Al- Fatiha

1. Al-Fatiha ~*~ THE OPENING ~*~

3. PART - 1

4. Different Names • Umm-ul-Quran  (Mother of the Quran) • First chapter written in the Qur'anic texts • Recitation in prayer starts with it • Umm-ul-Kitab (Mother of the Book) • Sab'ul-Mathani (The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses) • They are frequently recited and recited in every rak'ah of prayer • al-Hamd (The Praise) • as-Salah (The Prayer) • ash-Shifa (The Cure) • ar-Ruqya (The Spiritual Cure) • Scorpion story

5. Interesting Facts • 7 Verses • 25 Words • 113 Letters QUESTION: How much Hasanat is in saying SuraFatiha in one day if you say all your Fard prayers?

6. Hasanat calculation • SurahFatiha recited 17 times in Fard Salah in 1 day • Hasanat per letter = 10 • # of Letters in Fatiha =113 • Hasanat in 1 recitation = 113 x 10 = 1130 • Hasanat in 17 recitations = 17 x 1130 = 19210 19210 Hasanat in reciting SurahFatiha in Fard prayers in 1 day!!!

7. hadith • Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla(RA) said that the Prophet once told him, ‘ “I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an before you leave the Masjid.” He held my hand and when he was about to leave the Masjid, I said, “O Messenger of Allah! You said: I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an.” He said, “Yes. Al-HamdulillahiRabbil-`Alamin; It is the seven repeated (verses) and the Glorious Qur'an that I was given.”’[al-Bukhari] • The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not recite Umm Al-Qur'an, his prayer is incomplete.”

8. Hadith(continued) • Ibn `Abbas said, “While Jibril (Gabriel) was with the Messenger of Allah , he heard a noise from above. Jibril lifted his sight to the sky and said, ‘This is a door in heaven being opened, and it has never been opened before now.’ An angel descended from that door and came to the Prophet (SAW) and said, ‘Receive the glad tidings of two lights that you have been given, which no other Prophet before you was given: the Opening of the Book and the last (three) Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will not read a letter of them, but will gain its benefit.’” [Muslim, Sunan an-Nisai] 

9. أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيمi seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan • أعوذ I take safety, guard myself and take precaution • شيطان formشطن (sha-ta-na) which means to be distanced • Shaytan is far removed from any good! Lessons: • We realize the power of Allah and our own weakness • We cannot fight Shaytan on our own, we need Allah's help to do so • We cannot see Shaytan but Shaytan can see us, so we take refuge with One who can see Shaytan and whom Shaytan cannot see “Indeed Shaytan is an open enemy to you so take him as an enemy.  He invites his followers only that they may become the people of the blazing Fire”[35:6]

10. Allah, the Exalted, said, “I have divided the prayer (Al-Fatihah) into two halves between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.” • If the servant says, الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ [All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of existence] Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ • When he says, الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ [The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful] Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

11. When he says, مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ [The Owner of the Day of Recompense] Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me,’ or ‘My servant has related all matters to Me.’ • When he says, إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ [You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help] Allah says, ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he sought.’

12. When he says, اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ - صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّآلِّينَ [Guide us to the straight path. The way of those on whom You have granted Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray] Allah says, ‘This is for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.’

13. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful • Meaning:I start with every name that belongs to Allah, the Exalted. • Allah:He is the Lord, the One who is worshipped. • Basmalah(reciting Bismillah): is recommended before starting any action or deed. Benefits of BasmAllah in General • It brings Allah to mind before one does the action. • It prevents one from doing evil actions. • It helps to get Allah's support in that action. • It reminds us of the purpose, the source of blessings for that action and its final destination.

14. (continued) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Benefits of BasmAllah from the Sunnah • Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Abu Tamimah: “I was riding behind the Prophet (SAW) when his mount stumbled and so I said, 'May Satan perish!' Upon hearing this the Prophet(SAW) said, "Do not say 'May Satan perish' for when you say this Satan becomes exultant and grows in stature and says, 'It was by my power that I injured him.'  But when you say, 'With the Name of Allah', he (Satan) becomes humiliated and grows small until he ends up the size of a fly."   • “Every important matter that is not begun with , ‘In the name of Allah' is deprived of good.”

