This article gives a brief summary of the verses of Surah Fatiha and is reffered to in Arabic as Hidatatul-Ayaat [Guidance of the verses]. Undoubtedly, the Quran is a book of guidance in all aspects of our life. These series of articles named Quranic Guidance, elucidates on this subject and brings pearls from which we all can benefit from.
Verses 1-3
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ[1] ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ [2] مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ [3]
Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. the Master of the Day of Requital.
في هذه الآيات الثلاث من الهداية ما يلي:
١- أن الله تعالى يحب الحمد فلذا حمد تعالى نفسه وأمر عباده به.
أن المدح يكون لمقتضٍ. وإلا فهو باطل وزور فالله تعالى لما حمد نفسه ذكر مقتضى الحمد وهو كونه ربّ العالمين والرحمن الرحيم ومالك يوم الدين.
From the guidance of these three verses is as follows:
- Allah loves praise, therefore he has praised himself and commanded his servants to praise him.
Praise must have a reason behind it otherwise it is false and futile.
[Notes] The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “There is none having a greater sense of Ghira [honour, prestige or self-respect] than Allah. And for that He has forbidden the doing of evil actions (illegal intercourse etc.) There is none who likes to be praised more than Allah does.” [Sahih Bukhari: 5220]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “None loves one’s own praise more than Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, does. It is because of this that He has praised Himself, and none is more self-respecting than Allah and it is because of this that He has prohibited abominable acts and there is none who is more anxious to accept the apologies of the people than Allah Himself and it is because of this that He has revealed the Book and sent the Messengers.” [Sahih Muslim: 2760]
When Almighty Allah praised himself he mentioned the reasons for the praise, which are that he is:
- Lord of the Universe
- Most Merciful, all-Merciful
- Owner of the Day Of Judgment
Verse 4
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help.
من هداية هذه الآية ما يلي
١- آداب الدعاء[1] حيث يقدم السائل بين يدى دعائه حمد الله والثناء عليه وتمجيده. وزادت السنة الصلاة على النبيّ ﷺ، ثم يسأل حاجته فإنه يستجاب[2] له
٢- أن لا يعبد غير ربه. وأن لا يستعين إلاّ هو سبحانه وتعالى.
From the guidance of this verse is as follows:
- The etiquettes of Dua is that the person supplicating [to Allah] starts one’s Dua with praising Allah and glorifying him. The Sunnah [teaches us to] add Durood [salutations] upon our beloved Prophet ﷺ, before asking for one’s needs. Indeed one’s supplication will then be accepted.
- That a person doesn’t worship anyone besides his lord [Allah]. Also one should not seek assistance from anyone except him [Allah].
[Notes] – Fadalah bin ‘Ubaid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard some one supplicating after his prayer without praising Allah and without supplicating Allah for the Prophet (ﷺ). With regard to him, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “This man rushed.” Then he called him and said, “When any one of you have performed Salat (prayer) and wants to supplicate, let him praise Allah first then glorify Him in the beginning and then he should supplicate Allah for me. Then he may supplicate for whatever he likes.” [Nasa’i:1284, Abu Dawud:1481 and At-Tirmidhi: 3477]
[Notes] Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported the Prophet as saying, “Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful or which involves breaking ties of relationship will be given for it by God one of three things:
He will give him a speedy answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil.” Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that God was more ready to answer than they were to ask. [Musnad Imam Ahmad]
Verses 5-6
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ [5] صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ [6]
Take us on the straight path. the path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace.
من هداية هذه الآية ما يلي:
١- الترغيب في دعاء الله والتضرع إليه وفي الحديث الدعاء[1] هو العبادة.
٢- الاعتراف بالنعمة.
٢- طلب حسن القدوة.
From the guidance of this verse:
- Encouragement in supplicating to Allah and turning towards him in humility. It has been mentioned in a Hadith that Dua is worship.
- Acknowledgement of blessings [from Allah].
- Seeking good role models.
[Notes] – Narrated Nu’maan Ibn Baseer [Allah bless him] that The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Surely Supplication is worship’. [Abu Dawud: 1479, Tirmidhi: 2969, Ibn Majah: 3828]
Verse 7
غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.
من هداية الآية:
الترغيب في سلوك سبيل الصالحين: والترهيب من سلوك سبيل الغاوين.
[تنبيه أول]: كلمة آمين ليست من الفاتحة: ويستحب أن يقولها الإمام إذا قرأ الفاتحة يمد بها صوته ويقولها المأموم، والمنفرد كذلك لقول الرسول ﷺ إذا أمن الإمام فأمنوا. أي قولوا آمين بمعنى اللهم استجب دعاءنا، ويستحب الجهر بها[1]، لحديث ابن ماجة: «كان النبي ﷺ إذا قال: غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين قال آمين حتى يسمعها أهل الصف الأول فيرتج بها المسجد». [تنبيه ثان]: قراءة الفاتحة واجبة في كل ركعة من الصلاة، أمّا المنفرد والإمام فلا خلاف في ذلك، وأمّا المأموم فإن الجمهور من الفقهاء على أنه يسن له قراءتها في السريِّة دون الجهرية لحديث: «من كان له إمام فقراءة الإمام له قراءة».
From the guidance of this verse:
- Encouragement in following the path of the righteous, and a warning from following the path of those who have gone astray [from the correct path].
[Notes] – It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When the Imam says Amin, say Amin, for if a person’s Amin coincides with the Amin of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.‘” [Sahih Bukhari: 780]
Important Notes:
- The word ‘Ameen’ is not from Surah Fatiha, though it is recommended for the Imam to say it when he finishes reciting the Surah. He should elonginate it with his voice.
The munfarid [one who prays on his own and not in congregation] should also do the same, as The Noble Messenger [Allah bless him] said: ‘When the Imam says Amin, say Amin’. This [hadith] means to say Amin in the meaning of ‘O Allah’ accept our Dua’. It is recommended to say it an audible voice*; due to the hadith of Ibn Majah: When The Noble Messenger [Allah bless him] said: ‘غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين’, he said ‘Amin’, until the first row heard it and the masjid was shaken by it’.
- The recitation of Surah Fatiha is Wajib in every Rakah [unit] of Salah, regardless of whether one is a munfarid [one who prays on his own and not in congregation] or an Imam [one who leads the congregation].
As for the ones that are ‘Ma’moom’ [being led by the Imam], then according to the majority of the Fuqaha** [experts in jurisprudence] he should recite it quietly in the quiet prayers [Zuhr and Asr] and not [recite it] in the loud prayers [Fajr, Maghrib and Esha]. This is based upon the hadith: ‘Who has an Imam then the recitation of the Imam is for him’.
* There is a scholarly difference on this matter. According to the madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa, the amin should be recited softly.
** There is also a scholarly difference on this matter. According to the Madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa, a ma’moom should not recite Surah Fatihah whether the prayer is silent or loud.
