Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Perspective on Divine Guidance (Part Six)
By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam
27 October 2025
Abstract:
The concept of guidance exists in all religions, aiming to lead humanity from ignorance to truth and righteousness. In Islam, guidance comes from Allah through the Qur’an and the Prophet’s teachings. Judaism finds it in the Torah, while Christianity considers Jesus Christ the light of the world. Hinduism defines guidance through Dharma—moral and spiritual duty—whereas Buddhism teaches the Eightfold Path for achieving inner peace. Zoroastrianism emphasises good thoughts, words, and deeds, and Sikhism highlights remembrance of God and service to humanity. All religions share the belief that guidance promotes justice, morality, and peace. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad explained that divine guidance has always been one and universal, teaching faith in one God and good deeds. He viewed all prophets’ messages as united by the same moral foundation. True guidance, therefore, brings people closer to God and to one another through tolerance and harmony.
Main Points:
1. All religions aim to guide humanity from ignorance and evil toward truth, justice, and goodness.
2. Islam teaches divine guidance through the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad’s teachings as the path of truth.
3. Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism all connect guidance with moral action and spiritual awakening.
4. Maulana Azad taught that divine guidance has always been one message—faith and good deeds.
5. True guidance unites people through tolerance, love, harmony, and universal moral understanding across all faiths.
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A study of human history clearly shows that the central aim of all world religions has been to guide humankind out of darkness and ignorance into the light of truth and moral awareness. The word Guidance does not simply mean showing a path; it represents a comprehensive idea that covers the intellectual, moral, spiritual, and practical aspects of human life. True guidance enables a person to distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil, justice and injustice. Every religion, in one way or another, strives to help people achieve this noble goal.
The Arabic word Hidayah (Guidance) comes from the root “Hada,” which means “to show the way” or “to lead.” In the Holy Qur’an, Al-Huda (Guidance) is described as one of God’s greatest blessings. The human soul naturally seeks guidance; every person wishes to know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and falsehood. This inner desire is what draws human beings towards religion.
In Islam, the ultimate source of guidance is Allah Almighty. The Qur’an states: “Allah guides whom He wills to the straight path.” According to Islamic belief, the complete and perfect guidance lies in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These two sources illuminate every aspect of a believer’s life and lead him towards righteousness and balance.
In Judaism, the concept of guidance is linked with the Torah. The word Torah itself means “instruction” or “guidance” in Hebrew. The divine teachings revealed to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) were considered a source of moral and spiritual guidance for the Children of Israel. For Jews, following divine commandments is a sign of loyalty to God and a way to live a righteous life.
In Christianity, guidance revolves around the teachings of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). The Bible records his words: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Christianity views guidance not just as a moral path, but as the way to salvation — achieved through faith, love, sacrifice, and service to humanity. Christians believe that Jesus was sent by God to lead humanity from the darkness of sin to the light of divine grace.
In Hinduism, guidance is expressed through the concept of Dharma, which means moral, spiritual, and social duty. The sacred texts — the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita — describe guidance as a combination of spiritual wisdom (Gyaan), righteous action (Karma), and devotion (Bhakti). In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to perform his duties with sincerity, as true guidance lies in righteous action, faith, and goodness.
In Buddhism, the idea of guidance is based on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Buddha taught that human suffering arises from desire, and true guidance comes from controlling one’s desires. The Eightfold Path includes right belief, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The ultimate goal of guidance in Buddhism is Nirvana — spiritual liberation from all worldly attachments.
In Zoroastrianism, guidance rests on three core principles: Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds. Ahura Mazda, the supreme God, represents light, wisdom, and goodness. Worshipping Him means walking towards inner enlightenment. Prophet Zoroaster taught that human beings must always choose the path of truth and righteousness to attain real guidance.
In Sikhism, guidance is found in two main principles: Naam (remembrance of God) and Seva (service to humanity). Guru Nanak Dev Ji taught that truthfulness and constant remembrance of God lead to success and salvation. Sikhism believes that divine guidance is open to all people, regardless of caste, class, or background.
A common thread runs through all religions — they all encourage moral purification, spiritual growth, social justice, and universal peace. Guidance brightens the human heart and makes a person beneficial for others. It is the shared spiritual value that connects humanity.
In today’s materialistic and self-centred world, people once again search for true guidance. The teachings of world religions remind us that guidance is not confined to worship or rituals; it is a complete way of life. Humanity now needs the light of guidance that promotes compassion, justice, tolerance, and mutual respect among all people.
Thus, guidance exists as a universal and unifying truth in all religions. Every faith calls upon its followers to live a life of honesty, righteousness, and justice. If mankind truly understands the common principles of guidance found in different religions, the world can become a place of peace, love, and understanding.
Indeed, the truth is that every religion, whether ancient or modern, possesses its own sacred texts which its followers regard as divine revelations. In Hinduism, for example, the sacred scriptures include the Four Vedas, among which the Rigveda is the oldest. Many Hindu scholars believe these texts to be divinely inspired. Among Muslim scholars, however, opinions differ — some consider these writings to contain traces of divine revelation, while others view them as human compositions.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad offered a deeply insightful and balanced view on this subject in his famous Tarjuman al-Qur’an. He wrote that divine guidance has always been one and the same:
“The path of divine nature in the universe is one and unchanging. It cannot be multiple or contradictory. Therefore, divine guidance must have been the same from the very beginning and addressed to all humanity alike. The Qur’an declares that all God’s messengers, no matter in which time or place they appeared, taught one and the same universal law of righteousness — faith in one God and a life of good deeds. Anything contrary to this is not true religion.” (Tarjuman al-Qur’an, p. 358)
In another passage, Maulana Azad writes:
“In truth, there is no real difference between the teachings of Jesus and those of the Qur’an. The essence of their moral instructions is the same. The only difference lies in the context and style of expression. Jesus focused mainly on inner purity and moral reform, as the Mosaic Law was already in practice and he did not intend to change it. The Qur’an, however, had to present both moral and legal guidance, and so it adopted a clear and practical style of command. It taught forgiveness and mercy as the highest virtues, while also allowing justice and retribution when necessary — but strictly forbidding excess or injustice. Indeed, the essence of all prophets’ teachings rests on these three principles.” (Tarjuman al-Qur’an, pp. 201–202)
These discussions show that Maulana Azad had a vast and deep understanding of different religions and philosophies. His approach to comparative religion was remarkably balanced, scholarly, and tolerant. It also demonstrates that throughout history, Muslim thinkers have embraced a broad-minded and respectful attitude towards other faiths.
Other Parts of the Article:
The Concept of the Unity of Humanity in the Writings of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Part One)
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Perspective on the Unity of Religions (Part Two)
Hindu–Muslim Unity, Tolerance And Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Part Three)
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Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi is an author and a New Age Islam Regular Columnist.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/maulana-azad-divine-guidance-part-six/d/137396
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