15. (continued) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful • Al Qurtubi: • Ar-Rahman, which is exclusively for Allah, is a name that encompasses every type of mercy that Allah has. • Ar-Rahim is what effects the believers. • Allah is Ar-Rahman with all creation and Ar-Rahim with the believers. • It is as if we are saying:  I seek the help of Allah, with every Name of His, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful, in the particular action I am about to do.

16. الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَPraise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ • The statement of appreciation. • When the servant says Al-HamduLillah, Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ ~*~Hadith~*~ No servant is blessed by Allah and says,`Al-HamduLillah', except that what he was given is better than that which he has himself acquired.” [Tirmidhi] Importance of Alhamdulillah ~*~Hadith~*~ If the entire world along with its contents were to be in the hand of a man from my nation and then he were to say al-Hamdulillah, this statement would be better than (what his hand contained). • Al-Qurtubi: “Alhamdulillah' is better than the world because the world is soon to perish whereas the statement will endure for it is from  those righteous deeds that remain.”

17. (CONTINUED) الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَPraise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ  Rabb: • Master • Owner • One who grants grace • One who nurtures and cultivates • Only applied to Allah • One of the Names of Allah • The One who nurtures and sustains all of His servants through controlling the affairs and granting all types of favors and blessings.  ‘Alamin: • Different creations that exist in the heavens and the earth, on land and at sea • i.e, Mankind, Jinn, Angels and Satans • All that is in existence besides Allah

18. (CONTINUED) الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَPraise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds

19. SUMMARY OF VERSE 1 • When you say, “All praise and thanks are due to Allah”,  you are stating that Allah deserves to be praised: • Simply because He is Allah • Due to His Perfection and Beautiful Names • When you say:  “Lord of the worlds”, you are stating that Allah also deserves to be praised for: • His caring and sustaining us • The many blessings He has granted us • His governance of our affairs Islam is a universal religion and not to one race or nation!

20. الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِMost Gracious, Most Merciful • Al-Qurtubi: • “Allah has described Himself by ‘Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim’ after saying ‘the Lord of the Alamin’, so His statement here includes a warning, and then an encouragement. • Allah's sustaining and nurturing is not done because Allah is in need of creation, but because of His Mercy. • ar-Rahman shows Mercy to the merciful.  • Have mercy on those who are on earth and the One who is above the heaven will have mercy on you!

21. (CONTINUED)الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِMost Gracious, Most Merciful ~*~Hadith~*~ Whoever is merciful, even when it comes to slaughtering a bird, Allah will show him mercy on the Day of Judgement. [Bukhari] • This ayah emphasizes the mercy of Allah. Allah said: نَبِّىءْ عِبَادِى أَنِّى أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ - وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الاٌّلِيمُ Declare (O Muhammad ) unto My servants, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment. [15:49-50] • Rabb Warning • Ar-RahmanAr-Rahim Encourages

22. (CONTINUED)الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِMost Gracious, Most Merciful

23. مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِMaster of the Day of Judgement • Malik OWNER • On that Day, no one except Him will be able to claim ownership of anything whatsoever. • On that Day, no one will be allowed to speak without His permission. وَخَشَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ فَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمْساً And all voices will be humbled for the Most Gracious (Allah), and nothing shall you hear but the low voice of their footsteps. [20:108]

24. (CONTINUED) مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِMaster of the Day of Judgement • Yawm: a period of time • Ad-Din: the reckoning, the reward or punishment • Ibn ‘Abbas explanation of yawmi-d-din: • The Day on which the creations are judged - the Day of Resurrection  • He will recompense them for their actions; if they were good then it will be good, if they were bad then it will be bad except for that which He forgives for indeed the only order (on that Day) will be His order • This verse follows the verse of Allah's mercy as a reminder that Allah is also the Judge.  It establishes the existence of the final judgment. • Therefore, not only should we love Him for His nourishing and sustaining us and for His compassion and mercy to us, but we should also hold Him in awe knowing that our ultimate happiness or misery rests with Him Alone.

