Surah Al-Fatiha is one of the most profound Surah's of the Quran. It is the opening Surah of the Quran; the Surah without which Salah is invalid. This is a quick presentation that will detail all the gems that are hidden in this amazing Surah.

1. Surah Al-Fatihah:
An Introduction
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the presentation….

2.  Al Fatihah means The ‘opening’
[of Quraan]
 This is a Makki Surah – revealed
before the Hijrah
 It is one of the most important
surahs in Quraan
 It was the first complete Surah
revealed
 ‘Salah’ (prayer) is invalid without
it!
Let’s look at each of the seven ayas of Surah Fatiha to
get a basic understanding of their meaning.

3. Ayah #1: Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
With the name of Allah, the Al-Rahmaan, the Al-Raheem
 Al-Rahmaan & Al-Raheem: both are derived from the same root: Rahima -
which relates to Mercy. However each is a different characteristic of Allah's
Rehma
 Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of
Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "Allah has divided mercy into one hundred
parts; and He retained with Him ninety-nine parts, and sent down to earth
one part. Through this one part creatures deal with one another with
compassion, so much so that an animal lifts its hoof over its young lest it
should hurt it". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
 Rahmaan: refers to His Mercy in full force... like one huge tidal wave crashing
against the shore
 Raheem: refers to the continuity of His Mercy... like the calm waves on a calm
shore.

4. Ayah #2: Al Hamdu lillāhi Rabbi l-‘Alamīn
All Hamd is due to Allah, Rabb of All the Worlds
 Hamd - The word hamd, is inclusive of both praise and thanks (shukr)
 You praise something amazing, but it might not be of any benefit to
you, e.g. a beautiful rose or sunset
 you give thanks for something, which was beneficial to you or was helpful
to you
 So we praise and give thanks to Allah, not only because of His amazing
creation, but because of how much benefit His creation is to us...
 Rabb - Rabb is usually translated as Lord... but there is much more to this
word.
 In Arabic the word Rabb - when it refers to Allah - means not only Lord, but
the one who creates something and then slowly takes care of its every little
need throughout its entire existence.
 So Allah is the Rabb of this entire Universe: He is in full control of
everything and takes care of His creation's every single need... nothing
occurs without His leave.

5. Ayah # 3: Ar-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
Most Beneficent, Most Merciful
 Al-Rahmaan & Al-Raheem: both are derived from the same root:
Rahima, which relates to Mercy. However each is a different characteristic
of Allah's Rehma
 Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of
Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "Allah has divided mercy into one hundred
parts; and He retained with Him ninety-nine parts, and sent down to earth
one part. Through this one part creatures deal with one another with
compassion, so much so that an animal lifts its hoof over its young lest it
should hurt it". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
 Rahmaan: refers to His Mercy in full force... like one huge tidal wave
crashing against the shore
 Raheem: refers to the continuity of His Mercy... like the calm waves on a
calm shore.

6. Ayah #4: Māliki Yawmid-Dīn
Owner of the Day of Recompense
 Al Deen: The word 'Deen' has several different meanings in the Qur'an
including: Law, System, Recompense - Here the meaning is the Day of
Recompense. The Day when each soul will be requited what it earned in this
life.
 Allah is the only authority on the day of recompense: Although we know
that Allah is the owner and master of all things, in this life Allah has given some
people some level of authority and control. However, on that day it will be very
clear that no one is in authority except Allah. No one has any power other than
Rabb-ul-’Aalameen

7. Ayah #5: Iyyāka na'budu wa iyyāka nasta'īn
You do we worship and You do we ask for help
 This ayah could also have been written as "na'buduka wa nasta'eenuka" - but iyyaka
na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’een gives even more emphasis: Only You do we worship... and
Only You do we ask for Help.
 In this life even though we consciously say that Allah is the one who has power over all ...
sub-consciously we still look to others in our time of need, e.g. when we are sick we think
only the doctor can heal us
 Our 'Aqeedah must always be that a person can only help me if Allah permits it. He
cannot do anything for me if Allah does not let him do it.
 This verse should completely eliminate the concept of going to ‘saints’ and asking them
to do things for us which only Allah can do... e.g. making du'aa to dead saints if a woman
can't have children, etc.
 Often times, only when all else fails do we think 'Ok, maybe we can also try praying to
Allah since nothing else is working'... This ayah should set us straight

8. Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm (ayah #6)
Guide us on the straight path
 We always need guidance from Allah: there is never a point in our lives that we should
feel that we don't need Allah to guide us...
 There are several ways of giving guidance to someone:
1. Via gestures: go this way and that way
2. To draw them a map...
3. To hold their hand and actually take them step by step to their destination
No. 3 is what we should be asking from Allah: to take our hand and take us to Paradise
and not to leave our hand anywhere in between
 This is why Allah says about the people in Paradise that their praise will be:
Alhamdulillahilladhi hadaanaa li hadha wa maa kunna linahtadia low laa an hadaana Allah
‘All praise is due to the one who guided us to this, and we could not have guided ourselves if
Allah had not guided us’

9. Ayah #7: Ṣirāṭ al-laḏīna an'amta 'alayhim
ġayril maġḍūbi 'alayhim walāḍ ḍāllīn
The path of those on whom you have bestowed your favor. Not the path of those who
have earned your anger... nor of those who are astray
 Who are those upon who Allah has bestowed his favor??
Allah tells us in Surah An-Nisa:
“All who obey Allah and the Messenger (SAW) are in the company of those on
whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of
Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a
beautiful fellowship! “ (Al Nisa 69)
Continued… (Next slide)

10.  Who has earned the anger of Allah?
The one who has been shown the proofs of Allah and he/she rejects it...
Out of arrogance or jealousy, or whatever.. not only once but again and
again. According to a hadith in Tirmidhi.. this specifically refers to the
Jews
 Who are those who went astray?
This refers to specifically to the Christians - because in their love of 'Eesa
(AS) they began doing things that have nothing to do with'Eesa.. Their
priests began doing strange things like not marrying because they feel
that this is not something pious...
 BUT! Both of the above can apply to us as well.. how many of us reject
the ahadith or Qur'an out of arrogance? How many of us begin new
innovations in Islam out of extreme love for someone or something?
e.g. some people love a pious scholar so much that they began taking
his grave as a place of worship...

11. Oh Allah! help us understand this beautiful surah and
help us to really implement its meanings within our
lives…
Ameen!