الفاتحة
Al-Fatihah
The Opening
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbil 'aalameen
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ar-Rahmaanir-Raheem
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
Maaliki Yawmid-Deen
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
Iyyaaka na'budu wa lyyaaka nasta'een
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem
Guide us to the straight path.
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Siraatal-lazeena an'amta 'alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi 'alaihim wa lad-daaalleen
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
About This Surah
Al-Fatiha establishes the relationship between the servant and Allah. It teaches us how to praise Allah, seek His help, and ask for guidance to the straight path.
Al-Fatiha was revealed in Makkah and is one of the earliest surahs. It is called 'The Opening' because it opens the Quran. It is also known as 'Umm al-Quran' (Mother of the Quran), 'Al-Hamd' (The Praise), 'As-Salah' (The Prayer), and 'Ash-Shifa' (The Cure).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, Allah has not revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Quran a Surah like Al-Fatiha. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Grand Quran which has been given to me.' (Tirmidhi). No prayer is valid without reciting it.
- Praise and glorification of Allah
- Allah's attributes of mercy
- Seeking guidance to the straight path
- Distinguishing between those who earn Allah's favor and those who earn His wrath