THE
MEANING OF AL-FATIHAH AND ITS VARIOUS NAMES
This Surah is called Al-Fatihah, that is, the Opener of the
Book, the Surah with which prayers are begun. It is also called, Umm Al-Kitab
(the Mother of the Book), according to the majority of the scholars. In an
authentic Hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, Abu Hurayrah
said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«
الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبَ الْعَالَمِينَ أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَأُمُّ الْكِتَابِ
وَالسَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ »
(Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin is the Mother of the Qur'an,
the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Qur'an.)
It is also called Al-Hamd and As-Salah, because the Prophet said
that his Lord said,
«
قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ
فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ
تَعَالَى حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي »
(`The prayer (i.e., Al-Fatihah) is divided into two halves
between Me and My servants.' When the servant says, `All praise is due to
Allah, the Lord of existence,' Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me.')
Al-Fatihah was called the Salah, because reciting it is a
condition for the correctness of Salah - the prayer. Al-Fatihah was also called
Ash-Shifa' (the Cure).
It is also called Ar-Ruqyah (remedy), since in the Sahih, there
is the narration of Abu Sa`id telling the story of the Companion who used
Al-Fatihah as a remedy for the tribal chief who was poisoned. Later, the
Messenger of Allah said to a Companion,
«
وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ »
(How did you know that it is a Ruqyah)
Al-Fatihah was revealed in Makkah as Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and Abu
Al-`Aliyah stated. Allah said,
﴿ وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰكَ سَبۡعً۬ا مِّنَ
ٱلۡمَثَانِى ﴾
(And indeed, We have
bestowed upon you the seven Mathani) (seven repeatedly recited verses), (i.e.
Surat Al-Fatihah) (15:87). Allah knows best.
