Lesson 1 : Surah Al Fatiha

Verse 1-7

Tafseer:

Background

• Surah Al Fatiha is a Makki Surah (i.e. revealed before Hijra of Prophet (saw))
• 5th surah to be revealed in Chronology
• It was the first Surah (Chapter) that was revealed completely
• The first 3 verses glorify Allah and the rest of the ayats (Verses) are a prayer/dua (Invocation)
• We recite surah Fatiha 17 times in our salah daily. It is the most recited Surah.

• This is the greatest Surah of the Qur’an
• Al-Fatiha literally means ‘The Opening’

o Because it is the opening of the Quran
o Prayer opens with Surah Al-Fatiha
o It is the opening of the door to guidance itself

Names of Fatiha

Al Fatiha, Al Asas (Foundation), Ummul Kitab (Mother of the book), Ummul Qur’an (Mother of the Qur’an), Saba’ al-Masani (7 oft repeated verses), As-Salah (the prayer), Al Shifa (Healing), Al Ruqya (Remedy), Al Hamd (All Praise), Fatihatul Kitab (Opening of the book)

Virtues of Surah Fathiha

Hazrat Abu Saeed ibn Al-Mu’alla radiyallahu anhu said,
"While I was praying in the Masjid, the Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam called me. I did not answer him then, but went to him afterwards and explained that I had been praying, whereupon he asked me whether Allah Ta’ala had not said, ‘Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you.’
adding, ‘Let me teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’aan before you leave the Masjid.’ He then took me by the hand and when we were about to go out I reminded him of his promise to me that he would teach me the greatest Surah in the Qur’aan. He said, Surah Fatihah which is the seven oft-repeated verses in the Mighty Qur’aan which has been given to me."

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Hazrat Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu reported that when Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alaihe wasallam once asked Ubayy ibn Ka’ab radiyallahu anhu, what he recited in his prayers. He replied Umm-ul Qur’aan (Surah Fatihah) the Holy Prophet proclaimed,
"By Him in whose dominion my soul is, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Qur’aan and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses in the Mighty Qur’aan which I have been given."

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VERSES:

1. In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Begin recitation with Seeking refuge from Satan
Evidence – Surah 16:98
When we start to do anything good Satan tries to hinder us. We need Allah’s help

o Allah starts by saying بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. In the Name of Allah the most forgiving the repeatedly Merciful.
o This is the traditional opening of the Quran
o To invoke His Mercy
o It is His Book, so we start with His name
o Prophet Sal said “Any act which is not started with Bismillah is devoid of blessings”

• Prophet taught us to start every deed, every act with بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ


2. [All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds

Everything that Allah has given us, Alhumdulilah for it. All Praise for Allah. Praise Allah in every circumstance. This praise for Allah is out of Love, Respect and Gratitude to Allah. It is because He is the Lord of the worlds. He is the planner, he is maintaining everything.

He is the Creator [Khaliq], Owner [Malik] and Planner [Mudabbir]
Level of praising humans (Madh) and Allah’s praise (Hamdh) is not the same.

Allah praise for Allah for everything we asked for and we got and what we didn’t ask for and He still gave us, for ex. our faculties, our parents. He also provides provision for us when we are in the womb of our mother.

When he saw some bad he said” Alhamdullilah Ala Kulli Hal”- “Praise Be to Allah on all conditions”


3. The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

He is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem. His Lordship is based on Mercy and compassion

Rahman - in a broader sense means His Mercy encompasses all of mankind whether we deserve it or not. He is Ar-Rahman for everybody whether you are a believer or not Allah will give whom He wants.

Raheem - Allah is repeatedly and especially merciful for the believers. (Superlative)


4. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.

Allah is the owner of the Day of Judgment. That Day He’ll have complete authority.
It’s a Day when deeds will be accounted. Everything is in the hands of Allah. Instead of relying on people we should rely on Allah. Turn to Allah, prepare today for that day.

Maalik = Owner and Malik = Sovereign. In this world there are kings & rulers, on the Day of Judgment ONLY ALLAH IS THE OWNER
Refer: [Surah Ghafir: 15-17] [Surah Inshiqaq: 6]


5. It is You we worship and You we ask for help

We should only worship only Him Alone. Worship out of Love and Respect.

