بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
2. All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
3. The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
4. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
5. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
6. Guide us to the Straight Way
7. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians). [Sûrah Al-Fâtihah 1:1-7]
The revelation of Sûrah Al-Fâtihah
Al-Fâtihah was revealed in Makkah as Ibn ‘Abbâs, Qatâdah and Abû Al-‘Âliyah stated.
Allâh said,
﴿وَلَقَدْ ءاتَيْنَـكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي﴾
(And indeed, We have bestowed upon you the seven Mathani) (seven repeatedly recited verses), (i.e. Sûrah Al-Fâtihah) (15:87).
The names of Sûrah Al-Fâtihah
1) Umm al-Kitâb (The Mother of the Book)
2) Umm al-Qur’ân (The Mother of the Qur’ân)
3) Sab al-Mathânî (The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses)
4) Al-Qur’ân al-Adhîm (The Great Qur’ân)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَأُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَالسَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي ”
Abû Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: All praise be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘âlamîn” (1) is The mother of the Qur’ân, The mother of the Book, and The seven oft-repeated verses. (Abû Dawûd 1457. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)
And in another narration [Abu Dawûd 1456. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî] he (ﷺ) said: ” { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } وَهِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي الَّتِي أُوتِيتُ وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ ”
It is: “Praise be to Allâh, the Lord of the Universe” which is the seven oft-repeated verses, and The Great Qur’ân.
Imam Bukhârî said: It is called Umm Al-Kitâb, because the Qur’ân starts with it and because the prayer is started by reciting it. (Sahîh Bukhari, Kitâb At-Tafsîr:1)
5) Al-Fâtihah (The Opener)
Imâm Ibn Kathîr said: This Sûrah is called Al-Fâtihah, that is, the Opener of the Book, the Sûrah with which prayers are begun. (Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr 1)
6) Al-Hamd (The Praise) & As-Salâh (The Prayer)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهْىَ خِدَاجٌ – ثَلاَثًا – غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ” . فَقِيلَ لأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّا نَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ . فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ” قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} . قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ { الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} . قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي . وَإِذَا قَالَ { مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ} . قَالَ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي – وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَوَّضَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي – فَإِذَا قَالَ { إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ} . قَالَ هَذَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ . فَإِذَا قَالَ { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ} . قَالَ هَذَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ” . قَالَ سُفْيَانُ حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ الْعَلاَءُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ مَرِيضٌ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنَا عَنْهُ
Abû Hurairah reported: The prophet of Allâh (ﷺ) said: If anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’ân, It is deficient [he said this three times] and not complete. It was said to Abû Hurairah: At times we are behind the Imâm. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) declare that Allâh the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer (i.e Al-Fâtihah) into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allâh, the Lord of the universe, Allâh the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allâh the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judgment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. and sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: You alone do we worship and You alone do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom You have bestowed your favour and not of those who have earned Your Anger, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allâh) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Sufyân said: ‘Ala b. ‘Abd al-Rahmân b. Ya’qûb narrated it to me when I went to him and he was confined to his home on account of illness, and I asked him about it. (Sahîh Muslim 395)
Imâm Ibn Kathîr said: Al-Fâtihah was called the Salâh, because reciting it is a condition for the correctness of Salâh (prayer). (Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr 1)
7) Ar-Ruqyah (The Remedy) / Ash-Shifâ (The Cure)
