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AL-FATIHA (THE OPENING)
Total Verses: 7
Revealed At: MAKKA
Name
This surah is named Al-Fatiha because of its subject-matter. Fatihah is that which opens a subject
or a book or any other thing. In other words, Al-Fatihah is a sort of preface.
Period of Revelation
It is one of the very earliest Revelations to the Holy Prophet. As a matter of fact, we learn from
authentic Traditions that it was the first complete surah, which was revealed to Muhammed
(PBUH). Before this, only a few miscellaneous verses were revealed which form parts of surah
Alaq, Muzzammil, Muddathir, etc.
Theme
This surah is in fact a prayer which Allah has taught to all those who want to make a study of his
book. It has been placed at the very beginning of the book to teach this lesson to the reader: if
you sincerely want to benefit from the Quran, you should offer this prayer to the Lord of the
Universe. This preface is meant to create a strong desire in the heart of the reader to seek
guidance from the Lord of the Universe, who alone can grant it. Thus Al-Fatiha indirectly teaches
that the best thing for a man is to pray for guidance to the straight path, to study the Quran with
the mental attitude of a seeker-after-truth and to recognize the fact that the Lord of the Universe
is the source of all knowledge. He should, therefore, begin the study of the Quran with a prayer to
him for guidance. From this theme, it becomes clear that the real relation between Al-Fatiha and
the Quran is not that of an introduction to a book but that of a prayer and its answer.
Al-Fatiha is the prayer from the servant and the Quran is the answer from the Master to his
prayer. The servant prays to Allah to show him guidance and the Master places the whole of the
Quran before him in answer to his prayer, as if to say, "This is the Guidance you begged from Me."
001.001
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
1. Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
001.002
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
2. Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
001.003
Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
3. Alrrahmani alrraheemi
001.004
Master of the Day of Judgment.
4. Maliki yawmi alddeeni
001.005
Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
5. Iyyaka naAAbudu wa-iyyaka nastaAAeenu
001.006
Show us the straight way,
6. Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
001.007
The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those
whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
7. Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
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