Surah Fatiha

Tafseer Verse 1-3

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen

Praise is for Allah, the Rabb (Lord) of the Aalameen (Universe)

There is a difference of opinion on whether this is the first ayah (verse) of this surah or the second (the first being bismillah). In this explanation, we shall follow the former position of this being the first ayah. 

The phrase, ‘Alhamdulillah is an all inclusive phrase, it is not merely a declaration of thanks--- since thanking does not require nor imply praise---rather it contains a greater meaning.

Like, Ibrahim (Abraham) alayhi as-salaam thanked his father because Allah commanded him to do so, but he did not praise him. Allah is worthy of being praised and thanked at the same time. Therefore, in the 

phrase, ‘Alhamdulillah,’ praise and thanks are combined. 

Hence, an accurate translation of that part of the ayah would be, “All praise and thanks be to Allah.”

Note, that the verbal-noun ‘praise’ is mentioned here as a noun and not a verb (e.g. praise Allah). This subtle feature implies permanence, as nouns imply permanence and verbs 

imply time-constraints and temporariness. And this is appropriate because the praise of Allah is timeless, it was there before we were here, it is here now, and will remain here after us.

So when we say, ‘Alhamdulillah,’ we are declaring that all praise and thanks are for Allah, and they are independent of us.

The next part, ‘Rabb of the Aalameen,’ has great implications to our lives. Usually the word Rabb is translated as Master, while it is perhaps the closest noun in the English language, it does not do complete justice to the context of the Quran.

The word Rabb in this verse is related to ‘Huda,’ which means guidance. This is logical because the first act of a slave for his master 

would be to ask for guidance and instructions. In Arabic, guidance is related to Hadiya, which means ‘gift.’ To the Arabs, guidance was also a gift; for a beduin lost in the desert nothing is more valuable than guidance.

A mention of a master would be incomplete without the mention of the slave over whom they are masters. Similarly, the next part of the ayah mentions the ‘slaves,’ as the Aalameen, which is a comprehensive plural that refers to all sorts of created beings or things in the universe, but particularly to the mankind and jinn. 

In the Quran, the word Rabb is frequently mentioned in close proximity to the word guidance 

(هدى), e.g. Innani hadaani rabbi ila siratil mustaqim, sabbihisma rabbikal a’alaa.

The natural question would be about their relationship. 

If a master did not say anything to his slave, the slave might ask his master what he wants him to do, because without instructions how can a slave be a slave of his master? A slave cannot be a slave without obeying their master and obedience is an action upon knowledge in 

the form of instructions from the master, and this is guidance. If the slave acted against that knowledge, then they would be upon misguidance, and vice versa. This is why we immediately ask for guidance after declaring Allah as our Rabb. 

So an elaborate translation of this verse would be, “All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Master of all things and beings created by Him.” 

And Allah knows best.

Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem

After calling Himself the Master, He gives Himself two descriptions, in the next ayah: