(Source: Virtues of Surahs and Verses by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amritsari)
Surah Al-Fatihah consists of 113 letters, 25 words, and 7 verses. It is recited in every rak‘ah of Salah and is regarded as the foundation of the Qur’an. It is also known by several names such as Umm al-Qur’an (The Mother of the Qur’an), Al-Hamdulillah, Umm al-Kitab (The Mother of the Book), As-Sab‘ al-Mathani (The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses), and Al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (The Glorious Qur’an).
The phrase بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) is an independent verse of this Surah.
Arabic Text:
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى رضي الله عنه قَالَ:
كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَدَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمْ أُجِبْهُ...
فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 4474)
Translation:
I was offering prayer in the mosque when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me. I did not respond. Later I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I was praying.” He ﷺ said, “Did Allah not say: ‘Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life’ (Al-Anfal: 24)?”
Then he said, “Before you leave the mosque, I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an.” When he was about to leave, I reminded him, and he said, “It is Surah Al-Fatihah — it is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given.”
Arabic Text:
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِأَفْضَلِ الْقُرْآنِ؟ فَتَلَا عَلَيْهِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
(Fada’il al-Qur’an an-Nasa’i, 35 – Isnad Sahih)
Translation:
During a journey, the Prophet ﷺ camped at a place, and a man camped beside him. The Prophet ﷺ turned to him and said, “Shall I inform you of the best Surah of the Qur’an?” Then he recited Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin (Surah Al-Fatihah).
Imam Ibn Hibban declared it authentic (Sahih No. 774), and Imam al-Hakim also graded it Sahih according to the conditions of Imam Muslim.
Arabic Text:
النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِأُبَيٍّ:
أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ أُعَلِّمَكَ سُورَةً لَمْ يُنْزَلْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَلَا فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَلَا فِي الزَّبُورِ وَلَا فِي الْفُرْقَانِ مِثْلُهَا؟
... فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُعْطِيتُهُ.
(Musnad Ahmad, 2/357, Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2875 – Hasan Sahih)
Translation:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Ubayy bin Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه):
"Would you like me to teach you a Surah which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Qur’an (besides this one)?"
He said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “What do you recite in your prayer?” He recited Surah Al-Fatihah.
The Prophet ﷺ then said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Qur’an. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given.”
Arabic Text:
كُلُّ صَلَاةٍ لَا يُقْرَأُ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ...
فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ:
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ...
(Sahih Muslim, 395)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Any prayer in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited is incomplete, incomplete, incomplete.”
Then he ﷺ added: “I heard Allah, the Exalted, say: I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he asks for…”
When the servant says, ‘Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’
When he says, ‘Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’
When he says, ‘Maliki Yawmid-Din,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’
When he says, ‘Iyyaka na‘budu wa iyyaka nasta‘in,’ Allah says, ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’
Arabic Text:
بَيْنَا جِبْرِيلُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَمِعَ نَقِيضًا مِنْ فَوْقِهِ...
فَقَالَ: أَبْشِرْ بِنُورَيْنِ أُوتِيتَهُمَا لَمْ يُؤْتَهُمَا نَبِيٌّ قَبْلَكَ: فَاتِحَةُ الْكِتَابِ، وَخَوَاتِيمُ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ...
(Sahih Muslim, 806)
Translation:
While Jibril (Gabriel) was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, he heard a sound from above. He said: “This is a gate in the heaven that has been opened today; it has never been opened before.”
Then an angel descended and said: “Rejoice with two lights that have been given to you, which no Prophet before you was given — Surah Al-Fatihah and the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a single letter from them except that you will be granted what you ask for.”
(Sahih Muslim, 395)
Arabic Text:
فَرَقَاهُ فَبَرَأَ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِثَلَاثِينَ شَاةً، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
وَمَا كَانَ يَدْرِيهِ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ؟ اقْسِمُوا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 5007; Sahih Muslim, 2201)
Translation:
During a journey, a girl came and said: “The chief of our tribe has been stung, and our healers are away. Is there anyone among you who can perform Ruqyah (healing recitation)?”
A man went with her and recited Surah Al-Fatihah, and the chief was cured. In return, he was given thirty sheep.
When they returned, they asked the Prophet ﷺ about it. He ﷺ said: “How did he know that Al-Fatihah is a Ruqyah (a healing)? Distribute the sheep and keep my share as well.”
The Prophet ﷺ said during a journey:
“Shall I tell you about the most virtuous Surah of the Qur’an?”
Then he recited: Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin (Surah Al-Fatihah).
(As-Sunan as-Saghir al-Bayhaqi, 953 – Isnad Sahih)
Surah Al-Fatihah holds a unique and unparalleled position in the Qur’an and in Islam.
It is:
Indeed, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared:
"It is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 4474)
◈ Introduction
Surah Al-Fatihah consists of 113 letters, 25 words, and 7 verses. It is recited in every rak‘ah of Salah and is regarded as the foundation of the Qur’an. It is also known by several names such as Umm al-Qur’an (The Mother of the Qur’an), Al-Hamdulillah, Umm al-Kitab (The Mother of the Book), As-Sab‘ al-Mathani (The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses), and Al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (The Glorious Qur’an).
