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Guidance is the mission of the Prophets and callers to Islam

Question

Is it permissible to ascribe an act to its doer; to say for example, ‘‘Were it not for Allaah then for so and so, such a person would not have been guided.”?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

There are two kinds of guidance:

First, the guidance of success means changing someone's condition from misguidance into guidance. No one can do this except Allaah The Almighty who did not even ascribe it to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Rather, He attributed it solely to Himself. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.}[Quran 28:56]

Second, the guidance of proof and the message means explaining the straight path to people. This kind in not exclusive to Allaah The Almighty who addressed the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) {And indeed, [O Muhammad], you guide to a straight path}[Quran 42:52]

Also, Allaah The Almighty attributed this ability to other prophets and their followers including scholars and callers. We understand this from the saying of Allaah The Almighty (what means): {And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.}[Quran 32:24]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said about ‘Ali ibn ’Abi Taalib  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that one person's reaping guidance through ‘Ali was better for him than possessing fabulous wealth.

In conclusion, it is permissible to say, "Were it not for Allaah The Almighty then such and such a person would not be guided" as long as one intends guidance of proof and the message.

And Allaah Knows best.

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