Surah Fatiha

Intro

Name

Surah al-Fatiha, "The Opening", is the first chapter of the Holy Quran. Its seven verses are a prayer for God's guidance, and stresses His lordship and mercy of God. This chapter has an essential role in daily prayers; being recited at least seventeen times a day, at the start of each unit of prayer (rakah).

The surah is described in various Hadith as "the mother of the Book" (Umm al-Kitab), and said to be the seven verses alluded to in Surah Al-Hijr (15:87); And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur'an.

Timing and contextual background of revelation

Islamic scholarly tradition is concerned, amongst other things, with, when and where verses and chapters of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad -for example, whether a verse was revealed while Muhammad was in Mecca or Medina. According to 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas and others, sura Al-Fatiha is a Meccan surah while according to others it is a Medinan surah. The former view is more widely accepted, although some believe that it was revealed in both Mecca and Medina.

The first few revelations to Muhammad were only first few Ayats (verses) of Surahs Alaq, Muzzammil, Al-Muddathir, etc. Most narrators recorded that Al-Fatihah was the first complete Surah (chapter) revealed to Muhammad.

Theme and Subject Matter

Al-Fatihah in itself is a prayer at the very beginning of the Quran, which acts as a preface of the Quran and implies that the book is for a person with a mental attitude of the seeker of truth - a reader who is asking the only deity who is worthy of all praise, (and is the creator, owner, sustainer of the worlds etc.) to guide him to the straight path.

Translation and Transliteration

Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem

Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil 'alameen

Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Maaliki yaumid Deen

Iyyaaka na'abudu wa iyyaaka nasta'een

Ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem

Siraatal ladheena an 'amta' alaihim

Ghairil maghduubi' alaihim waladaaleen

Aameen

In the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful.

Praise be to God, Lord of all the worlds.

The Compassionate, the Merciful. Ruler on the Day of Reckoning.

You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help.

Guide us on the straight path,

the path of those You have blessed,those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray.

Ameen.

Al-Fatihah Translation

Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

(Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not read Umm Al-Qur'an, then his prayer is incomplete.) He said it thrice.

Abu Hurayrah was asked, "﴿When﴾ we stand behind the Imam'' He said, "Read it to yourself, for I heard the Messenger of Allah say,

Allah, the Exalted, said, 'I have divided the prayer (Al-Fatihah) into two halves between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.' If he says,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

﴾الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ﴿

2. All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of existence.

Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me.' When the servant says,

﴿الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾

3. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Allah says, 'My servant has glorified Me.' When he says,

﴿مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ﴾

4. The Owner of the Day of Recompense.

Allah says, 'My servant has glorified Me,' or 'My servant has related all matters to Me.' When he says,

﴿إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴾

5. You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help.

Allah says, 'This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he sought.' When he says,

﴿اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ - صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّآلِّينَ ﴾

6. Guide us to the straight path.

7. The way of those on whom You have granted Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray

, Allah says, 'This is for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.'

These are the words of An-Nasa'i, while both Muslim and An-Nasa'i collected the following wording, "A half of it is for Me and a half for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.''