The phrase بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) is an independent verse of this Surah.
① Hadith of Abu Sa‘id bin al-Mu‘alla (رضي الله عنه)
Arabic Text:
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى رضي الله عنه قَالَ:
كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَدَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمْ أُجِبْهُ...
فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 4474)
Translation:
I was offering prayer in the mosque when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me. I did not respond. Later I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I was praying.” He ﷺ said, “Did Allah not say: ‘Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life’ (Al-Anfal: 24)?”
Then he said, “Before you leave the mosque, I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an.” When he was about to leave, I reminded him, and he said, “It is Surah Al-Fatihah — it is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given.”
② Hadith of Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه)
Arabic Text:
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِأَفْضَلِ الْقُرْآنِ؟ فَتَلَا عَلَيْهِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
(Fada’il al-Qur’an an-Nasa’i, 35 – Isnad Sahih)
Translation:
During a journey, the Prophet ﷺ camped at a place, and a man camped beside him. The Prophet ﷺ turned to him and said, “Shall I inform you of the best Surah of the Qur’an?” Then he recited Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin (Surah Al-Fatihah).
Imam Ibn Hibban declared it authentic (Sahih No. 774), and Imam al-Hakim also graded it Sahih according to the conditions of Imam Muslim.
③ Hadith of Ubayy bin Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه)
Arabic Text:
النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِأُبَيٍّ:
أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ أُعَلِّمَكَ سُورَةً لَمْ يُنْزَلْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَلَا فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَلَا فِي الزَّبُورِ وَلَا فِي الْفُرْقَانِ مِثْلُهَا؟
... فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُعْطِيتُهُ.
(Musnad Ahmad, 2/357, Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2875 – Hasan Sahih)
Translation:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Ubayy bin Ka‘b (رضي الله عنه):
"Would you like me to teach you a Surah which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Qur’an (besides this one)?"
He said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “What do you recite in your prayer?” He recited Surah Al-Fatihah.
The Prophet ﷺ then said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Qur’an. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given.”
④ Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه)
Arabic Text:
كُلُّ صَلَاةٍ لَا يُقْرَأُ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ...
فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ:
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ...
(Sahih Muslim, 395)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Any prayer in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited is incomplete, incomplete, incomplete.”
Then he ﷺ added: “I heard Allah, the Exalted, say: I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he asks for…”
When the servant says, ‘Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’
When he says, ‘Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’
When he says, ‘Maliki Yawmid-Din,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’
When he says, ‘Iyyaka na‘budu wa iyyaka nasta‘in,’ Allah says, ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’
⑤ Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنهما)
Arabic Text:
بَيْنَا جِبْرِيلُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَمِعَ نَقِيضًا مِنْ فَوْقِهِ...
فَقَالَ: أَبْشِرْ بِنُورَيْنِ أُوتِيتَهُمَا لَمْ يُؤْتَهُمَا نَبِيٌّ قَبْلَكَ: فَاتِحَةُ الْكِتَابِ، وَخَوَاتِيمُ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ...
(Sahih Muslim, 806)
Translation:
While Jibril (Gabriel) was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, he heard a sound from above. He said: “This is a gate in the heaven that has been opened today; it has never been opened before.”
Then an angel descended and said: “Rejoice with two lights that have been given to you, which no Prophet before you was given — Surah Al-Fatihah and the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a single letter from them except that you will be granted what you ask for.”
⑥ Surah Al-Fatihah is also called “As-Salah” (The Prayer)
(Sahih Muslim, 395)
⑦ Hadith of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه)
Arabic Text:
فَرَقَاهُ فَبَرَأَ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِثَلَاثِينَ شَاةً، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
وَمَا كَانَ يَدْرِيهِ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ؟ اقْسِمُوا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 5007; Sahih Muslim, 2201)
Translation:
During a journey, a girl came and said: “The chief of our tribe has been stung, and our healers are away. Is there anyone among you who can perform Ruqyah (healing recitation)?”
A man went with her and recited Surah Al-Fatihah, and the chief was cured. In return, he was given thirty sheep.
When they returned, they asked the Prophet ﷺ about it. He ﷺ said: “How did he know that Al-Fatihah is a Ruqyah (a healing)? Distribute the sheep and keep my share as well.”
⑧ Repetition of the Virtue (Hadith of Anas bin Malik)
The Prophet ﷺ said during a journey:
“Shall I tell you about the most virtuous Surah of the Qur’an?”
Then he recited: Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin (Surah Al-Fatihah).
(As-Sunan as-Saghir al-Bayhaqi, 953 – Isnad Sahih)
✿ Conclusion
Surah Al-Fatihah holds a unique and unparalleled position in the Qur’an and in Islam.
It is:
- The foundation of the Qur’an.
- The most virtuous Surah revealed to any Prophet.
- The essence of prayer (Salah).
- A means of healing (Ruqyah).
- A divine dialogue between Allah and His servant.
Indeed, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared:
"It is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I have been given."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 4474)
