yourselves, as well as for adornment; but the raiment of righteousness, that is better.} [7:26]

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:

Quoted Scripture
"And it is up to Allah to show the right way."

This is like the Ayat,

{And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path.} [6:153]

{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."

Quoted Scripture
"But there are ways that stray."

meaning, paths that deviate from the truth. Ibn 'Abbas and others said, "(This means) differing ways." And Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"And had He willed, He would have guided you all."

As Allah says in other Ayat:

{If your Lord had willed, then all who are in the earth would have believed.} (10:99)

{And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely, have made humanity one Ummah, but they will not stop disagreeing. Except those for whom your Lord has granted mercy. And it is for this that He did create them; and the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e. His saying) : "Surely, I shall fill Hell with Jinn and men all together."} (11:118-119).

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.