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Surah-Al-Fatihah (The Opener):

A Meccan surah(revealed to those prior to hijrah). Also known as the greatest surah in the Quran.

I was praying in the mosque and the Prophet called me but I did not respond. He asked me why I did not respond and I said I was praying. He said, didn’t you hear Allah’s verse, Respond to Allah and the Prophet when they call you. He told me “indeed I shall teach you the greatest surah from the Quran before you leave the masjid”.

He took me by the hand and when I wanted to leave I said, Oh Messenger of Allah you said you would teach me the greatest surah of the Quran. He said yes, Alhamdu lillahi rabil ‘aalameen, it is the 7 mathani – 7 oft recited verses (one of its names) – and the Glorious Quran”.

– Abu Saeed ibn al-Mu’alla hadith in al-Bukhari

Al-Fatiha has many names.

• Fatihatul-kitab : The opening of the Book
• As-salaah : Hadith in Muslim by Abu Hurayrah, he heard from Allah’s messenger that Allah said, I divided as-salaah between me and my servant in two halves i.e. al-fatiha. So when the servant says, Alhamdu lillahi rabil’aalameen, Allah says, “my servant has praised me”. Another reason is because there is no prayer without the fatiha. The same principle as al-Hajju ‘Arafah. A true recitation of al-fatiha in the salaah would be enough for a person to gain victory in this world. There is no salah without Surah-Al-Fatihah.
• Ash-shifa : as per the hadith of Abu Saeed found in Ad-Daarimi, “the Fatiha of the book is a cure
  from every poison”.
• Ar-Ruqya : a healing recitation – hadith found in Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Saeed that a man from Bani Sulaym used it to cure someone who had been bitten. The person (leader of his tribe) got up and walked away after giving them payment. On their return they asked the Prophet (SAW) regarding the payment and he said, what made you know it is Ruqya?
• Asas ul Quran : Foundation of the Quran
• Umm ul-Quran : Mother of the Quran
• Kifayah : Sufficiency. With the Arab, if something has more names it is more important/noble in general.

 

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ – 1:1

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

• B-ism-illah ( بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ) : In the name of Allah. 
  • Baa : With/In/Through
  • Ism : Name
  • Allah : Allah is a proper name for the being which necessarily exists which is deserving of All Praise. The name of Allah(SWT) is not derived.
• Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem ( الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ) : The entirely merciful, the especially merciful.
  • Two names of Allah(SWT) derived from rahma – mercy, softness in the heart that causes one to act benevolently – don’t talk of Allah(SWT) as having parts or emotions.
  • Ar-Rahman : Comes first is more intense. Giver of magnificent/great blessings, faith, sight
  • Ar-Raheem : Is the giver of subtle or fine blessings, strong faith, intense eyesight.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ – 1:2

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

A statement that does not begin with praise of Allah and blessing upon me, remains deficient and bereft of blessings. – Abu Daud

• Al-Hamd-lillah ( الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ) : All praise is due to Allah
  • Hamd : praise with the tongue for something done wilfully – with the intention of reverence and exaltation. Al-hamd incorporates the whole of something
  • lillah : To Allah
• Rab-il-alameen ( رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ) : Lord of the worlds
  • Rab : The one worshipped, a master, one that is firm, one that cares for the interests of something. The one who he is master/sovereignty/lordship
  • Alam : All of the worlds other than Allah(SWT). It is a sign (‘alama) of its creator.

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ – 1:3

The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

• Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem ( الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ) : The entirely merciful, the especially merciful.
  • Two names of Allah(SWT) derived from rahma – mercy, softness in the heart that causes one to act benevolently – don’t talk of Allah(SWT) as having parts or emotions.
  • Ar-Rahman : Comes first is more intense. Giver of magnificent/great blessings, faith, sight
  • Ar-Raheem : Is the giver of subtle or fine blessings, strong faith, intense eyesight.

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ – 1:4

Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.

• Maalik ( مَالِكِ ) : Master/Owner/Sovereign
  • Maalik or Malik ? Milkiyyah (ownership) Mulkiyyah (kingship) Malik – King.
  • The one who decrees and legislates on that day. King is the final authority, no one can go above Him. The malik will have all disputes brought to him. Maalik – Master or Owner. Owner has ultimate right to do with as he pleases to the object he owns. If you own something you can do with it as you please. Allah owns the Day of Judgement, no one can question Him about that day and the decisions that are made.
• Yawmud-Deen ( يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ) : Day of recompense
  • Yawmul-Jazza, the day (Yawm can mean any period of time) of requital or recompense/day debts fall due…(kayfa ma tudeenu tudaan – how you transact with others you will be transacted with). Manifestation of Allah’s Justice.
  • The length of time on that “day” will depend on the strength of your Emaan. Day of Judgement(DoJ) will be like the time between dhur and asr for the true believer (hadith). 50,000 years for the denier of the truth/kafir. Kaafir will beg Allah to hasten DoJ so he can go to hell.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ – 1:5

It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

Switch from third person to direct speech – Ascension in the speech.

• Iyyaka ( إِيَّاكَ ) : It is you
  • Iyyaka – object of the verb, it comes before the verb to show specificity or limitation
• Na’budu ( نَعْبُدُ ) : We worship
  • Using we as a way of humility before Allah(SWT). We say this after we realise Allah(SWT) is Maalik.
• Wa-Iyyaka ( وَإِيَّاكَ ) : And It is you
• Nastaeen (  نَسْتَعِينُ ) : We ask for help

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ – 1:6

Guide us to the straight path.

• Ihdinas-sirath ( اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ ) : Guide us to the path
  • Ihdinas : Guide Us
  • Sirath : The path
• Musthaqeen ( الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ) : The straight

Greatest of requests – Guide us to the straight path – middle way, between two paths those who make it too hard and those who make it too easy.

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ – 1:7

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked

[Your] anger or of those who are astray.

• Sirath-al-azeena ( صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ ) : The path of those
• An-Amtha ( أَنْعَمْتَ ) : You bestowed on your favours
  • Path of those you have favoured. ‘anamta – only for humans. When someone has shown beneficence to another person.

If someone obeys Allah and His Messenger, he will be with those whom Allah has favoured – Prophets, Siddiqeen, Martyrs and Pious. That is good company. – Surah an-Nisa v69

• Alayhim ( عَلَيْهِمْ ) : On them/on themselves
• Gayril-magthubi ( غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ ) : Not of those who earned your wrath/anger
  • Those upon whom there is anger i.e. the Jews and those who have gone astray.
• Alayhim ( عَلَيْهِمْ ) : On them/on themselves
• Wa-la-al-dawlleen ( وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ) : And not of those who go astray
  • Referring to the Christians only worship without any understanding

 

Aameen is not part of the fatihah but means – Please Answer my Lord.