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَوْا عَلَى حَىٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ فَلَمْ يَقْرُوهُمْ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ لُدِغَ سَيِّدُ أُولَئِكَ فَقَالُوا هَلْ مَعَكُمْ مِنْ دَوَاءٍ أَوْ رَاقٍ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَقْرُونَا، وَلاَ نَفْعَلُ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لَنَا جُعْلاً. فَجَعَلُوا لَهُمْ قَطِيعًا مِنَ الشَّاءِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ، وَيَجْمَعُ بُزَاقَهُ، وَيَتْفِلُ، فَبَرَأَ، فَأَتَوْا بِالشَّاءِ، فَقَالُوا لاَ نَأْخُذُهُ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلُوهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ “ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ، خُذُوهَا، وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ ”
Narrated by Abû Sa’îd Al-Khudrî: Some of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) came across a tribe amongst the tribes of the Arabs, and that tribe did not entertain them. While they were in that state, the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion). They said, (to the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) ), “Have you got any medicine with you or anybody who can treat with Ruqya?” The Prophet’s companions said, “You refuse to entertain us, so we will not treat (your chief) unless you pay us for it.” So they agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them (the Prophet’s companions) started reciting Sûrah Al-Fâtihah and gathering his saliva and spitting it (at the snake-bite). The patient got cured and his people presented the sheep to them, but they said, “We will not take it unless we ask the Prophet (whether it is lawful).” When they asked him, he smiled and said, “How do you know that Sûrah Al-Fâtihah is a Ruqya? Take it (flock of sheep) and assign a share for me.” (Sahih Bukhârî 5736)
Other Virtues of Al-Fâtihah
– عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى، قَالَ كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فَدَعَانِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ أُجِبْهُ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي. قَالَ ” أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ {اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ} ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ أُعَلِّمُكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ ”. فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَلَمَّا أَرَدْنَا أَنْ نَخْرُجَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ قُلْتَ لأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ. قَالَ ”{الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ ”.
– Narrated by Abû Sa’îd Al-Mu’allâ :While I was praying, the Prophet (ﷺ) called me but I did not respond to his call. Later I said, “O Allâh’s Messenger! I was praying.” He said, “Didn’t Allâh say: ‘O you who believe! Give your response to Allâh (by obeying Him) and to His Messenger when he calls you’?” (8.24) He then said, “Shall I not teach you the greatest Sûrah in the Qur’ân?” He said, ‘(It is), ‘Praise be to Allâh, the Lord of the worlds. ‘ (i.e., Sûrah Al-Fâtihah) which consists of seven repeatedly recited Verses and the Magnificent Qur’ân which was given to me.” (Sahîh Bukhârî 5006)
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا جِبْرِيلُ قَاعِدٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعَ نَقِيضًا مِنْ فَوْقِهِ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ هَذَا بَابٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ لَمْ يُفْتَحْ قَطُّ إِلاَّ الْيَوْمَ فَنَزَلَ مِنْهُ مَلَكٌ فَقَالَ هَذَا مَلَكٌ نَزَلَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ قَطُّ إِلاَّ الْيَوْمَ فَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ أَبْشِرْ بِنُورَيْنِ أُوتِيتَهُمَا لَمْ يُؤْتَهُمَا نَبِيٌّ قَبْلَكَ فَاتِحَةُ الْكِتَابِ وَخَوَاتِيمُ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ لَنْ تَقْرَأَ بِحَرْفٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلاَّ أُعْطِيتَ
– Ibn ‘Abbâs narrated that while Jibrîl was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) he heard a creaking sound above him. He lifted his head and said: This is a gate opened in heaven today which had never been opened before. Then when an angel descended through it, he said: This is an angel who came down to the earth who had never come down before. He greeted and said: Rejoice in two lights given to you which have not been given to any prophet before you: Fâtihah Al-Kitâb and the concluding verses of Sûrah al-Baqarah. You will never recite a letter from them for which you will not be given (the blessings they contain). (Sahîh Muslim 806)
وعن أنس رضى الله عنه قال: قال فالتفت النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم فقال ألا أخبِرُك بأفضلِ القرآنِ قال بلى فتلا { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ}
– Anas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Should I not inform you of the most noble and excellent part of the Qur’ân? He then recited : ‘All Praise and Thanks are due to Allâh, Lord of the ‘Âlamîn.’ (An-Nasâ’i, Al-Kubrâ 8011. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)
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