Surah Al-Fatihah (001)

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

2. All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of Al-'Alamin.

3. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

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 Path.

7. The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger nor of those who went astray.




1. The Opening Chapter (Fatihatul-Kitab)

2. The Mother of the Book (Ummul-Kitab)

3. The Mother of the Qur'an (Ummul-Qur'an)

4. The Seven Oft-Recited and the Magnificent Qur'an (As-Sab'ul-Mathani wal Quranul-'Azim)

5.The Praise (Al-Hamd) because it begins with the mention of praise.

6. The Prayer (As-Salat) because the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam mentioned that Allah Almighty said:



7. The Cure (Ash-Shifa)

8. The Incantation (Ar-Ruqyah)

9. The Protection (Al-Waqiyah)




1. Surah Al-Fatihah is the greatest Surah of the Qur'an. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) said to Abu Said bin Al-Mu'alla (Radhi Allahu Anhu)



2. In the story of the scorpion sting, which was recorded by Al-Bukhari, it implies that it is a sufficient cure, and that it may be used for Ruqyah.

3. To recite this chapter is one of the pillars of prayer, for both the Imam and the one who prays alone; therefore one's prayer is incomplete without it. As for the one who prays behind the Imam, reciting it is obligatory. Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

Al-Hamd is praising Allah with His perfect Attributes, loving Him, glorifying Him, and exalting Him.

Ar-Rabb is the worshipped King, the Disposer of Affairs. He is the Educator of all the worlds with all types of education. He is the One Who created them, provides for them, and blesses them with blessings that are apparent as well as hidden. Al-'Alamin. All that exists other than Allah Almighty.

Two of Allah's Names that indicate that He is the Possessor of the vast magnificent mercy that reaches everything, and embraces every creature. He is Ar-Rahman, with a mercy that is for all the creation in this world. Ar-Rahim, with a special mercy for the believers. Allah Almighty says:



And He said:



The One Who alone has control on the Day of Recompense and Reward, the Day when everyone is rewarded for this deeds – if good, then the recompense is good, and if evil then the recompense is the same, except for he whom Allah Almighty pardons. He said:



Al-Maalik: He is the One Who is attributed the most perfect attributes of majesty by which the title King is deserved. It indicates that He orders and forbids, rewards and punishes, dispensing with all matter in the higher and lower worlds with complete control, with the rulings of Preordainment, of legislation, and of reward. That is why He mentioned His Sovereignty over the Day of Recompense, which is the Day of Resurrection, for on that Day Allah Almighty will recompense the creatures according to their deeds and will give a just recompense.

You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help. We worship none other than You, we seek help from none other than You when asking and we rely upon none other than You. This phrase signifies a covenant between the worshipper and his Lord-that the worshipper will worship Him Alone and seek help from Him Alone.

Al-Ibaadah: (worship) is a comprehensive term for all that Allah loves and is pleased with, it includes sayings and deeds that are both apparent and hidden.

Guide us, lead us and keep us on the straight path, the path in which there is no crookedness, that is knowledge and application of the truth, both of which lead to Allah, His Paradise and His Generosity.

i.e. the path of those You have blessed with guidance and facilitation to faith and righteousness. These are the Prophets, the truthful believers, the martyrs and the righteous.

They are the ones who recognized the truth but abandoned it the Jews and those like them.

Following other than the path of the misguided ones, refers to those who have strayed from the truth, such as the Christians and those who are like them that have forsaken knowledge: they wander in their misguidance without being guided to the truth.

Both inside and outside of the prayer, when you finish reciting the Surah, it is recommended to say, Ameen, which means "O Allah, answer us." The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) will say "Ameen" after reciting this Surah, and he ordered us to do so as well. It is confirmed from the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) that Surah Al-Fatihah is the greatest chapter of the Qur'an and that there is no prayer for the one who doesn't recite it.

1. The recitation of Al-Fatihah is one of the Pillars of Salah (Prayer), for the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) said:



This applies to both the Imam and the one who prays alone.

2. As for the one who follows an Imam during prayer, it is obligatory according to the correct opinion, in both the quiet and audible prayers.

3. This chapter embraces those principles that necessitate faith in Allah's perfect Names and exalted Attributes, principles that the Imams and the early generations of Islam upheld. They will affirm for Allah a quality that He affirmed for Himself or that His Messenger (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) affirmed – without distorting the meaning of that Name, without comparing any of Allah's Qualities with those of creation, without likening them to those of His creation, and without trying to explain the reality of those qualities. They believed for example, that Allah is Rahman and Raheem, the Possessor of mercy that those Names describe; that He is the All-Knowing, the Possessor of knowledge, Who knows all things and He is All-Capable, the Possessor of ability Who is able to do all things.

4. It includes the meaning of worship, which is comprehensive. It signifies all that Allah loves and is pleased with, from sayings and deeds, both apparent and hidden.

5. The Muslim must remember the Day of Recompense, the Day of Accountability and reward. When one remembers that Day, one will be better able to perform the obligatory deeds and avoid unlawful deeds.

6. When Shirk is mixed with worship, the act of worship becomes nullified.

7. It included the three categories of Tawhid:

a. Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah (Lordship) which is taken from Allah's saying, the "the Lord of all that exists."

b. Tawhid Al-Ilahiyyah which means to single out Allah for worship; and it is inferred from the word "Allah" and from, "You Alone do we worship and from You Alone do we ask for help."

c. Tawhid Al-Asma' was-Sifat which means to affirm those perfect Qualities of Allah that He affirmed for Himself or that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) affirmed for Him and this is indicated by the statement, "All praise is for Allah."

8. "Guide us to the straight path," affirms Prophethood.

9. "Owner of the Day of Recompense," affirms that we will be punished or rewarded according to our deeds.

10. And "Guide us to the straight path," includes an affirmation of the Divine Will and a refutation of the people of innovation and misguidance, since it is a recognition of the truth and acting upon it.

11. "You (Alone) we worship and (from) You (Alone) we ask for help," clearly shows that worship must be dedicated purely and sincerely for Allah Alone.