الصراط
al-Ṣirāṭ
The straight path of righteousness revealed through the Prophet Muhammad for humanity’s guidance, usually joined to al-Mustaqim.
What it means
Al-Ṣirāṭ means the road, and in the Quran it is nearly always called al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, the straight path. The opening surah asks, “Guide us to the straight path” (1:6), a prayer that every Muslim recites in each unit of the ritual prayer. Faruqi defines it as the straight path of righteousness revealed through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the guidance of humanity.
The Quran describes the path as that of those whom God has favoured, and not of those who earned His anger or went astray (1:7). It also says that God’s way is what He has taught: “This is My straight path, so follow it” (6:153). In later Islamic teaching the same word names the bridge across Hell that people cross on the Day of Judgement.
Often misunderstood as
The path is sometimes taken to mean mere strictness, although the word means a clear and direct way that avoids both excess and neglect.
What the sources say
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have drawn a line in the sand and said that this is the way of God, then drew lines to either side and said that on each of these is a devil calling to it (Musnad Ahmad). Scholars cite the report to explain the single straight way and the many roads that lead away.
Term and Arabic as listed in Ismail al Faruqi, Toward Islamic English (International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1995), p. 35, listed as AL ṢIRĀṬ. The definition is restated here.