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One of the aims of the Surah

To achieve pure servitude to God Almighty.

Interpretation

Surah Al-Fatihah is named so because the Book of God begins with it, and it is called the Mother of the Qur’an because it encompasses its themes; such as the Oneness of God, worship, and other matters. It is the greatest Surah in the Qur’an, and it is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses.

( In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful ) (1)

In the name of God, I begin reciting the Quran, seeking His help and blessing through the mention of His name. The Basmala (the opening phrase of the Quran, “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”) includes three of God’s Most Beautiful Names: 1- “Allah,” meaning the One truly worthy of worship. This is the most specific of God’s names, and none other than Him is called by it. 2- “Ar-Rahman,” meaning the Possessor of vast mercy. He is the Most Gracious in His very essence. 3- “Ar-Rahim,” meaning the Possessor of all-encompassing mercy. He bestows His mercy upon whomever He wills of His creation, including the believers among His servants.

( Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. ) (2)

All praise and all kinds of praise are attributes of majesty and perfection belonging to Allah alone, without any other than Him, for He is the Lord of all things, their Creator and Manager, and the worlds are the plural of world, and they are all that is other than Allah Almighty.

( The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful ) (3)

Praise of God Almighty after praising Him in the previous verse.

( Master of the Day of Judgment ) (4)

Glorification of God Almighty as the Master of all that will be on the Day of Resurrection, when no soul will have any power over another. The Day of Judgment is the Day of Recompense and Reckoning.

( You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help ) (5)

We dedicate all forms of worship and obedience to You alone, associating none with You. From You alone we seek help in all our affairs, for all goodness is in Your hands, and there is no helper besides You.

( Guide us to the straight path. ) (6)

Show us the straight path, lead us along it, keep us steadfast upon it, and increase us in guidance. The straight path is the clear path that has no crookedness, and it is Islam.

May God bless and grant peace to the one through whom God sent Muhammad.

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

The path of those whom You have favored from among Your servants by guiding them, such as the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions. Not the path of those who have evoked [Your] anger, who knew the truth but did not follow it, such as the Jews, and not the path of those who are astray from the truth, who were not guided to it because of their negligence in seeking the truth and being guided to it, such as the Christians.

Benefits of Page 1

God Almighty began His Book with the Basmala (In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) to guide His servants to begin their actions and words with it, seeking His help and guidance.

It is the practice of God’s righteous servants in supplication to begin by glorifying and praising God, then proceeding with the request.

Warning Muslims against falling short in seeking the truth, like the misguided Christians, or failing to act upon the truth they know, like the Jews upon whom God’s wrath fell.

The Surah indicates that the perfection of faith lies in sincerely worshipping God Almighty and seeking help from Him alone, without any other.