Surah Fatiha

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Surah al-Fatihah 

Introduction

Its Name

• It is named al-Faatihah, the Opening - because it opens the Book and by it the recitation in prayer commences.

• It is also named Ummul Qur`aan, the Mother of the Qur`aan, and Ummul Kitaab, the Mother of the Book, according to the opinion of the majority.

Narrated by  Abu Hurayrah (RA),

The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, ‘[the chapter commencing with] “all praises and thanks are due to Allaah the Lord of the Universe” is the Mother of the Qur`aan, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses and the Great Qur`aan.’ [i.e. Ummul Qur`aan, Ummul Kitaab, Sab`ul Mathaanee and al-Qur`aanul Adheem] (at-Tirmidhee)

Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree said that it was named so because the meaning of the entire Qur`aan is summarised therein. The Arabs named anything that concisely summarises something or comprises the most important part of something Umm, or Mother.

For similar reasons it is also named al-Qur`aan al-Adheem, the Great Qur`aan.

• It is also named Sab`ul Mathaanee, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses, because they are frequently recited and indeed recited in every rak`ah of the prayer.

• It is also named al-Hamd, the Praise because it contains mention of hamd just as al-Baqarah is named so because it contains mention of the cow. Some scholars also gave the reasoning that al-Hamd constitutes the heart of al-Faatihah. [As-Sindee, ‘Sharh as-Sindee `alaa ibn Maajah’ [no. 3790]]

• It is also named as-Salaah, the Prayer, because its recitation is a condition for the validity of the prayer.

• It is also named ash-Shifaa`, the Cure, due to what ad-Daarimee reports from Abu Sa`eed (RA) from the Messenger of Allaah (SAW).

• It is also named ar-Ruqya, the Spiritual Cure

According to the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed (RA) reported in Saheeh Bukhaaree that after he had recited it to cure a person who had been bitten by a scorpion, the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said to him, And what made you to know that it was a ruqya? [Saheeh Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 3/264 no. 476]

• Another name of it is Asaasul Qur`aan,

Ash-Sha`bee reports from ibn Abbaas that he named it Asaasul Qur`aan, the Foundation of the Qur`aan, and that he said, “the foundation of al-Faatihah is, ‘with the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.’ ”

• Sufyaan bin Uyaynah named it al-Waaqiyah, the Protector.

• Yahyaa bin Abu Katheer named it al-Kaafiyah, the Sufficient, because it suffices from everything other than it but anything else does not suffice it.

The Mother of the Book suffices for other than it but nothing else suffices it. [Reported by ad-Daaruqutnee [1/322].

• It is also named Suratus Salaah, the Chapter of the Prayer, 

•  al-Kanz, the Treasure, as mentioned by (az-Zamaksharee in ‘Kashshaaf).

Virtues of Surah Fatiha

Our prayer is incomplete without reciting Surah Fatiha.that the prayer is not valid without it.

Narrated by  ibn Abbaas (RA), Prophet Hazrat Muhammad SAW said,

Whosoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite the Mother of the Book then it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, it is incomplete. [Saheeh Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/215 no. 775]

Its importance can be revealed through following ahadeeth. 

• While the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) was sitting with Jibreel he heard a creaking sound above him. Jibreel looked up and said, “this is [the sound of] a gate that has been opened in heaven today and has never been previously opened.” Then an Angel descended through it and came to the Prophet (SAW) and said, “rejoice in the good news of two lights that have been given to you such as no prophet before you has been given. [They are] Surah al-Faatihah and the concluding [two] verses of Surah al-Baqarah. You will never recite a word from them without being given the blessings they contain.” [(Saheeh Muslim (Eng. Trans. 2/586 no. 1759)]
  

Narrated by  Abu Hurayrah (RA),

• The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, ‘[the chapter commencing with] “all praises and thanks are due to Allaah the Lord of the Universe” is the Mother of the Qur`aan, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses and the Great Qur`aan.’ [i.e. Ummul Qur`aan, Ummul Kitaab, Sab`ul Mathaanee and al-Qur`aanul Adheem] (at-Tirmidhee).

• Allaah, the Glorious and Exalted said, “I have divided the prayer between Myself and my servant equally and My servant shall be granted what he asked for.” Therefore when the servant says, ‘all praises and thanks are due to Allaah, the Lord of the universe’, Allaah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful,’ Allaah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgement,’ Allaah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’ When he says, ‘You Alone we worship and Your aid Alone do we seek,’ Allaah says, ‘this is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he requested.’ When he says, ‘guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who have incurred [Your] wrath, neither of those who have gone astray,’ Allaah says, ‘this is for My servant and My servant shall have what he asked for. [Saheeh Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/215 no. 775]].

• Ahmad reports from Abu Sa`d ibn al-Mu`allaa (RA) who said,
  The Prophet (SAW) named while I was praying in the Mosque but I did not respond until I had completed the prayer. I went to him and he asked, “what prevented you from coming to me [earlier]?” I replied, “I was praying O Messenger of Allaah.” He said, “does Allaah not say,

  ‘Respond to Allaah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.’ [Al-Anfaal (8): 24]

  He then said, “I will teach a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Qur`aan before you leave the Mosque.” Then he grasped hold of my hand and when he intended to leave [the Mosque], I asked him, “did you not say that you would teach me a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Qur`aan?” He replied, “yes. It is [the Surah commencing with], ‘All praise and thanks are due to Allaah.’ It is the Seven Oft-Repeated verses and the Great Qur`aan that has been given to me.” [Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 6/1 no.1], Ahmad [3/450]].

 

سورة الفاتحة 

(revealed in Makkah)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيم

1.In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Most Gracious, Most Merciful
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

  Master of the, Day of Judgment.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Show us the straight way.
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray.

Ameen.

InshAllah in next post we'll learn verse by verse explaination of this Surah with root words.

May Allah help us ameen.

Allah knows the best :)