25. SO FAR… Five Names of Allah have been mentioned:  • Allah: Includes all His Names and Attributes • A-Rabb: His attributes of deed, His being Alone in bringing harm and benefit, His granting and preventing • Ar-Rahman: His kindness • Ar-Rahim: His gentleness • Al-Malik: His justice, His granting and withholding, His ruling, judging

26. PART - 2

27. إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُYou alone we worship and you alone we ask for help • ‘Ibadah implies: • Utmost love • Humility • Fear • 1st part of ayah  Declaration of innocence from Shirk (polytheism) • 2nd part of ayah  Negation of having any power or strength • Displaying recognition that all affairs are controlled by Allah alone • Type of speech changes from 3rd person to direct speech by using the ك in the statement Iyyaka(You). • Why? • Because after the servant praised and thanked Allah, he stands before Him, addressing Him directly.

28. (CONTINUED) إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُYou alone we worship and you alone we ask for help إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ • Ad-Dahhak narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, “You we worship” means, “It is You Whom we single out, Whom we fear and Whom we hope in, You alone, our Lord, and none else.” • Points out to the actualization of La ilahaillaAllah(there is none worthy of worship except for Allah) • La ialha: give up every single object of worship besides Allah in all actions of worship • IllaAllah: to single out the Lord of the heavens and the earth Alone for all matters of worship  • “Worship can only be considered to be true worship when the way of performing it is taken from the Messenger (SAW) seeking the pleasure of Allah only.”

29. (CONTINUED) إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُYou alone we worship and you alone we ask for help وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ • “And You we ask for help from”  To obey you and in all of our affairs ~*~Hadith~*~ Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you.  Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you.  If you ask, ask of Allah, if you seek help, seek help with Allah. • No one else has control over the affairs ~*~Hadith~*~ Each of you should ask his Lord to fulfill his need, even if it be his shoe-lace when it breaks. ~*~Quran~*~ If Allah afflicts you with harm, no one can remove it except Him.  If He desires good for you, no one can avert His favor [Yunus 10:107]

30. (CONTINUED) إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُYou alone we worship and you alone we ask for help

31. (CONTINUED) إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُYou alone we worship and you alone we ask for help Why does the verse state "we worship" when there is only one person reciting it? • Congregation is very important in Islam • One gets love, respect and brotherhood • Elders become known and are respected • The poor and needy become known and are respected and helped • The scholars become known and are asked • The ignorant become known and are taught ~*~Hadith~*~ There is not a Muslim who supplicates for his brother in his absence except that the Angels say:  ‘The same for you as well.’

32. اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَGuide us to the straight path • Guidance  being directed and guided to success • First we praise Allah, then express our servitude to Him and then we ask of Him • Hidayah = direction and guidance ~*~Quran~*~ As for the Thamud, We guided them but they preferred blindness over guidance.[41:17]

33. (CONTINUED) اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَGuide us to the straight path Supplication most likely to be answered:  • The last third of the night • At the time of the adhan • Between the adhan and iqamah • At the end of the prescribed prayers • From the time the Imam ascends the pulpit to the time the prayer has finished on the day of Jumu’ah • The last hour after Asr

34. (CONTINUED) اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَGuide us to the straight path • Another meaning of guidance: Sirat • Sirat = the bridge that one has to cross over on the Day of Judgment to go to Jannah • Our firmness on that bridge is dependent on how firm we were on the straight path in this life ~*~Hadith~*~ Allah has set an example: Sirat (straight path) is surrounded by two walls on both sides, with several open doors within the walls covered with curtains. There is a caller on the gate of the Sirat who heralds, ‘O people! Stay on the path and do not deviate from it.’ Meanwhile, a caller from above the path is also warning any person who wants to open any of these doors, ‘Woe unto you! Do not open it, for if you open it you will pass through.’

