Tafseer of The Night · Al-Lail · 92:12
Indeed, [incumbent] upon Us is guidance.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement: إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَى ("Verily, it is upon Us to guide"). He — exalted be His mention — says: it is upon Us to make clear the truth from falsehood, and obedience from disobedience.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes (ahl al-taʾwīl) spoke.
* Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَى , he says: it belongs to Allah to make clear — the clarification of what He has permitted and what He has forbidden, and of obedience to Him and disobedience to Him.
Some of the philologists of Arabic interpreted it with the meaning: that whoever travels the straight path, his way belongs to Allah. He says: and this is equivalent to His statement: وَعَلَى اللَّهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيلِ ("And upon Allah is the directing of the straight way"). And he says: its meaning is: whoever desires Allah, he is upon the straight, intended path. And he said: it is said that its meaning is: it is upon Us [to determine] guidance and misguidance, just as He said: سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ ("garments that protect you from the heat"), while these protect against the heat and the cold [alike].