This is manifested through our actions, through our Ibadaat for ex. Salah - We put the most prominent part of our body to the level of our feet [by prostration].
We are created to do His ibadah.
Everything is Glorifying Allah.The one who recognizes Allah; he is the one who turns to Allah. It is our choice. Man is created weak, we always depend on others. We should ask Allah for our needs.

Worship is not complete without Dua – they go side by side
Prophet (saw) and the sahabas turned to Allah in EVERY Situation.


6. Guide us to the straight path –

1st Dua Allah has taught us. Guidance is in Allah’s hands.

We are asking Allah to show us the way and give us the Tawfeeq (ability) to implement the knowledge to keep us on the path

There are two types of Guidance:
1) Hidaya Irshad/ Bayaan = Guidance that leads to knowledge
2) Hidaya Tawfeeq = Allah gives the guidance to implement the knowledge. A person gets when he asks for it. Leads to actions.

In this dua when we say “Guide us to the straight path” we are asking for the knowledge as well as implementation to that knowledge. Also asking Allah to show us the way, make us steadfast on the way and also lead us to the destination i.e. Jannah. It is the path of Allah, path of knowledge.


7. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.

What is Siratal Mustaqeen?
Path of Deen/Islam, Quran, Path of Knowledge

Definition of Siratal Mustaqeen - 3 Categories:
1. The way of those whom you favored
2. Not those who have earned your wrath
3. Not those who went astray

1st category = those who are bestowed with Allah’s favor.

[Nisa: 69] – Allah has bestowed His favor upon the Prophets, the Truthful ones, Martyrs and the Righteous ones.
Truthful are those like Abu Bakr (Ra), Martyrs are those who give up their lives for Allah, Righteous are those who obey Allah and follow Prophet (saw).

They got the blessing of Deen, Islam. They are the ones upon the guidance. They have knowledge and action. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah. Make dua to be like them.

2nd category = those who have earned Allah’s anger. They have Ilm (knowledge) but they did not apply it. Example – people of Nuh (as), Aad, Samood, Qaroon

3rd category = those who are astray. They have no knowledge and no practice.


Recap of Surah Al Fatiha

• Why is this surah given this name?
This name is given because it is the opening of the Qur’an. It is the foundation of Qur’an.

• Any act that is begin with Bismillah, that act is blessed by Allah.

• Al Hamd - This praise is done due to Allah’s perfection. Out of love and respect. Alhumdulilah for those things that He has given us without us asking Him. Ex: water, oxygen. Our survival depends on many different things. He created others for us, but created us for His worship.

• Allah is the Rabb of All the worlds - world of mankind, jinn, animals etc. He is sustaining everything. He is managing this whole Universe. His lordship is based on mercy and compassion. Allah’s planning is not in vain.

• Why Day of Judgment is called Day of Recompense? Yaum-ad-deen?
Because that day the good will be returned with good and bad with bad. Everything will be recompensed. Only Allah will have authority on that day alone. Every single person from the beginning till end will be brought forth that day.

• Dua is a form of worship. First dua that Allah taught us: “Guide us to the straight path”. We should seek help with Allah for everything but especially ‘siraat al-mustakeen’. He has given us food, water etc without asking. But to get guidance we have to ask Allah for it. Its just not knowing the knowledge, you have to walk upon it and then reach the destination. 1) knowledge 2) action 3) result

• Allah bestowed his favor of Islam to the Nabiyeen, Siddiqeen, Shuhada and Saliheen. They got the knowledge and implement on it. This is the straight path.

• Wrong path: those who had the knowledge but didn’t apply and those who didn’t had any knowledge. This is the opposite of straight path. Don’t go on this path, it will earn Allah’s anger and will lead you astray. If a person deviates from the right path, that person will be lost. And never come back.

• Aameen – ‘O Rabb accept this from us’. Blessing of saying Aameen after surah Al Fatiha, is that the angels are saying Ameen too along with you and all your sins will be forgiven.