Surah Al Fatiha - AskIslamPedia - Online Islamic Encyclopedia

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SURAH AL-FATIHA

Surah Al Fatiha is the first Surah of the Qur’an which contains seven aayaath.

Table of Contents
English Name Other names of Surah Al Fatiha Surah Number Place of Revelation Number of Aayaath Virtues Translation of the complete Surah References

English Name

The Opening

Other names of Surah Fatiha

Ummul Qur’an
Ummul Kitab
As- Salah
Ash-Shifa
Ar-Ruqya
Al-Hamd

Surah Number

Surah Fatiha is the first Surah of the Glorious Qur’an.

Place of Revelation

Surah Fatiha was revealed in Makkah and Madina.

Number of Aayaath

There are 7 aayaath in Surah Fatiha.

Virtues

Narrated Abu Sa'îd bin Al-Mu'alla: While I was praying in the mosque, Allâh's Messenger [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] called me but I did not respond to him. Later I said, "O Allâh's Messenger, I was praying." He said, "Didn't Allâh say, 'Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and His Messenger when he [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] calls you.' " (Qur’an.Surah anfaal 8:24). He then said to me, "I will teach you a Sûrah which is the greatest Sûrah in the Qur'ân, before you leave the mosque." Then he got hold of my hand, and when he intended to leave (the mosque), I said to him, "Didn't you say to me, 'I will teach you a Sûrah which is the greatest Sûrah in the Qur'ân.'?" He said, "Al-Hamdu lillâhi Rabbil-'âlamîn [i.e. all praise and thanks are Allâh's, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)], Sûrat Al-Fâtihah which is As-Sab' Al-Mathâni (i.e. the seven repeatedly recited Verses) and the Grand Qur'ân which has been given to me." [Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol 6:528 (5006 NE)

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: While we were on one of our journeys, we dismounted at a place where a slave girl came and said, "The chief of this tribe has been stung by a scorpion and our men are not present; is there anybody among you who can treat him (by reciting something)?" Then one of our men went along with her though we did not think that he knew any such treatment. But he treated the chief by reciting something, and the sick man recovered whereupon he gave him thirty sheep and gave us milk to drink (as a reward). When he returned, we asked our friend, "Did you know how to treat with the recitation of something?" He said, "No, but I treated him only with the recitation of the Mother of the Book (i.e., Al-Fatiha)." We said, "Do not say anything (about it) till we reach or ask the Prophet (S) so when we reached Medina, we mentioned that to the Prophet (S) (in order to know whether the sheep which we had taken were lawful to take or not). The Prophet (S) said, "How did he come to know that it (Al-Fatiha) could be used for treatment? Distribute your reward and assign for me one share thereof as well." Sahih Al-Bukhâri,, 1/756 (5007 NE)

Narrated 'Ubâdah bin As-Sâmit [radhi-yAllâhu 'anhu]: Allâh's Messenger [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] said, "Whoever does not recite Sûrat Al-Fâtihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid." [Sahih Al-Bukhâri,, 1/756 (O.P.723)] ^[1]

Ibn `Abbas(R) said, "While Jibril (Gabriel) was with the Messenger of Allah , he heard a noise from above. Jibril lifted his sight to the sky and said, This is a door in heaven being open, and it has never been opened before now.' An angel descended from that door and came to the Prophet and said, `Receive the glad tidings of two lights that you have been given, which no other Prophet before you was given:

- the Opening of the Book and

- the last (three) Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah.

Allah said in Qur’an: (And indeed, We have bestowed upon you the seven Mathani) (seven repeatedly recited verses), (i.e. Surat Al-Fatihah) (Qur’an.Surah Hijr15:87). ^[2]

Surah Al Fatiha is also used as Ruqyah for healing and treatment. [Sahih Muslim Book 26, Hadith 5458 and Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 529] ^[3]