In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
Translation:
- All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
- The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
- The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
- You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
- Guide us to the Straight Way
- The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).
This Surah is called – Al-Fatihah, that is, the Opener of the Book, the Surah with which prayers are begun. It is also called, Umm Al-Kitab (the Mother of the Book), according to the majority of the scholars.
In an authentic Hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبَ الْعَالَمِينَ أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَأُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَالسَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ
Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin is the Mother of the Qur’an, the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Qur’an.
It is also called Al-Hamd and As-Salah, because the Prophet said that his Lord said,
قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ،
فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ:الْحَمْدُدِلله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، قَالَ اللهُ: حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي
The prayer (i.e., Al-Fatihah) is divided into two halves between Me and My servants.
When the servant says, `All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of existence,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.
Al-Fatihah was called the Salah, because reciting it is a condition for the correctness of Salah – the prayer.
Al-Fatihah is also called Ash-Shifa‘ (the Cure).
The Reason it is called Umm Al-Kitab
“It is called Umm Al-Kitab, because the Qur’an starts with it and because the prayer is started by reciting it.”
It was also said that it is called Umm Al-Kitab, because it contains the meanings of the entire Qur’an.
Ibn Jarir said,
“The Arabs call every comprehensive matter that contains several specific areas an Umm. For instance, they call the skin that surrounds the brain, Umm Ar-Ra’s. They also call the flag that gathers the ranks of the army an Umm.”
He also said,
“Makkah was called Umm Al-Quran, (the Mother of the Villages) because it is the grandest and the leader of all villages.
It was also said that the earth was made starting from Makkah.”
Further, Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated about Umm Al-Qur’an that the Prophet said,
هِيَ أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَهِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَهِيَ الْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ
It is Umm Al-Qur’an, the seven repeated (verses) and the Glorious Qur’an.
Also, Abu Jafar, Muhammad bin Jarir At-Tabari recorded Abu Hurayrah saying that the Messenger of Allah said about Al-Fatihah,
هِيَ أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَهِيَ فَاتِحَةُ الْكِتَابِ وَهِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي
It is Umm Al-Qur’an, Al-Fatihah of the Book (the Opener of the Qur’an) and the seven repeated (verses).