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Fatwa CenterRefuting the claim that the Quran is 'guidance for those who are pious' only
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. Someone thought of the following doubts; can you please help to retute them: In Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow), it says, “a guidance for those who have taqwa (fear of Allaah),” but why does it not also mention those who do not have taqwa? Would it not also guide them, and are they not more in need of guidance? If one does not believe in the unseen or does not establish the prayer and so on, would it still be a guide then? It says that it is a guidance for these people. How do we reply to these questions?
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 
is His slave and Messenger.
Allaah, The Most High, described the Quran as a guidance for the people, as in the verse (which means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Quran 2:185]
Allaah also described the Quran as a guidance for the people who are characterized by piety, faith and benevolence, as in the following verses in which Allaah says (what means):
· {This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allaah.} [Quran 2:2]
· {And We had certainly brought them a Book which We detailed by knowledge - as guidance and mercy to a people who believe.} [Quran 7:52]
· {As guidance and good tidings for the believers.} [Quran 27:2]
· {As guidance and mercy for the doers of good.} [Quran 31:3]
· {Say: It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure.} [Quran 41:44]
The scholars reconciled between the different descriptions of the Quran that are mentioned in the above verses and said that the general guidance for the people means the guidance of showing the way and giving directions and clarifications. As regards the special guidance, it means the guidance of being enabled (to act upon the knowledge and do good); the Tafseer of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen 
reads:
“There are two types of guidance: The first type is the guidance of knowledge and instruction; and the second type is the guidance of success and action. The first type is only the guidance of giving instructions; with this meaning, Allaah guided all the people, as in His saying (which means): {...the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Quran 2:185] The second type of guidance consists of being enabled to follow the guidance and follow the sharee'ah, as in the saying of Allaah (which means): {This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allaah.} [Quran 2:2] Some people may be prevented from this type of guidance, as Allaah says (what means): {And as for Thamood, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance.} [Quran 41:17]; {We guided them}, means that we clarified the truth for them, and we gave them directions to it, but they were not enabled to follow it...”
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen also said:
“How can we reconcile between the saying of Allaah (which means): {…a guidance for those conscious of Allaah.} [Quran 2:2] and the saying of Allaah (which means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Quran 2:185]; the answer is that guidance is of two types: general and special; the general guidance encompasses all the people, and it is the guidance of knowledge and direction; an example of this is the saying of Allaah about the Quran: {…a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Quran 2:185]; and His saying on the people of Thamoud: {And as for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance.} [Quran 41:17]. The special guidance is the guidance of tawfeeq: i.e. when Allaah enables a person to act upon what he knows; an example of this is the saying of Allaah (which means): {…a guidance for those conscious of Allaah.} [Quran 2:2] and: {Say: It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure.} [Quran 41:44]”
Allaah knows best.
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