” Those who reject the truth say, “Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?” Say, “Indeed, Allah lets go astray whoever chooses, and He guides to Himself whoever turns back to Him.’”
Surah Ar-Rad (Thunder) – Ayah 27
Keyword Focus
Anāba (أَنَابَ): Turned back sincerely.
Returned to Allah with a willing and receptive heart.
What I Learned
(My personal experience. Why did this verse matter at that moment?)
Growing up, I often heard that our destiny is already written and that our choices do not truly matter. Yet deep inside, I struggled with that idea. If Allah is the Most Just, how could we be held accountable without having genuine freedom to choose?
Over the years, people I trusted planted seeds that kept this question alive. My mentor once encouraged me to think more deeply about it. My husband would often tell me, “Whatever path you choose, if you work hard with patience and perseverance, you will accomplish it.” His words made practical sense, but they still did not answer the question that remained in my heart: Do we really have a choice?
How It Helped Me
(Life Connection. Practical Grounding)
About a year after my husband’s passing, I was listening to a podcast by Dr. Youssef Abu Al Awad when he explained this part of the verse:
“Allah lets go astray whoever chooses, and He guides to Himself whoever turns back to Him.”
يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَنَابَ
In that moment, everything clicked.
The word Anāba was the key I had been missing. Guidance begins with the heart. Allah has given us the freedom to choose our direction. If we sincerely turn toward Him and seek the truth, He guides us. If we insist on another path, He allows us to continue on the path we have chosen.
For me, this was the missing piece that reconciled Allah’s absolute justice with human responsibility.
I also realized that miracles alone do not transform hearts. The Qur’an repeatedly shows people witnessing clear signs yet refusing to believe, dismissing them as magic or sorcery. The issue was never a lack of evidence—it was the condition of the heart.
A heart that sincerely seeks the truth becomes open to guidance, and Allah does the rest. He opens doors that we could never open ourselves and creates pathways where none seemed to exist.
That understanding brought me a peace I had been searching for for many years.
Closing Reflection
(Simple and Honest)
Understanding that Allah grants us the freedom to choose while guiding those who sincerely turn back to Him brought me a deep sense of peace. It affirmed His perfect justice and wisdom.
My takeaway is simple: if I keep my heart sincere and genuinely seek the right path, I trust that Allah will guide me toward the choices that bring me closer to Him. My responsibility is to keep turning back to Him, sincerely.
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