بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Translator and commentator: Abu Hena Muhammad Rafique
The Holy Qur’an
SOORATU AL- FAATIHAH( MAKKIYYAH)
Chapter no.1
This is the first Soorah (chapter) of the Qur’aan. Al-Faatiha-meaning “the key”
It is revealed within the first three years of the revelation of the Qur’aan, after the first five isolated verses of Sooratu Al- ‘Alaque and first five verses of Al-Muzzammil , that were revealed consecutively
By order of Allaah (as saying; “ Whenever you read The Qur’aan then seek help of Allaah by saying:’ A ‘yoozu billaahi Minash shaitaanir rajeem( I seek shelter in Allaah from the cursed devil)
1) Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem (In the name of Allaah, the Beneficent the Merciful)
2) All praises are for Allaah, Lord of the worlds
3) The Beneficent, the Merciful (benefit Giver to all people; indiscriminately to His obedient and disobedient servants and especially for the obedient ones)
4) Master of the Day of Judgement
5) Only You we obey ( in all affairs of life) and only You we ask for help( to enable us to always obey You, as we are the whole time servants, obey You willingly or unwillingly, because through Bai ‘yat (“sale”) in the hand of the prophet , to Allaah , we have sold out our life and property in response to His declaration of purchase.
In case of man-master no right is given to anybody to ask the master and the slave sitting and eating together or having same honour and same social status ( though they are creation of the same species and having same organs and limbs; and natural needs).
The Merciful Creator (Allaah) has used this word (‘abd) for His dearest creation with some important purpose what we should perceive. We all know and feel that the Infinite Power has no need of His Own. All the injunctions and regulation, sent through His messengers had always been for the purpose (security, safety and peace of man) As acquainting man with His identity He said: “It is He Who has created for you, whatever is in the earth, all in all (including the unseen Jinn.) 2:29—Al-Baqarah.
NB. Verse no. 5-’Iyyaka =only you- (O Allaah) na ‘budu= we do ‘ibbadt .; ‘abd meaning slave and the work of ‘abd is ‘ibadat. ‘Abd=a slave, bought from open market like the cattle (as practiced in old times) or found as a booty when prisoners of war were being distributed among the participants of war (not mercenary army). They would be used as lifelong helpless servants of the owner +master. They had to work till death or would be sold out;, except if freed by any generous master. Man-master; needs service of his own.; seldom shows mercy, or if does, can show mercy in a limited way. But Allaah’s mercy is unlimited. ,He designated His concluding messenger as “mercy for the universe” He Himself made His Rasool merciful for His creations and designed him accordingly. Throughout his sixty three years’ life, by the grace of Almighty Allaah the Rasool demonstrated his mercy through wars and peace-time practices. Thus, according to Allah’s saying: “Didn’t I take covenant from you, o children of AADAM that you will not do ‘ibadat (unconditional and whole time obedience) to the shaitan and his accomplices,(who are acting in the role of shaitan). Rather do (you all) ‘ibadat (whole time obedience to Me only. This is the right path( Ya-Seen 36: 6o-61). “ So, whoever will deny the Tagoot (shaitan and his accomplices) and believe in Allaah (to be Possessor of all authority); only then he will surely be holding the strong loop which will never have any breakage” 2:256. So, undoubtedly EEMAAN is, in its true perspective,, possible when Tagoot (rebel or rebels, denying supremacy of Allaah SWT) is denied. This had always been the teaching of Rasoolullaah SM. throughout the twenty three years of his prophet-hood. The Tagoot (shaitan and his accomplices are determined to derail Allah’s obedient servants from the right path. Shaitan , just on getting the license from Allaah to be getting the chance to live on earth up to the day of resurrection, ,challenged Allaah SWT that he would misguide man and make him disobedient to Allaah SWT. while being ousted from His court . So, in the teeth of the devil’s disdainful design, in every Salat, through this Soorah we are taught to pledge our obedience to Allaah SWT and seek His help.
But in the wake of the devil’s perpetrated instigations and different temptations always carrying out Allaah’s all commands and refraining from all His prohibitions are not possible without His help. So, He has taught us to seek His help by saying: “wa ‘iyyaka nasta ‘yeen(and only You we ask for help).
6) Show us the straight path .
7) Path of those whom you have blessed (as having been proved by their consequence of life) Not (the path of those) upon whom your curse has fallen. And nor of those who have gone astray (as their end of life becomes miserable and cursed by common people).
Reference : As the first complete revealed soorah and as by the saying of the prophet (sm), that “no SALAT, except sooratul Fatiha, is valid”, it is clear that this soorah was first revealed after first five isolated verses of sooratul ‘Alaq and five verses of sooratul Muddassir, that were revealed consecutively to meet the dire need of the time. It is also clear that the teaching of SALAT by Jibreel, at certain interval of the above mentioned two sets of verses, was initiated by sooratul Faatihah, as the first complete Soorah(chapter) and thus it is proved that it is the earliest Makkan complete soorah.. Later on,(in Madinna) when the Qur’aan was being compiled and serial was being given in the presence of Rasoolullaah SM. this Soorah was placed at the start and was given the name “Al-Faatihah”(the key).
Relevantly one more point, in clearing a complication, is deemed necessary. Any difference in our opinions comes, is not for any personal gain; rather all we try to do or think, that is only for getting the pleasure of Alaah. So, whenever any problem comes, we have to discuss with open heart, in compliance with the Qur’a and authentic (uncontroversial) Ahadeeth :
As known from the above discussion that Full Sooratul Faatihah, as the first complete Soorah, was revealed within the first three years of the prophet-hood when Salat was there, but not codified as Fard. It is quite possible that, anytime during this period, Rasoolullaah SM. said : “No Salat.EXCEPT Sooratul Faatihah” It is also true that nowhere is written the exact time of Rasoolullah’s that pronunciation. Is it not more reasonable to guess that he said that before the revelation of—“Whenever the Qur’aan is recited, then carefully listen to it and keep silent”(7:204—Al-A ‘raf;Makkiyyah). It is also clear that The Qur’aan is regularly recited in the Salat. Is it Possible for Allaah’s Rasool to say anything that becomes contentious with the words of Allaah SWT. ? Still there is no problem if we recite the Faatihah(in each unit of Salat –Az-Zuhr, –Al- ‘Asr and last one unit of Maghrib...
This Soorah of seven verses can be divided in three parts,viz,:
(1) Praising Allaah SWT. through first three verses;
(2) Pledging allegiance and seeking help, and
(3) Praying to AllaahSWT and earnestly requesting Him to show us the straight path.
This is the only chapter of the Qur’aan which is recited round the clock throughout the whole world and it is called the mother of the Qur’aan.
N.B; the readers might have noted, the mode of translation, adopted here is, just according to the sequence of the Arabic verses so as to help the careful reader to know each word’s meaning when reading and try to comply the meaning with the verses.
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