Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
In this text, Taberî explains that the shift to direct address in the expression 'Iyyâka na'budu wa iyyâka nesteîn' is based on a well-known style in Arabic language, and that reporting first in third person (ghayb) and then shifting to direct address is a common feature of Arabic speech. He also states that the meaning of the expression 'Iyyâka na'budu' is 'we show reverence to you, display humility before you, and submit to you', and that this derives from the root of 'ibada' which originally means humility in Arabic language. Since worship is only possible through Allah's assistance, the mention of requesting help after worship does not create an incongruity, and he expresses that the two are inseparable from each other.
لأن العبودية عند جميع العرب أصلها الذلة، وأنها تسمي الطريق المذلل الذي قد وطئته الأقدام وذللته السابلة: معبدا
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the transition from third person to direct address in the verse (Iyyâka na'budu) indicates that the servant is in a constant state of progress while engaged in worship; the servant is first mentioned through the Prophet's mediation, but now is honored by being directly addressed. Moreover, it is stated that through the servant's perseverance in this station for a time, they will come to realize that they cannot accomplish worship by themselves alone, but only through Allah's tawfîq and care; this is the intermediate degree to which Iyyâka nesta'în points. After passing through this station as well, it is understood that guidance comes only from Allah, which is what is meant by 'Ihdinâ's-sirâta'l-mustaqîm'.
أنه مشعر بأن العبد إذا كان مشتغلا بالعبودية فإنه يكون أبدا في الترقي ، بدليل أنه في هذه الآية ، انتقل من الغيبة إلى الحضور
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Kurtubî notes that in the verse there is a transition from third person phrasing to direct address phrasing (the rhetorical device of iltifât); from the beginning of the Surah until this point there is reporting about Allah and praise of Him, but here there is a direct turn to address. He also explains that 'na'budu' means obedience and humility, that the placement of the direct object before the verb indicates importance, and that the Arabs put what is important first, and that the repetition of the noun is done to prevent the misconception that someone other than you is intended from the expression 'iyyâka na'budu'.
رجع من الغيبة إلى الخطاب على التلوين لأن من أول السورة إلى ها هنا خبرا عن الله تعالى وثناء عليه
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kesîr, in accordance with the sacred hadith, the expression 'iyyâka na'budu wa iyyâka nesteîn' means the servant's disassociation from polytheism and from power and strength, entrusting their affair to Allah; this indicates that the first part of al-Fâtiha is Allah's praise of Himself, and the second part is the servant's response to this praise and supplication. He also notes that the plural form (indicated by the letter nun) in 'na'budu' and 'nesteîn' means that the one who prays intends to include all believing brothers along with themselves, or that it expresses magnification; he conveys that the expression 'iyyâka na'budu' is more humble than saying 'abednâke', because in the latter there is a kind of pride in considering oneself alone worthy of worship.
وإنما قدم على لأن العبادة له هي المقصودة والإستعانة وسيلة إليها والإهتمام والحزم تقديم ما هو الأهم فالأهم والله أعلم
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Beydâvî, the verse 'Iyyâka na'budu wa iyyâka nesteîn' is mentioned by shifting to the style of direct address; because after the exalted attributes of Allah are mentioned in the preceding verses, it is as if the known entity has become visible to the eye, and the unseen has become witnessed. He also explains that the placement of the direct object ('iyyâka') before the verb expresses restriction, and as Ibn Abbas explained, it carries the meaning of 'we worship you and do not worship anything besides you'; it points to the necessity that the servant's attention should be directed first and primarily to the worshipped one, then to worship itself. The mention of worship before seeking help shows that presenting the means before requesting need brings one closer to having the supplication answered.
وقدم المفعول للتعظيم والاهتمام به والدلالة على الحصر ولذلك قال ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما (معناه نعبدك ولا نعبد غيرك) وتقديم ما هو مقدم في الوجود والتنبيه على أن العابد ينبغي أن يكون نظره إلى المعبود أولا وبالذات
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes identify the transition from third person to direct address (the rhetorical device of iltifât) as a common linguistic and rhetorical phenomenon and count it as a recognized style of Arabic speech. Moreover, most of them (Taberî, Kurtubî, Beydâvî, Ibn Kesîr) emphasize that the fronting of 'iyyâka' expresses restriction or specification (worship belongs only to Allah) and that worship carries the meaning of humility and obedience. The view that the mention of worship before requesting assistance is based on wisdom and that the two are interconnected is also shared by Taberî, Beydâvî, and Ibn Kesîr. The report based on Ibn Abbas serves as a common reference point in Taberî and Beydâvî.
Differences
While Taberî and Kurtubî focus more on linguistic and rhetorical analysis (word etymology, fronting and deferral of words, variant readings) and do not enter into allegorical interpretation, Râzî reads the verse entirely within an allegorical and mystical framework of progression, pointing to the servant's spiritual ascent from third person to direct address to the straight path; this approach is distinct from the others in method. Ibn Kesîr, drawing on hadith transmissions (sacred hadith, reports from Abû Hurairah and 'Ubâda ibn al-Sâmit), handles the verse more within a theological and devotional framework and gives special attention to the meaning of the plural form (humility, community, magnification); this has not been treated to the same degree in the others. Beydâvî, by blending linguistic analysis with allegorical elements (unseen and witnessed, prophetic narratives), presents a more balanced synthesis closer to Râzî. Kurtubî distinguishes itself from the others by referring to variant readings.
Historical context
The earliest period exegete Taberî follows a relatively simple method based on transmitted reports and linguistic analysis, whereas in later periods (Râzî, Beydâvî) one sees allegorical and mystical readings combined with linguistic analysis; this reflects a period-specific development in which theological and mystical disciplines had greater penetration into exegesis. Ibn Kesîr, in line with the Salafî approach, gives weight to hadith transmission and remains closer to Taberî's report-based method, but also continues linguistic analysis. Kurtubî's emphasis on the science of variant readings reflects the maturation of the juridical-linguistic exegetical tradition. Thus, while the identification of the rhetorical device of iltifât remains constant, the interpretation of this identification varies according to the period and the exegete's school of thought—whether purely linguistic, based on hadith, or within a mystical framework of spiritual progression.
Modern connection
The emphasis on sincerity and humility in the phrase 'We worship only You' can remind us today of the importance of performing worship with inner tranquility and sincerity rather than mere outward form. The 'we' consciousness to which the plural form points can shed light on collective solidarity and the spirit of acting together alongside individual piety. The fact that different exegetes read the same verse from various perspectives—linguistic, hadith-based, and spiritual progression—can bring to mind the value of approaching knowledge from multiple angles and extending acceptance to different interpretations within a framework of tolerance and understanding.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar