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Names

This surah has several names, of which the following were soundly narrated
The Opening of the Book (Fatihat Al-Kitab). [1] Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 1/105; Tafsir Al-Qasimi, 1/223.
It was narrated from ?Ubadah ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah).? [2] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 756; Muslim, 394.
The Essence of the Book (Umm Al-Kitab) [3] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 1/105.
It was narrated that ?A?ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the two rak?ahs before Fajr prayer so brief that I would say: Has he recited the Essence of the Book in them? [4] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1165; Muslim, 724 ? his version says ?Has he recited the Essence of the Qur?an??
The Essence of the Qur?an (Umm Al-Qur?an) [5] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 1/105.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?The Essence of the Qur?an is the seven oft-recited verses and the Glorious Qur?an.? [6] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 4704.
It was narrated that Abu Sa?id ibn Al-Mu?alla (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by me when I was praying, and he called me, but I did not come to him until I had finished praying, then I came. He said: ?What prevented you from coming?? I said: I was praying. He said: ?Didn?t Allah say, O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life Al-Anfal 8:24? ?Then he said:? Shall I not inform you of the greatest surah in the Qur?an before I leave the mosque? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to leave the mosque, so I reminded him and he said: All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. It is the seven oft-recited verses and the Glorious Qur?an that I have been given. [7] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 4703.
The Seven Oft-recited Verses [8] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 1/106, 107; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/101; Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 1/135.
We have quoted above the hadiths of Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa?id ibn Al-Mu?alla which confirm this name. [9] Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says: And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], the seven oft-recited verses and the glorious Qur?an [Al-Hijr 15:87]. What is meant by the seven oft-recited verses is Al-Fatihah. Al-Wahidi and Ash-Shawkani attributed this view to most of the commentators (mufassirin). See: Al-Wahidi: Al-Wasit, 3/51; Tafsir Ash-Shawkani, 3/170.
The Glorious Qur?an [10] See: Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, 1/112.
We have quoted above the hadiths of Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa?id ibn Al-Mu?alla which confirm this name.
The prayer (As-Salah) [11] Sharh An-Nawawi ?ala Muslim, 4/103.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said: ?Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says: I have divided the prayer in two halves between Me and My slave, and My slave will have that which he asks for. When the slave says, Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-?Alamin (All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds), Allah says, ?My slave has praised Me.? When he says, Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim (The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), Allah says, ?My slave has extolled Me.? When he says, Maliki yawm il-din (Sovereign of the Day of Recompense), Allah says, ?My slave has glorified Me? ? and one occasion he said: ?My slave has entrusted his affairs to Me.? When he says, Iyaka na?budu wa iyyaka nasta?in (It is You we worship and You we ask for help, Allah says, ?This is between Me and My slave, and My slave will have what he asked for.? When he says, Ihdina?s-sirat Al-mustaqim sirat alladhina an?amta ?alayhim, ghayr il-maghdubi ?alayhim wa la?d-dallin (Guide us to the straight path, The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked Your anger or of those who are astray), Allah says, ?This is for My slave and My slave will have what he asked for.?? [12] Narrated by Muslim, 395.

Virtues and characteristics

Surat Al-Fatihah has tremendous virtues and characteristics, including the following:
It is light, and no prophet ever received it before our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):
It was narrated that Ibn ?Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said: Whilst Jibril was sitting with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he heard a creaking sound [13] A creaking sound: a sound like that made by a gate or door when it is opened. See: An-Nawawi: Sharh Muslim, 6/91. from above him. He raised his head and said: This is a door in heaven that has been opened today, and it has never been opened before today. An angel came down from it and he said: This is an angel who has come down to earth, and he has never come down before today. He greeted him with salaam and said: Glad tidings of two lights that have been granted to you and were not granted to any prophet before you: the Opening of the Book and the closing verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will never recite one letter of them but you will be given it. [14] ?but you will be given it?: that is, you will be given a reward for what you recite, or you will be given what you ask Allah, the Most Generous, for of your needs in this world and the hereafter. See: Al-Madhhari: Al-Mafatih fi Sharh Al-Masabih, 3/77. Ibn ?Uthaymin said: ?No one of this ummah recites these two passages [Al-Fatihah and end of Al-Baqarah], believing [in them], but Allah will grant him what is asked for in them. In Surat Al-Fatihah, it says: Guide us to the straight path, The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says to His slave when he recites these verses in the prayer: ?This is for My slave and My slave will have what he asked for.? At the end of Surat Al-Baqarah, it says: Allah does not place on any soul a burden greater than it can bear. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. ?Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people? [Al-Baqarah 2:286]. These are seven phrases of supplication, and no believer offers supplication using these phrases and believing in them with certainty, but Allah will respond to him. This is a unique characteristic and great blessing.? Sharh Riyadh As-Salihin, 4/703. ? [15] Narrated by Muslim, 806. ?
By reciting these verses, a conversation takes place during the prayer between a person and his Lord.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: ?Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says: I have divided the prayer in two halves between Me and My slave, and My slave will have that which he asks for. When the slave says, Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-?Alamin (All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds), Allah says, ?My slave has praised Me.? When he says, Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim (The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), Allah says, ?My slave has extolled Me.? When he says, Maliki yawm id-din (Sovereign of the Day of Recompense), Allah says, ?My slave has glorified Me? ? and one occasion he said: ?My slave has entrusted his affairs to Me.? When he says, Iyaka na?budu wa iyyaka nasta?in (It is You we worship and You we ask for help, Allah says, ?This is between Me and My slave, and My slave will have what he asked for.? When he says, Ihdina?s-sirat Al-mustaqim sirat alladhina an?amta ?alayhim, ghayr il-maghdubi ?alayhim wa la?d-dallin (Guide us to the straight path, The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked Your anger or of those who are astray), Allah says, ?This is for My slave and My slave will have what he asked for.?? [16] Narrated by Muslim, 395.

