In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Allah’s Name: al-Haadee الهادي

By Shaykh Abdur-Razzaaq ibn Abdil-Muhsin al-Badr may Allah preserve him

This Name is explained in the book, “Fiqhul Asmaail Husnaa”. Shaykh Abdur-Razzaaq says,

Allah has mentioned this Name in only two places in the Quran:

1.In Suratul Hajj: 54,

 وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

“And verily, Allah is the Guide of those who believe, to the Straight Path.”

2.And in Suratul Furqaan: 31,

  وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيً۬ا وَنَصِيرً۬ا

“But sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper.”

al-Haadee means: The One who guides His slaves and directs/shows them to the means of happiness in this life and the next. Allah guides whom He wills to His obedience and pleasure. Allah guides His creation through one of four ways:

1. General guidance: This type of guidance is for every living being – both animals and humans alike.

Allah says in suratul An’aam: 38-39,

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓٮِٕرٍ۬ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيۡهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمۡثَالُكُم‌ۚ مَّا فَرَّطۡنَا فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِن شَىۡءٍ۬‌ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّہِمۡ يُحۡشَرُونَ (٣٨) وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا صُمٌّ۬ وَبُكۡمٌ۬ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ‌ۗ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضۡلِلۡهُ وَمَن يَشَأۡ يَجۡعَلۡهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

“There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered. Those who reject Our are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills.”

2. Guidance of showing: This type of guidance is a proof for or against creation. There is no excuse for one after Allah has shown this type of guidance.

Allah says in surah Fussilaat: 17,

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيۡنَـٰهُمۡ فَٱسۡتَحَبُّواْ ٱلۡعَمَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ 

“And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islamic Monotheism) through Our Messenger, (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance…”

Also in suratul Tawbah: 115,

وَمَا ڪَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوۡمَۢا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَٮٰهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ‌ۚ

“And Allah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid…”

Meaning, Allah guides and shows people the correct path, but if they choose not to accept, then Allah misguides and punishes them for leaving this guidance.

3. Guidance of success: This type of guidance is guidance for the expansion of the chest, being given success to accept and be pleased with the truth.

Allah says in suratul Kahf: 17,

مَن يَہۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِ‌ۖ

“He whom Allah guides, is rightly guided”

Also in suratul Maaidah: 16,

يَهۡدِى بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٲنَهُ ۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

“Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)”

4. Guidance in being entered into the Paradise or the Hellfire on the Day of Judgment: 

As for being guided into entering Paradise then Allah has informed us that after the inhabitants of Paradise are entered therein (by Allah’s bounty) they will say,

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى هَدَٮٰنَا لِهَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَہۡتَدِىَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَٮٰنَا ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ

“All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this, and never could we have found guidance, were it not that Allah had guided us!” [suratul ‘Araaf: 43]

As for being guided to the Hellfire, it will be said to the Angels,

ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٲجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ 

“‘Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions (from the devils) and what they used to worship…

مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ 

Instead of Allah, and guide them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell)…’” [suratul Saffaat: 22-23]

Shaykhul Islaam ibn Taymeeyah said regarding the importance of asking for guidance,

“…Allah has obligated the slave to ask for guidance in the most virtuous of places – and that is through the many prayers during the day and night (Suratul Faatiha: “O Allah guide us to the Straight Path”).

Allah clarified that the people who attain this blessing of guidance are different from those who have earned His Anger (like the Jews) and those who went astray (like the Christians) (Suratul Faatiha: “Not like those who have…”)” [Source: Bayaanul Daleel ala Batlaanil Tahleel p.5]

Oh Allah, Guide us to Your straight path, the path of those whom You have blessed and not of those who have earned Your anger and went astray.