بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Al-Fātiḥah (Arabic: الْفَاتِحَة) is the first chapter (surah) of the Quran. Its seven verses (ayat) are a prayer for the guidance, lordship and mercy of God. It ishas an essential role in Islamic prayer (salat).Our prayer is invalid or not acceptable if we don’t recite in our Salah.
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
Greatest Surah of Quran (Umm ul-Quran): Importance of its greatness is described in Hadith
Prophet (SAW) said:
“Do you want me to teach you a Surah the like of which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Injeel, the Zabur, nor the Quran?”, and also asked what He recited in His prayers. He replied Umm-ul-Quran (Surah Fatiha) the Prophet (PBUH) proclaimed, ‘By Him in Whose dominion my soul is, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Quran and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses in the Mighty Quran which I have been given.” (Tirmidhi)
Light sent from heaven:
An Angel addressed the Prophet (SAW) saying,
“Do you want me to teach you a Surah the like of which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Injeel, the Zabur, nor the Quran?”, and also asked what He recited in His prayers. He replied Umm-ul-Quran (Surah Fatiha) the Prophet (PBUH) proclaimed, ‘By Him in Whose dominion my soul is, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Quran and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses in the Mighty Quran which I have been given.” (Tirmidhi)
Light sent from heaven:
An Angel addressed the Prophet (SAW) saying,
“Rejoice in two lights brought to you which have not been brought to any prophet before you, Al-Fatiha and the last verses of Al- Baqarah”.
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated:
“While Jibril 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 the Heavens being opened, 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 (Al Fatiha) and the last verses of ‘al-Baqarah.’ You will not read a letter of them except that you will gain its benefit.” (Sahih Muslim)
Umm al-Quran (Mother of the Quran)
Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book)
Sab’ul-Mathani (The Seven Oft Repeated Verses)
Al-Hamd (Praises to Allah)
As-Salah (The Prayer)
Ash-Shifa (The Cure)
Ar-Ruqyah (The Spiritual Cure)
Other scholars have also named it as
Al-Kanz (the Treasure)
Ash-Shukr (Gratitude)
Ad-Dua (Supplication)
Ash-Shafiyah ,(the sufficient)
Al-Kafiyah (the Sufficient)
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated:
“While Jibril 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 the Heavens being opened, 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 (Al Fatiha) and the last verses of ‘al-Baqarah.’ You will not read a letter of them except that you will gain its benefit.” (Sahih Muslim)
The popular names of this Surah are the following:
Al-Fatihah (The Opening) because it opens the Book Umm al-Quran (Mother of the Quran)
Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book)
Sab’ul-Mathani (The Seven Oft Repeated Verses)
Al-Hamd (Praises to Allah)
As-Salah (The Prayer)
Ash-Shifa (The Cure)
Ar-Ruqyah (The Spiritual Cure)
Other scholars have also named it as
Al-Kanz (the Treasure)
Ash-Shukr (Gratitude)
Ad-Dua (Supplication)
Ash-Shafiyah ,(the sufficient)
Al-Kafiyah (the Sufficient)
Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said:
“Allah, the Glorious and Exalted said, “I have divided the prayer between Myself and my servant equally and My servant shall be granted what he asked for.” Therefore, when the servant says, ‘All praises and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds’, Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ’The All-Merciful, the Most Merciful, ‘Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’ When he says, ‘You Alone we worship and Your aid Alone do we seek,’ Allah says, ‘this is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he requested.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favored, not [the path] of those who have earned [Your] anger, nor of those who have gone astray,’ Allah says, ‘this is for My servant and My servant shall have what he asked for.’ “(Muslim)