Ahadith e Qudsi

The Essence of the Qur'an

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (R.A) from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said:

A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Quran (Surah Al-Fatiha) during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete. Someone said to Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? (Means standing behind the Imam (leader) listening to him reciting Al-Fatiha). He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet (S.A.W) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-alamin, Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says: Ar-rahmani r-rahim, Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says: Maliki yawmi d-din, Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says: Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in, He says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says: Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin, He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.

(Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah)

This hadith e qudsi describes the importance of Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening). Without this surah, as the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W) said thrice, a prayer is incomplete.

This is because salah is the communication between a servant and his Lord. Allah says I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves.

Surah Al-Fatiha is the Opening of the Qur'an and in this surah, Allah teaches us the method of making dua; to praise the Almighty and to glorify Him before asking for what we need. Allah is The Responsive and as we glorify Him, He replies to His servants.

"And when My servants ask you, (O Muhammad), concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocatuon of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let the respond to Me (by obedience) and believe in Me that they may be (rightly) guided."

[Al Baqarah 2:186]

Hence when we praise Allah by saying Alhandullilahi rabbil aalameen (all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds), Allah responds and says My servant has praised Me.

When we proceed to the next verse and say, Ar-rahmani-rraheem (The entirely Merciful and especially Merciful), Allah responds by saying My servant has extolled Me.

When we say Malik i yawmi d-deen (Sovereign of the Day of Recompense), Allah responds by saying My servant has glorified Me. My servant has submitted to My power.

Hence when we say Iyyaka na'a budu wa iyyaka nasta'een (It is You we worship and You we ask for help), Allah responds by saying This is between Me and My servant and My servant will have what he asked for.

By the time the words Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin (Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked Your anger or those who are astray) leave our mouth, Allah responds with the most beautiful reply This is for My servant and My servant shall have what he has asked for.

The power of Surah Al-Fatiha is beyond imagination. This is why it is called the 'Essence of the Qur'an' by the Prophet (S.A.W).

By reciting each of Surah Al-Fatiha's seven verses, Allah takes us seven skies up within the salah and by the time we say Ameen, we stand next to Allah and perform the rest of the prayer.

May Allah give us the guidance and the focus needed to reach the true level of worshipping.

Ameen.