The Spiritual Cure: An Explanation to Surah Al-Fatihah

Dar As-Sunnah Publishing

Surah al- Fatiha is the greatest chapter in the Quran, its like is not found in the rest of the Quran or in the previous scriptures. It is a light that was granted to Prophet Muhammad ( sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) which had not been granted to any other Prophet or Messenger before him: indeed some of our predecessors stated that when this chapter was revealed, Shaytan let out a great cry of lament. It holds a central position in the daily prayer and hence the daily life of a Muslim.

The underlying theme of al-Fatiha is one of contemplation and serenity; pondering the Names and Attributes of Allah, pondering the creation, and acknowledging that He Alone deserves praise and worship, that He Alone should be asked for help, that He Alone should be feared and hoped in, that He Alone should be invoked, that there is indeed a Day of Judgement, and that guidance has come to us and we are required to follow it. It calls us to carefully scrutinise our relationship with our Lord: are we living according to the dictates of�ê’_�ê’_’_’_’_none has the right to be worshipped save of Allah’_’_Ύ – or not? This opening chapter, despite its brevity, calls man to fulfil the rights of Tawhid, the right that Allah has over us to worship Him Alone without any partners, in thirty places. This chapter summarises succinctly the message of the whole Qur’_’_Ύan.

Owing to the importance of this chapter, this commentary has been collated. It is a summary of numerous classical commentaries of the Qur’_’_Ύan, moreover a number of words dealing with Ulum Al-Qur’_’_Ύan were also referred to.

Exegesis of a fathomless ocean such as the Book of Allah can never be complete and it is a study that one undertakes throughout the course of his life. This commentary is but a tiny portion of the material available in exegesis to this chapter, much has been omitted, much has been summarised, but it should go some way in giving the reader a glimpse at the depth of meaning found therein and at the extent of the efforts of our scholars, may Allah have mercy upon them all, in understanding the momentous of task of explaining the Qur’_’_Ύan.