The origin of the word Haadi (Guide and Protector) is Hidayat (guidance) but with kindness. A gift is also called “Hadiya” in this sense. This is the opinion of Raghib in Mafuradat but Maqayis-ol-Lughata mentions two meanings: to guide and to send gifts and both the meanings revert to the first opinion which seems better.

In Arab dictionary daytime is also called Haadi because people guide each other in their work during this period. A staff or a walking stick is also called Haadiya because a blind man is guided by it. The animals that lead their packs are called Hawadi and the horse’s neck is also called the same. The camels that are taken for sacrifice to Ka’aba are called Hadyun because they are the gifts of the believers. (1)

If this word is an attribute of God then it includes guidance in all kinds of life, material, spiritual, manifest and hidden, created and displayed.

Mafuradat has mentioned four stages of guidance from Qura’n.

The first is the general guidance for all created beings and it includes sensivity, intelligence and knowledge that is both important and natural as in the verse 50 of Surah Ta-Ha that says, “ Our Lord is He who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.”

Verse 17 of Surah Mohammad says, “He increases the guidance for those who accept it and bestows piety on them.

Verse 43 of Surah A’raf says, “All praises and thanks are for God who guided us to this.”

All these four stages come one after another. Until the first stage is reached the second cannot be approached and if the second is not approached then there is no question of the third. In the end we look at the message in this attribute of God.

We are told that the entire universe is commanded to guide you, and it is imperative that you respond to this invitation. Listen to the words of God and together with the created and the manifest cover the stages so that you may come out of waywardness.

Adopting this creation of God means that we should guide others, help people like us and guide them through the various stages so that they too may reach the stage of realizing through His glory and His attributes.

1. Kitabol Aiyn, Mafuradat, Maqayis-ol-Lughata, Tajol Uroos, Lisan-ol-Arab and Majmaul Bahrain.