Surah Al-Fatihah
The prophet (pbuh) said that Allah swt has not revealed in the Torah nor Gospel a surah like surah Fatihah. Allah swt says this surah is divided between Himself and His servant and whatever the servant asks, he shall get as this surah is a du'aa. This surah is the best surah and the best part of the Qur'an. This is why we recite this surah in every rakat in every prayer and without it, the salah is invalid.
VERSE 1
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Allah swt is Most Merciful. We see His mercy all around us but His biggest mercy is revealed through the Qur'an. It is out of His mercy that He revealed this Qur'an.
VERSE 2
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds -
Ultimate and absolute praise is for Allah swt. Praise is for the Maker, the Creator and the Lord of the worlds.
VERSE 3
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
Again His mercy is mentioned. Allah swt is more merciful to us than anyone who has ever shown us mercy to us.
VERSE 4
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
Allah is the King of the day of judgement.
*In this surah we are taught the etiquette on how to make du'a. First praise Allah swt, then send blessings upon the prophet (pbuh) and then call Allah swt by His names and attributes.
VERSE 5
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
We are Allah's servants and need Allah's help. We cannot fast without Allah's help, we cannot pray without Allah's help, and so on so we ask Allah swt to help us do good.
VERSE 6
Guide us to the straight path -
The reality is when one is upon misguidance, he is in extreme danger because if he dies upon misguidance, then his end is very ugly. The day of judgement is not like any other day; that day is the day of recompense and in order to be successful on that day, it is essential for everyone to know while they are alive what is correct and what is wrong. This is why the most important du'a is the du'a of guidance. The du'a that Allah teaches us in the very first surah of the Qur'an is of guidance.
VERSE 7
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Those who have been bestowed favour are the prophets, the righteous, the truthful, the martyrs. We ask not to be amongst those who Allah is angry with and those who have gone astray. This is the du'a we make to Allah in every rakah.
