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Surah Fatiha: Why It’s the Most Important surah in Quran?

Surah Fatiha is the first surah in Quran and Muslims start their prayers by reciting it.

And it has been called several names collected by Imam Suyuti in his book “Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Qur’an,” including the grand Quran, surah Hamd, and the complete surah. Also, it consists of seven verses and has been revealed in Macca.

In this article, you’ll know the benefits of this surah and why it’s important in the Quran. keep reading to know the meaning of the verses of this surah.

Surah Fatiha full

Surah Fatiha in English

This is the surah Fatiha translation (from sahih international)

“بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم”

(1) In the name of Allāh,[2] the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

“الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ”

(2) [All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds

“الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(3) The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

“مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ”

(4) Sovereign of the Day of Recompense

“إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ”

(5) It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

“اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ”

(6) Guide us to the straight path –

“صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ”

(7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.

Surah Fatiha English Transliteration

Verses in ArabicTransliteration
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِBismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen
 الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِAr-Rahmaanir-Raheem
 مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِMaaliki Yawmid-Deen
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُIyyaaka na’budu wa lyyaaka nasta’een
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَIhdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem
 صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَSiraatal-lazeena an’amta ‘alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi ‘alaihim wa lad-daaalleen

Surah Fatiha Benefits

This surah has excellent importance in Quran. We slightly mention some of the benefits of reading it.

It Achieves Communication Between Believers and Allah

Al fatha is a dialogue between the believers as people pray and talk to Allah while Allah responds to his servants back

In a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, God’s Messenger declared that God most high had said, “I have divided the prayer into two halves between my servant and me, and my servant will receive what he asks.” When the servant says, “Praise be to God the Lord of the universe,” God most high says, “My servant has praised Me.” When he says, “The Compassionate the Merciful,” God most high says, “My servant has lauded Me.”

When he says, “Possessor of the day of judgment,” He says, “My servant has glorified Me.” When he says, “Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help,” He says, “This is between my servant and me, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Then when he says, “Guide us on the straight path, ” He says. “This is for my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Muslim transmitted it.

It’s Dua for The Straight Road

In Faiha, you always pray to Allah to direct you to the straight road, saying Guide us to the straight path –

Imam Jaafar ibn Jarir said that the straight path is evident with no deviation or twists.

Sheik Al Islam said that surah Fatiha included the best dua. When Allah guides his servant to the straight path, he helps him obey him and avoid his prohibitions, so he becomes fortified against all evils in this life and hereafter. And he feels prosperous and blissful.

Asking for Help from Allah

Like asking Allah to guide you, you ask Allah for help, saying you are we worship and ask help…

In a hadith of Prophet Mohammed reported by Abd Allah ibn Abbas, He said: ” Iyyaaka na’budu wa lyyaaka nasta’een means it’s only you who we worship, fear, and wish, and we’ve no one to ask but you. While You, we ask for help means we ask you to aid us to obey you willingly, and we ask your help in all of our life’s affairs.

Read also: Life After Death: Islamic View to The Afterlife That Will Melt Your Heart.

It’s a Cure for Diseases

Al Fatiha is a cure for the diseases of the soul and body. For it’s a cure for the soul, said ibn al Qayyim:

Asking Allah to guide us to the straight path is a healer against being astray while saying It is You we worship, and You who we ask for help is a cure for the heart’s disease.

Also, Surah al Fatiha is a medicine for the body’s disease, and this hadith confirms this fact.

“Abu Sa’id Khudri reported that some Companions of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) set out on a journey, and they happened to pass by a tribe from the tribes of Arabia. They asked for hospitality from the members of that tribe, but they did not extend any hospitality to them. They said to them:

Is there any incantator amongst you, as the chief of the tribe was stung by a scorpion? A person amongst us said: ‘Yes. So he came to him, and he said Sura al-Fatiha while healing the patient, and he became all right. The chief tribe offers to give him a flock of sheep (as a git ), but he refuses: I shall inform that to the prophet (ﷺ), and if he approves of it. then I shall accept it ” (Sahih Muslim)

It’s the First Surah in The Holy Quran

It’s the first and greatest surah in Quran. As Prophet Mohammed said

Abu Sa’id Ar-Rafi’ bin Al-Mu’alla (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Shall I teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before you leave the mosque?” Then he (ﷺ) took me by the hand, and when we were about to step out, I reminded him of his promise to teach me the greatest Surah in the Qur’an. So he (ﷺ) said, “It is ‘Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin (i.e., Surat Al-Fatihah) which is As-Sab’ Al-Mathani (i.e., the seven oft-repeated Ayat) and the Great Qur’an which is given to me.” [Al-Bukhari].

