When the Wrong Path Leads Others to the Truth

Adil Al-Rifai Abulhassan
One of the profound paradoxes of human thought is that a person may embark on a path of misguidance, seek to persuade others to follow it, defend it vehemently and do everything possible to turn them away from the truth, only for their actions and the consequences of their choices to expose the corruption of the path they have taken and guide others towards the very path from which they sought to divert them. They set out to prove that their position is right, only to become living evidence of its wrongness.
In this context, Almighty Allah says: “And have We not shown him the two highways?” (Surah Al-Balad, 90:10). These are the paths of good and evil, truth and misguidance. Between them lies human choice, and every choice has consequences that reveal its true nature, no matter how much its author may seek to justify it or impose it on others.
Herein lies the paradox: a person may strive to lead others astray, yet unwittingly become a living witness to the truth. Deeds speak louder than claims, consequences are more truthful than slogans, and experience reveals what words may fail to convey.
The impact of such a path extends beyond those who follow it to those who have never ventured near it. When people witness its consequences, they receive an early warning that spares them the ordeal of experiencing it themselves, like a red traffic light cautioning them against proceeding down a road whose destination is already known. Its consequences may also awaken those who have embarked upon it, prompting many to reconsider their positions and return to truth and justice. Others, however, persist because of vested interests, fear or prejudice, while some may conceal their true convictions behind a publicly declared position that does not reflect what they genuinely believe.
This paradox is particularly evident in politics, when practices of monopolising and seizing power, in defiance of the popular will, become increasingly entrenched. This may involve sidelining genuine representatives of the people or denying certain groups of citizens their right to access power and participate in their country’s governance.
Those who engage in such practices may believe that they are consolidating their authority and guaranteeing its continuation. Yet, without intending to, they offer future generations a free gift: exposing the consequences of monopolising power and embedding in their consciousness the importance of democracy, the peaceful transfer of power, and the people’s right to choose their representatives. Thus, exclusion and the monopolisation of authority may ultimately become a historical lesson, guiding subsequent generations towards the necessity of building a more democratic and just system.
The lesson, however, goes beyond the consequences of monopolising power. It also extends to the dangers of being intoxicated by strength, influence and alliances. Possessing power does not give anyone an enduring ability to control the destinies of others. Nor does sheltering under the umbrella of great powers guarantee continued influence or the ability to impose one’s will. Such protection remains contingent upon the interests and calculations of the states providing it, and their positions change as those interests evolve. What is granted today may be withheld tomorrow.
If power that a person commands through their own resources can disappear when they pursue a course that runs counter to truth and the laws of history, then power derived from others is even more vulnerable to change, since it depends on someone else’s will and decisions.
History bears witness to great powers that once possessed immense wealth, armies and influence, only to see their dominion recede until nothing remained but lessons for posterity. Sometimes, a few years are enough to undo what was built over centuries, revealing that power, however formidable, offers no immunity against the consequences of choosing the wrong path. Thus, instead of securing lasting control, intoxication with power may become the very reason for the exposure of one’s weakness and a warning to others about the consequences of such choices.
In this way, a person may lose twice over. First, by choosing the wrong path and suffering its consequences; and second, when their experience becomes a cautionary lesson that alerts others and turns them away from the very path they had sought to make them follow. They wanted to be a role model worthy of emulation, only to become an example of mistakes others must learn from. They wanted to prove that their path was right, only for the consequences of their actions to drive people to seek another way.
Here the paradox reaches its most striking expression: a person may strive to turn others away from the truth, only for their own conduct to establish the case against them and reveal the very path they had tried to conceal. The truth may take time to emerge, and access to it may be obstructed, but the consequences of a misguided course eventually expose its true nature. Recognising the truth and following it lead to guidance, divine favour and the attainment of Allah’s pleasure.
What greater loss could there be than becoming the means by which others find their way to a destination one sought to deny them, while being deprived of reaching that destination oneself?
Perhaps this is one dimension of the meaning of Almighty Allah’s words: “That is indeed the manifest loss.” It is a clear and unmistakable loss to anyone who reflects on it: a person’s efforts to lead others astray become a means of guiding them, while their own practices become evidence against them and a lesson for those who come after. The loss does not end with what the person forfeits by choosing the wrong path; it extends to the point where they themselves become a signpost directing others towards the path they ought to follow, while remaining imprisoned by their own choice.
So do not be among the losers, whether as an individual, a group, a political party or an authority. Choose the path of truth, justice and freedom. Let your actions guide people through your honesty and good deeds, rather than making you a cautionary example they learn from only when it is too late.

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