Quran Verses about Steadfastness (istiqamah)

قَالَ قَدۡ أُجِيبَت دَّعۡوَتُكُمَا فَٱسۡتَقِيمَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعَآنِّ سَبِيلَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٨٩

Qāla qad ujībat daʿwatukumā fastaqīmā wa lā tattabiʿānni sabīlal-ladhīna lā yaʿlamūn.

[Allāh] said, "Your supplication has been answered."¹ So remain on a right course and follow not the way of those who do not know."

فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ ١١٢

Fastaqim kamā umirta wa man tāba maʿaka wa lā taṭghaw, innahū bimā taʿmalūna baṣīr.

So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allāh], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.

وَٱعۡبُدۡ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَكَ ٱلۡيَقِينُ ٩٩

Waʿbud rabbaka ḥattā yaʾtiyakal-yaqīn.

And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].

قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُۗ وَوَيۡلٞ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٦

Qul innamā ana basharum mithlukum yūḥā ilayya annamā ilāhukum ilāhuw wāḥidun fastaqīmū ilayhi wastaghfirūh, wa waylul lil-mushrikīn.

Say, [O Muḥammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allāh –

فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَٱدۡعُۖ وَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۖ وَقُلۡ ءَامَنتُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن كِتَٰبٖۖ وَأُمِرۡتُ لِأَعۡدِلَ بَيۡنَكُمُۖ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمۡۖ لَنَآ أَعۡمَٰلُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلُكُمۡۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكُمُۖ ٱللَّهُ يَجۡمَعُ بَيۡنَنَاۖ وَإِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ١٥

Falidhālika fadʿ, wastaqim kamā umirt, wa lā tattabiʿ ahwāʾahum, wa qul āmantu bimā anzalallāhu min kitāb, wa umirtu liʾaʿdila baynakum, allāhu rabbunā wa rabbukum, lanā aʿmālunā wa lakum aʿmālukum, lā ḥujjata baynanā wa baynakum, allāhu yajmaʿu baynanā, wa ilayhil-maṣīr.

So to that [religion of Allāh] invite, [O Muḥammad],¹ and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what Allāh has revealed of scripture [i.e., the Qur’ān], and I have been commanded to do justice among you. Allāh is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds, and for you your deeds.² There is no [need for] argument between us and you.³ Allāh will bring us together, and to Him is the [final] destination."

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٞ لِّمَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا ثُمَّ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ ٨٢

Wa innī laghaffārul liman tāba wa āmana wa ʿamila ṣāliḥan thummahtadā.

But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ٣٠

Innal-ladhīna qālū rabbunallāhu thummastaqāmū tatanazzalu ʿalayhimul-malāʾikatu allā takhāfū wa lā taḥzanū wa abshirū bil-jannatil-latī kuntum tūʿadūn.

Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allāh" and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.

نَحۡنُ أَوۡلِيَآؤُكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيٓ أَنفُسُكُمۡ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ ٣١

Naḥnu awliyāʾukum fil-ḥayātid-dunyā wa fil-ākhirah, wa lakum fīhā mā tashtahī anfusukum wa lakum fīhā mā taddaʿūn.

We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]

نُزُلٗا مِّنۡ غَفُورٖ رَّحِيمٖ ٣٢

Nuzulam min ghafūrir raḥīm.

As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful."

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ١٣

Innal-ladhīna qālū rabbunallāhu thummastaqāmū falā khawfun ʿalayhim wa lā hum yaḥzanūn.

Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allāh," and then remained on a right course - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٤

Ulāʾika aṣḥābul-jannati khālidīna fīhā jazāʾam bimā kānū yaʿmalūn.

Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding eternally therein as reward for what they used to do.

وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقٗا ١٦

Wa allawistaqāmū ʿalaṭ-ṭarīqati laʾasqaynāhum māʾan ghadaqā.

And [Allāh revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant rain [i.e., provision]

۞ لَيۡسُواْ سَوَآءٗۗ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أُمَّةٞ قَآئِمَةٞ يَتۡلُونَ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَهُمۡ يَسۡجُدُونَ ١١٣

Laysū sawāʾā, min ahlil-kitābi ummatun qāʾimatuy yatlūna āyātillāhi ānāʾal-layli wa hum yasjudūn.

They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community¹ standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allāh during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer].

وَمِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٞ يَهۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعۡدِلُونَ ١٥٩

Wa min qawmi mūsā ummatuy yahdūna bil-ḥaqqi wabihī yaʿdilūn.

And among the people of Moses is a community¹ which guides by truth and by it establishes justice.

لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ٢٨

Liman shāʾa minkum ay yastaqīm.

For whoever wills among you to take a right course.

ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ٦

Ihdinaṣ-ṣirāṭal-mustaqīm.

Guide us to the straight path -

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغۡ قُلُوبَنَا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَيۡتَنَا وَهَبۡ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ ٨

Rabbanā lā tuzigh qulūbanā baʿda idh hadaytanā wahab lanā mil ladunka raḥmah, innaka antal-wahhāb.

[Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.¹

يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَۚ وَيَفۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ ٢٧

Yuthabbitullāhul-ladhīna āmanū bil-qawlith-thābiti fil-ḥayātid-dunyā wa fil-ākhirah, wa yuḍillullāhuẓ-ẓālimīn, wa yafʿalullāhu mā yashāʾ.

Allāh keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word,¹ in worldly life and in the Hereafter.² And Allāh sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allāh does what He wills.

وَلَوۡلَآ أَن ثَبَّتۡنَٰكَ لَقَدۡ كِدتَّ تَرۡكَنُ إِلَيۡهِمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا قَلِيلًا ٧٤

Wa lawlā an thabbatnāka laqad kidtta tarkanu ilayhim shayʾan qalīlā.

And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little.

إِذۡ أَوَى ٱلۡفِتۡيَةُ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةٗ وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدٗا ١٠

Idh awal-fityatu ilal-kahfi faqālū rabbanā ātinā mil ladunka raḥmataw wa hayyiʾ lanā min amrinā rashadā.

[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, "Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance."