Treasures of the Qur'an

Surah al-Fatihah to Surah al-Mai'dah

Abdur Rashid Siddiqui, Khurram Murad

• Publisher: The Islamic Foundation
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9780860376620
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

A clear and simple commentary upon five pivotal parts of the Qur'an. With explanatory notes and key words described.

The first group of Surahs ( al-Fatihah, al-Baqarah, al 'Imran, al-Nisa' and al-Ma'idah ) are introduced and examined in this volume, with the author looking at their structure and major themes. The central theme of which is conferring the status of Muslim ummah on the believers, to which a new code of life was given to be followed to be better humans.

About the Authors

Abdur Rashid Siddiqui is the author of many works on the Qur'an, including Qur'anic Keywords: A Reference Guide and 100 Minutes with the Qur'an.

Khurram Murad (1932-1996) was the director general of The Islamic Foundation, United Kingdom, and authored many books, including In the Early Hours.

SŪRAH AL FĀTIḤAH: UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC CONCEPTS

10. Introduction

Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is the first sūrah of the Qur’ān. Its name, al-Fātiḥah, means The Opening, indicating that it is the beginning of the Qur’ān. However, it is also known by many other names mentioned in aḥadīth such as Umm al-Qur’ān (the essence of the Qur’ān), al-Shifā’ (the Healing), al-Kāfiyah (the self-sufficient) and al-Muwāfiyah (encompassing the essential teachings) as well as al-Sab‘ al-Mathānī (the Seven most Repeated verses). The last name is mentioned in the Qur’ān, highlighting the fact that it is recited at least thirty-two times daily in five obligatory Prayers. This introduction of the Qur’ān encompasses all three essential beliefs: Tawḥīd (Oneness of God), Risālah (Prophethood) and Ākhirah (Hereafter). Thus in this sense it is the embodiment of all essential teachings of the Qur’ān.

11. Excellence of al-Fātiḥah

There are many aḥadīth about the virtues and excellence of this sūrah. It is narrated in Sunan al-Tirmidhī:

By the One in Whose Hand is my life that such a sūrah has not been revealed in the Tawrāt or the Injīl or the Zabūr. This is composed of seven oft-repeated verses and the Exalted Qur’ān revealed to me.

Another Ḥadīth related in Saḥīḥ Muslim says that when a person asks for the prayer mentioned in this sūrah, Allah grants him that guidance. It is narrated by Ibn Abbās that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed by an angel: ‘May two lights be blessed to you, which were not given to any prophet before you’. This is Fātiḥah al-Kitāb and the last two verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah – whatever part you recite will be bestowed upon you. (Muslim) It is narrated in Sahīh al-Bukhārī that no prayer can be complete without recitation of al-Fātiḥah.

This is the first complete sūrah to be revealed. The earlier revelations before this were a few verses of Sūrah al-‘Alaq (96: 1–5), which is pertaining to the imparting of knowledge (‘ilm), and five opening verses of Sūrah al-Muddaththir, which are regarding the preparation to undertake the burden of Prophethood. In the same period al-Fātiḥah was revealed to explain the essence of the entire dīn.

12. The central theme of al-Fātiḥah

It is the expression of the thankfulness of human beings to their Creator. It is natural that when one experiences the immense bounties being bestowed on oneself and when one sees the balance and harmony in the Universe, then one instinctively approaches the Creator in thanking and praising Him with gratitude and seeking His help and guidance. Thus al-Fātiḥah is the verbal outpouring of a grateful person.

Sūrah al-Fātiḥah starts with praise of and gratitude to Allah, then submission before Him in worship and obedience and seeking only His help. Thus it is an oath of obedience which one makes with one’s Sustainer, followed by an essential Prayer which covers all one’s needs. This Prayer is the essence of all Islamic knowledge. Praise and gratitude towards Allah is the core of Tawḥīd. Belief in punishment and reward on the Day of Judgement is the acknowledgement that one is accountable for one’s deeds. The seeking of guidance implies receiving this through Allah’s Messengers and thus expressing the desire to follow the righteous people and shun the path of those who were disgraced and went astray.

13. The structure of al-Fātiḥah

It is actually a prayer, the one that Allah teaches to all who embark upon the study of His Book. Its placement at the beginning of the Qur’ān signifies that anyone who wants to benefit from the Book should first offer this prayer to the Lord of the Universe. In response, the whole Qur’ān is presented as a Book of Guidance.

