Quran Universe
37:118

وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُمَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ

Wahadaynahuma alssirata almustaqeema

And We guided them on the straight path.

Word by word
  1. وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُمَاAnd We guided both of them
  2. ٱلصِّرَٰطَ(to) the Path
  3. ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَthe Straight
As-Saffat · 37:118Makkah

Guided to the straight path, in words and deeds.

Guidance that shapes what you say and do

The straight path
the clear Bookgiven
and
guidancein wordsin deeds
What guidance covers
what you believeonly in the head
words and deedsthe whole life

Ibn Kathir explains that the straight path Musa and Harun were guided to was with regard to words and deeds. Having the Book was not enough. They were guided to live it.

You know the right thing. The test is the text you send, the price you charge, the way you talk to your mother. The straight path runs through your mouth and your hands.

As long as my beliefs are right, I am on the path.

The straight path shows up in what I say and do, not only what I believe.

Try this

Pick one thing you say often that you know is not right. Replace it today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 37:114)

And, indeed We gave Our grace to Musa and Harun (114)And We saved them and their people from the great distress (115)And helped them, so that they became the victors (116)And We gave them the clear Scripture (117)And guided them to the right path (118)And We left for them among the later generations (119)"Salam (peace!) be upon Musa and Harun! (120)Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good (121)Verily, they were two of Our believing servants (122)

Musa and Harun

Allah tells us how He blessed Musa and Harun with prophethood and how He saved them, along with those who believed, from the oppression of Fir'awn and his people, who had persecuted them by killing their sons and sparing their women, and by forcing them to do the most menial tasks, then ultimately He caused them to prevail over them and to seize their lands and their wealth and all that they had spent their entire lives amassing. Then Allah revealed to Musa the Clear and Mighty Book, which is the Tawrah, as Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَاءً

(And indeed We granted to Musa and Harun the criterion (of right and wrong), and a shining light)(21:48). And Allah says here:

وَآتَيْنَاهُمَا الْكِتَابَ الْمُسْتَبِينَ - وَهَدَيْنَاهُمَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

(And We gave them the clear Scripture; and guided them to the right path.) meaning, with regard to words and deeds.

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الْآخِرِينَ

(And We left for them among the later generations.) means, that after they died they would be mentioned in good terms and spoken of highly. Then Allah explain this further:

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ - إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ - إِنَّهُمَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Salam (peace!) be upon Musa and Harun! Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good. Verily, they were two of Our believing servants.)