And there is no verse or surahs better than in all the religious messages as said in another hadith.

 “Nothing like it has been sent down in the Torah, the Injīl, the Zabūr, or the Qur’ān, and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses and the mighty Qur’ān (Qur’ān, 15:87) which I have been given.” (Tirmidhī transmitted it

Surah al Fatiha includes all the meanings of the Quran, relating to monotheism, so it’s called the mother of the Quran and the origin of all surahs, and that’s why Muslims recite it in every prayer.

Its Recitation Is a Pillar of Prayer

Reciting surah al Fatiha is required (wajib), and prayer isn’t validated without it. As prophet Mohammed said

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.”

So, we say al Fatiha in each prayer and each rakaa which equals 17 times every day.

Read also:

Surah Fatiha Meaning

Verse 1:
Surah Fatiha 1

The opener verse in the sura, This bismillah, included three of God’s beautiful names: 1 – (Allah); That is, the one who is truly worshiped, and it is the best name of God that’s specific to him. 2) Ar-Rahman: means the one with wide mercy. 3 – (Al Raheem); as Allah’s mercy prevails all people, they are the believers of His servants.

verse 2:
Surah Fatiha 2

After busmilah, we praise all for his blessings, as he’s the creator of everything who estimates all provisions.

verse 3:
Surah Fatiha 3

Those two names for Allah. Alrahman means he has vast mercy he gives for all creatures, while raḥeem indicates specifically that mercy Allah dedicates to his faithful servants.

Verse 4:

Surah Fatiha 4

This is glorification for Allah as he is the owner of everything and the judge on the resurrection day when people come out of their graves to see their deeds and be judged.

We devote all of our prayers and deeds to you, and it’s only you who we seek in every step of our life since you choose the best for us, and we trust your wisdom.

verse 5 إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين

Surah Fatiha 5

We worship you alone, and we seek help from you alone in all our affairs, for the whole matter is in your hands, and no one can intervene without your permisssion. And in this verse there is evidence that the servant is not permitted to derlievr any type of worship such as supplication, prayer, and asking forgiveness except for God alone, and it detach the heart from any affection except for God, the honor of majesty and the lord of all creatures.

Verse 6: 

Surah Fatiha 6

Guide us to the straight path, and make us firm on it until we meet you. The straight path here is Islam, which is the clear roaf that leads to God’s pleasure and to His Heaven, and it’s the massage of His Messengers and Prophets, Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him

Verse 7:

Surah Fatiha 7

This path you showed for the people you blessed of prophets and truthful believers, not those you’re furious with, for they know the straight path but do not follow it or those who have been strayed away.

What Did the Prophet of Islam Say About Surah Al Fatiha?

Surah al Fatiha is one of the great surahs Allah described it saying to his prophet.
We have certainly granted you the seven often-repeated verses and the great Quran.
and those seven verses refer to surah al Fatiha…But what did prophet Mohammed say about this surah?
In one hadith, Jabril told prophet Mohammed about two lights no prophet has been given before.
These (lights) are: Fatihah-til-Kitab (Surat Al-Fatihah), and the concluding Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a word from them without being given the blessings it contains.”[Muslim].

Read also: Surah Nasr: Meaning, Tafseer & Commentary

How Many Verses Are in Surah Fatiha?

Muslim scholars unanimously said surah Fatiha is composed of seven verses, and no one disputed this opinion except three; among them is Al Hasan Al Basri, who said they’re eight verses, and Amr ibn Abeed and al Hussein al gafy, who said it’s only six verses.

How Many Rakat in Surah Fatiha?

Surah Fatiha is read in every prayer, and since Muslims pray 17 rakaa each day, they recite it 17 times.

How Many Words Are in Surah Al Fatiha?

It consists of 29 words or 119 letters

Conclusion

Surah Fatiha is the greatest surah in Quran Allah ordered us to recite it in each salah, and it’s called the heart of the Quran.

It’s a dua for Allah to cling us to the right path and praise him for all the blessings we’re bestowed by us. It’s a cure for the body’s diseases and a healer for the soul’s maladies.

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Surah Fatiha: Why It's the Most Important surah in Quran? - Hafizon Academy
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