Islamic Education > Quranic Studies:

SURAH AL-FATIHAH                               سورة الفاتحة

Makkiyyan.

Comprised of seven (7) ayahs.

THE EXPLANATION

1.  بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} {                       

          This verse (ayah) is called 'the basmalah.'  According to Imam ash-Shafi^iyy the basmalah is one of the verses (ayahs) of the Fatihah without which the prayer is invalid.  Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanifah do not consider the basmalah to be a verse (ayah) of the Fatihah.  Every chapter (surah) of the Qur’an starts with the basmalah except for one, Surah Bara’ah.  Moreover, following the methodology of the Qur'an, it became the habit of the salaf [1]  and the khalaf[2]  to start their written works with the basmalah. 

          It is recommended (sunnah) and not obligatory (wajib) to start every religiously important matter with the basmalah, excluding those matters that the rules of the Religion prescribed begin with other than the basmalah.  Examples of religiously important matters which do not start with the basmalah are the prayer, which starts with the takbir [3], and the supplication, which starts with the hamdalah [4].

          One is forbidden to start prohibited matters with the basmalah.  For example, it is sinful for one to say ‘bismillah’ just as one starts to drink alcohol, a prohibited matter.  Moreover, some Hanafiyy scholars said if one starts drinking alcohol with saying bismillah, one blasphemes.  However, the correct judgment in this matter depends upon the person’s intention in his saying.  If ones intention in saying the basmalah when drinking alcohol was to seek blessings, one blasphemes.  However, if ones intention was to seek protection from the harm of the alcohol one is drinking, one is sinful for that, but does not blaspheme.  On the other hand, starting any disliked (makruh) matter with the basmalah is judged as makruh.[5] 

          The preposition (al-jar) and its object (al-majrur) in the word bismi (بسم)  [ba’ (بَ) and ism (اسم) respectively] of the basmalah indicate either a verb such as abda’ (أبدأ) which means ‘I start’ or a noun such as ibtida'i (إبتدائى) which means ‘my starting.’  So bismillah (بسم الله) means ‘I start with the name of Allah’ or ‘my starting is with the name of Allah.

          The word Allah (الله) is the Name of the Creator whose non-existence is impossible to be perceived in the mind.  Allah is the One and Only Deserving of all praises.  The name Allah (الله) is not derived from another root word. 

2.  {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} 

          Al-hamd (الْحَمْد) is the verbal praising by the tongue for the optional endowments bestowed upon one.  In saying al-hamdulillah (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) one is praising Allah praises that befit Him for the endowments and generosities He chose to bestow upon us without Him being obligated to do so.  Rabbil-^alamin (رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) means the 'Lord i.e., the Owner of the Worlds.'  The singular form of al-^alamin (العالمين) is al‑^alam (العالم) and al‑^alam is everything other than Allah.  The world was called ^alam (عالم) because it is an indicator (^alamah, علامة), that is, the existence of this world indicates and proves Allah exists. 

3.  {الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ}              

          Ar-Rahman الرَّحْمَن)) is among the names exclusive for Allah.  It is not permissible to name other than Allah, ar-Rahman.  Ar-Rahman means, 'Allah’s mercy accommodates the believer as well as the blasphemer in this world, and He is the One Who will be merciful to only the believers in the Hereafter.'  In confirming this meaning, Allah said in Surah al-’A^raf, 156: 

{وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ}.

         Ar-Rahim (الرَّحِيم) is the One Who is merciful to the believers.  In confirming this meaning, Allah said in Surah al-Ahzab, 43:

{وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا}.

            Ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim are both derived from the root word rahima (رَحِمَ).  According to the rules of forming derivations in Arabic, an additional letter in the structure of the word enhances its meaning.  The name ar-Rahman has an additional letter in its construction nun (ن) not present in the name ar-Rahim, and as such has a broader meaning. 

4.  {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ}              

          Malik (مَالِك) means 'Allah is the Owner of all His creations and the One Who manages the creations as He wills.'  Yawmid-Din (يَوْمِ الدِّين) is the Day of Judgment, i.e., the Day of Reward and/or Punishment.  Indeed, Allah is the Owner of this world and the Hereafter.  Allah specified that He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment to reflect the importance of that day on which intense horrors take place.

5.  {إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ}                    

            Allah is the only One Who deserves from one the extreme humbleness and ultimate submission.  He is the One to be asked for goodness and for perpetuity of guidance, because the hearts are controlled by Allah.  This ayah denotes that one seeks the special help from Allah, i.e., Allah is the One Who creates what is beneficial for His slave in his livelihood.  However, this ayah does not mean that it is forbidden to seek any kind of help from other than Allah.  This is confirmed by the hadith of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, narrated by at-Tirmidhiyy:

<<والله فى عون العبد ما كان العبد فى عون أخيه>>

This means:  <<Allah shall aid the slave as long as the slave indulges in aiding his fellow brother.>>

6.  {اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ}                 

          This ayah means:  [O Allah, be generous to us by bestowing upon us the continual guidance along the Path of Islam.]

7.       {صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّآلِّينَ} 

          This ayah elucidates that the Path (as-Sirat, الصراط) is the path of the Religion that Allah generously bestowed upon the prophets and the angels {صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ}, and is the path of those whose share is not eternal punishment {غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ} and the path of those who do not go astray {وَلا الضَّآلِّينَ}.

            The word, Amin, means ‘O Allah, grant us what we are asking’.  Saying Amin at the end of reciting the Fatihah is, by consensus, not part of the Qur’an.  Rather it is a recommended (sunnah) matter to do so.  Imam al-Bukhariyy and the authors of the books of Sunan narrated the hadith:

<<إذا قال الإمام غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضآلين فقولوا ءامين>>

This means:  <<If the imam says:  ghayril-maghdubi ^alayhim, waladdallin

{غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّآلِّينَ}, say,  'Amin.'>>