There is no prayer for the one who does not recite it:
It was narrated from ?Ubadah ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?There is no prayer [17] That is, no valid prayer. See: Al-Qadi ?Iyad: Mashariq Al-Anwar ?ala Sihah Al-Athar, 1/366; Ibn Al-Qayyim: As-Salah, p. 76. for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book.? [18] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 756; Muslim, 394.

It is a ruqyah that heals, by Allah?s leave:
It was narrated that Abu Sa?id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey and travelled until they halted in (the land of) one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to welcome them. The chief of this tribe was stung by a scorpion and they tried everything but nothing helped him. Some of them said: Why don?t you go to those people who are halting (near us)? Maybe you will find something with them. So they went to them and said: O people, our chief has been stung by a scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of you do anything? One of them said: Yes, by Allah, I do ruqyah (incantation), but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not welcome us, so I will not do ruqyah for you until you give us something in return. They agreed upon a flock of sheep, then he went and spat drily and recited over him Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-?alamin Surat Al-Fatihah. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a rope and started walking, and there were no signs of sickness [19] No sign of sickness: that is, no sign of pain and the like. See: Ibn Al-Athir: An-Nihayah, 4/98. on him, and they gave them what they agreed to give. One of them said: Let us share it out, but the one who had done ruqyah said: Do not share them out until we go to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and see what he tells us to do. So they went to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?How did you know that it (Al-Fatihah) is a ruqyah?? Then he said: ?You have done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share too.? And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) smiled. [20] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 2276; Muslim, 2201.

Makki or Madani?

[21] Ibn Kathir said: Makki refers to that which was revealed before the Hijrah and Madani refers to that which was revealed after the Hijrah, whether it was revealed in Madinah or any other place, even if it was revealed in Makkah or ?Arafah. There are some surahs which the scholars unanimously agreed are Makki and others that they agreed are Madani, and others regarding which they differed. Some of them wanted to set out guidelines in order to give a definitive answer, but that proved to be very difficult. Fada?il Al-Qur?an, p. 37. See also: Az-Zarkashi: Al-Burhan fi ?Ulum Al-Qur?an, 1/187; As-Suyuti: Al-Itqan fi ?Ulum Al-Qur?an, 1/37.
Surat Al-Fatihah is Makki. [22] This is the view of the majority of scholars. See: Abu ?Amr Ad-Dani: Al-Bayan fi ?Addi Ayi Al-Qur?an, p. 139; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/101; Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 1/135.
The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says:
And We have certainly given you, O Muhammad, the seven oft-recited verses and the Glorious Qur?an Al-Hijr 15:87.
It was narrated from Abu Sa?id ibn Al-Mu?alla (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?? It is the seven oft-recited verses and the Glorious Qur?an that I have been given. [23] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 4703.
This verse which mentions the seven oft-recited verses is Makki according to scholarly consensus, and it was narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the seven oft-recited verses are Surat Al-Fatihah, from which we conclude that Surat Al-Fatihah must be Makki. [24] See: Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, 1/115; Ibn Taymiyah: Majmu? Al-Fatawa, 17/190; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/101 and 4/547.
Other evidence for this surah being Makki includes the fact that the prayer cannot be valid without this surah. The prayer was prescribed in Makkah, that is, before the Hijrah. [25] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Atiyyah, 1/65.

Objectives

The most important objectives of Surat Al-Fatihah include:
Defining the only One Who is to be worshipped, may He be blessed and exalted.
Showing the path of servitude, or how to be a true slave of Allah.
Explaining categories of people in relation to that path. [26] See: Ibn Al-Qayyim: Madarij As-Salikin, 1/31.

Topics

The most significant topics addressed in Surat Al-Fatihah include:
The attributes of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted,.
The Last Day.
That Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, alone is to be worshipped, which includes asking Him alone for help and calling upon Him alone.
Defining the straight path, the path of those who are guided.
Avoiding the path of those who are misguided, namely those who have evoked Allah?s anger and those who are astray.

The reason why the Qur?an begins with Surat Al-Fatihah:
Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, begins His Holy Book with this surah because it sums up the objectives of the Qur?an and because it sums up in brief what the Qur?an explain in detail. The entire Qur?an explains in detail what this surah mentions in brief. Thus it is a brilliant Introduction of Sura, because in relation to the other surahs of the Qur?an it is like a beautiful Introduction of Sura to a speech or a book. [27] See: Al-Ghurnati: Al-Burhan fi Tanasub Suwar Al-Qur?an, p. 187; As-Suyuti: Tanasuq Ad-Durar fi Tanasub As-Suwar, p. 49, 51); Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 1/135.

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