• The first four verses contain five names and attributes (al-asmā’ al-ḥusnā – the most beautiful names) of Allah. It is the adab (etiquette) of du‘ā to start with the praise and adoration of the Benefactor. Thus one starts with acknowledging Allah’s Rububīyah (His being the Sustainer, Nourisher and Protector of creation).

• Verse five indicates that as one is worshipping only Him and seeking His help then one expects that one’s prayer will be answered.

• Verse six is the actual prayer – the seeking of guidance, and this is the central theme of the sūrah.

• Verse seven is the explanation outlining both the positive and negative aspects – thus seeking the path of righteousness followed by the prophets, truthful ones, martyrs and the pious (al-Nisā’ 4:69); not the path of those who incur wrath or go astray.

14. The excellence of Bismillāh

This verse is the treasure house of knowledge. Its importance can be gauged by the fact that is repeated at the beginning of each sūrah with the exception of sūrah nine (al-Tawbah). It also occurs in Sūrah al-Naml (27: 30) as a quotation from the letter which the Prophet Sulaymān wrote to the Queen of Sabā’ and which started with bismillāh. Thus it is the usual practice to start all formal discourses and documents with this verse. Its importance is mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: ‘Any significant act that does not begin with bismillāh is severed.’ This means it is cut off from Allah’s blessing.

We can see from the Qur’ān the expression bismillāh has been part of all earlier scriptures. When the Prophet Noah was embarking upon the Ark he told his companions: ‘Embark in it. In the name of Allah is its sailing and its anchorage.’ (Hūd 11: 41) Thus it is part of Islamic etiquette to pronounce bismillāh when ‘one rises and sleeps, eats and drinks, enters and exits, speaks and listens, explores and learns, makes contracts and transactions, marries and enjoys marital relations.’ (Ahmad Zaki Hammad: The Gracious Qur’ān, vol. 2, p. 111) Thus at each juncture throughout the day one constantly remembers one’s Creator and His Mercy, thus pledging one’s loyalty to Him. In this way one acknowledges that nothing can be achieved without Allah’s help and permission. If one were to recite bismillāh sincerely, then one hopes one will not be doing anything which incurs Allah’s displeasure, as bismillāh indicates one is doing the work with good intention and praying for Allah’s help.

15. The relationship of Bismillāh with Sūrah al-Fātiḥah

There is some difference of opinion among the ‘ulamā’ as to whether bismillāh forms a part of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah or, like all other sūrahs, only indicates their beginning. According to Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, bismillāh is not part of any sūrah except when it occurs in Sūrah al-Naml. Hence the followers of Ḥanafī fiqh do not recite bismillāh in loud voices during prayers when reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, which indicates that it is not a part of the sūrah. According to Mawlānā Ḥamīd al-Dīn Farāhī, bismillāh is one of the verses of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah and is the Fātiḥah (The Opening) of all other sūrahs. As the Qur’ān is safeguarded by Allah, inserting bismillāh before all sūrahs must be by the command of Allah, and as the Companions did not find bismillāh at the beginning of Sūrah al-Tawbah, they did not add it in the Muṣḥaf.¹ However, many other fuqahā’ maintain that bismillāh is not part of any sūrah but is a separate āyah and is at the beginning of each sūrah as a barakah and as a mark of separation between the sūrahs.

16. Al-Fātiḥah: A dialogue between man and Allah

One should realize that when Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is recited in Prayer it is not a monologue, as Allah responds to us as we recite the Qur’ān. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted has said: ‘I have divided the Prayer between Myself and my servant in two halves.’

When my servant says: ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the entire Universe’, Allah replies: ‘My servant has praised Me.’

When the servant says: ‘The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate’, Allah responds: ‘My servant has extolled Me.’

When the servant says: ‘The Master of the Day of Judgement’, Allah says: ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

When the servant says: ‘You alone do we worship and You alone do we turn to for help’, Allah says; ‘This is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he asked for.’

When the servant says: ‘Direct us on to the straight path, the path of those whom You have favoured, who did not incur Your wrath, who are not astray’, Allah replies: ‘All these ar...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Transliteration Table
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• THE QUR’ĀN: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
• SŪRAH AL FĀTIḤAH: UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC CONCEPTS
• SŪRAH AL-BAQARAH: MISSION OF THE UMMAH
• SŪRAH Āl ‘IMRĀN: RESURGENCE OF THE UMMAH
• SŪRAH AL-NISĀ’: FRAMEWORK FOR A JUST SOCIETY
• SŪRAH AL-MĀ’IDAH: ESTABLISHMENT OF A JUST AND GOD-CONSCIOUS SOCIETY
• Bibliography