35. (CONTINUED) اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَGuide us to the straight path Explanation of the hadith:  • The straight path is Islam • The two walls are Allah's set limits • The open doors are the things that he has prohibited • The voice which calls from the end of the road is the Qur’an • The voice which calls from above is Allah's monitor in the heart of every believer

36. (CONTINUED) اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَGuide us to the straight path QUESTION: Allah has already guided the believer, so what benefit is there in seeking guidance? • Keep us firm in the guidance • We are in need of knowledge of what would benefit or harm us • Increase us in guidance • We are not considered to be guided unless we acts upon our knowledge • When we make this du’a, then help, provision and all the happiness that we need are granted The servant needs Allah the Exalted every hour of his life to help him remain firm on the path of guidance and to make him even more firm and persistent on it.

37. صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّآلِّينَThe way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (that) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray • Allah says, “This is for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asks for.” • Who are those who have Allah's Grace? • And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, the Prophets, the Siddiqin (the truly faithful), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! Such is the bounty from Allah, and Allah is sufficient to know [4:69-70]

38. صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace • The straight path is described for us by explaining those who goes over it and went over it in the past • Lesson 1 We have to be careful of the company we keep ~*~Hadith~*~ A man is upon the religion of this close friend, so look carefully as to who you take as your close friend.  A person will be with those he loves. • Lesson 2 We are comforted and no longer feel lonely; others are passing through and have passed through this road

39. (CONTINUED) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace • Lesson 3 Anamtaalaihim: You have favoured.  We remind ourselves that it is Allah who has blessed him with guidance and it is Allah who should be thanked for this blessing ~*~Qur’an~*~  Remember Me- I will remember You.  Give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful. [al-Baqarah 2: 152]

40. (CONTINUED) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace • Lesson 4 We are asking to be in the company of the best of creation ~*~Hadith~*~ Paradise has one hundred levels, the distance between each level is as the distance between heaven and earth.  Firdaws is the highest level of Paradise and from it sprout its four rivers and above it is the Throne.  So when you ask, ask for Firdaws.  [Tirmidhi]  • Lesson 5 Guidance cannot occur unless Allah favours us and this cannot happen unless we stick to what our Prophet (SAW) has taught us

41. غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّآلِّينَnot (that) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray • Ghadab Anger • Dalal Opposite of guidance; to leave the true path ~*~Hadith~*~ Adi bin Hatim narrated, “I asked the Messenger of Allah(SAW) about Allah's saying about, ‘those who have earned (your) anger’, and he said, ‘It refers to the Jews.’ I then asked about, ‘those who have gone astray’ and he said, ‘The Christians are those who have gone astray.’” • Jews knew the truth, rejected it and came to falsehood on purpose • The Christians were ignorant, not knowing the truth Lessons: • We should study history • Disease of the heart happens due to 2 reasons: • Corruption of knowledge • Corruption of intent • These 2 lead to  misguidance and anger

42. آمينameen: o Allah respond to our du’a ~*~Hadith~*~ Abu Zuhayr said:  We left with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) one night and we came upon a person who was persistently and actively supplicating for something.  The Prophet (SAW) stood listening to him.  Then the Prophet (SAW) said, “it will definitely be answered if he completes it.”  A man from amongst the people asked, ‘With what should he complete it?’ He replied, “By saying Ameen for if he completes it by saying Ameen it will definitely be answered.”

43. What does SurahFatiha teach us? • To praise and glorify Allah by mentioning His Beautiful and Perfect Names • That He is Merciful and Just • There is a Day of Judgment and our deeds will be judged • It encourages us to do good deeds and to stay away from bad deeds • We should ask Him Alone and trust in Him • We should ask Him continuously for guidance • It points us towards the nations of the past and warns us against doing the same bad deeds they did • It encourages us to reach the company of the truthful and righteous

44. Fatiha is a du’a & the Qur’an is the Response!

45. “It is He who created me and it is He who guides me.  It is He who feeds me and gives me to drink.  When I am ill it is He who cures me.  It is He who will cause me to die and then bring me back to life.  I hope that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment.” [26: 77-82]

46. WHAT DID I DO TODAY?

47. BEAUTIFUL RECITATION

48. SIDE NOTE

49. QUESTIONS?