You may see, for example, when someone supplicates, he says to those around him, “al-Fātiḥah!” meaning: “Recite al-. Fātiḥah.” Others make it a point to always
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Explaining S rah al – F ti ah Original Title: Original Author: Mu a mmad Ibn li al – n E XPLAINING S RAH al – F ti ah By: Mu ammad Ibn al – S rah al – F ti ah .. .. .. . 2 Introduction .. .. .. .. . 3 The Explanation of : In the name of Allah, the Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy 5 The Explanation of Verse 1 : All praise and thanks are for Allah, the lord of all creations 14 The Explanation of Verse 2 : The Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy .. 1 7 The Explanation of Verse 3 : The owner of the Day of Recompense .. .. 19 The Explanation of Verse 4 : You alone we worship , and from you alone we seek help .. 22 The Explanation of Verse 5 : Guide us to the straight path .. .. 2 6 The Explanation of Verse s 6 and 7 : 29
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Page 2 S RAH al – F ti ah In the n ame of Allah, the Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy. 1 All praise and thanks are for Allah, the l ord of all creations. 2 The Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy. 3 The owner of the Day of Recompense . 4 You alone we worship, and from y o u alone we seek help. 5 Guide us to the straight path. 6 The path of those y ou bestowed grace upon. 7 Not of those who earned anger upon themselves, nor of those who are astray. 1 1 The Quran, S rah al – F ti ah , 1:1 – 7.
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Page 3 I NTRODUCTION S rah al – F ti ah and begins with this S rah , or chapter. It i s also been said that it was the first complete chapter to be revealed entirely. The scholars say that this chapter comprises, in general, the mea nings of the whole Quran with regards to Tawh d ( monotheism, i.e. worshipping Allah alone ) , legislative rulings, rewards and recompense, the different paths the children of Adam take, and other issues. For this, it has been referred to as ( U mm a l – Qur n Mother of the Quran 2 as the foundation or origin of something is often referred to in This chapter has some distinguishing characteristics which set it apart from other chapters . It i s a main pillar of the prayers which are themselves the best pillar of Islam after the two testimonies (I testify that nothing has any right to be worshipped except Allah alone, and I testify that Muhammad is h is m essenger). There is no valid prayer for on e who does n o t recite this opening chapter of the book. It i s also a cure ; i f it i s read over someone who is sick, he or she will be cured by the permission of Allah. The p rophet ( ) said to someone who recited it over another person s uffering from a scorpion sting who was healed by it: 2 The indicating this is r ecorded by al – (no. 772), Muslim (no. 395), and a t – Tirmi d – is the Mother of the Quran, the Mother of the Book, and seven often – repeated similar
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Page 4 How did you know it was a cure? 3 Today however , some people unfortunately do various innovated yet unsanctioned religious practices regarding this chapter. You find some of them ending their supplications by reciting this chapter , beginning their lectures with it, and reading it in specific circumstances as they see fit ; t his is all wrong. You may see, f or example, when someo a l – F ti ah a l – F ti ah religiously in certain situations they deem appropriate for it. This is wrong because any act of worship must be based upon what has authentically been reported to us (by way of the Quran or Sunnah) and it must be done in the manner the prophet ( ) did it or approved of . 4 3 Recorded by al – (no. 2276) and Muslim (no. 2201). 4 T his entire article was ammad Ibn al – original Arabic text can be found at: http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/books/article_17861.shtml .
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Page 5 T HE E XPLANATION OF (Bismill h a r – Ra m n ar – Ra m) In the name of Allah, the Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy. 5 The statement of Allah , In the name of Allah , the Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy contains a preposition and an object of the preposition which are both actually connected to a delayed, missing verb appropriate to the situation in which the Basmalah 5 is used . F or example, if you say, Allah name of Allah We say there must be a connected missing verb because a preposition and the object of the preposition, in Arabic, must both refer to an action. This delayed action or verb is deferred until after mentioning the name of Allah for two benefits: first, to s eek the blessing of mentioning Allah indicates that it i s restricted, as if you a and I do not seek blessings and help by any name except with the name o f Allah We say that the delayed missing word is a verb because action words are verbs and this is known to the specialists of Arabic grammar . So because of this, nouns do not apply except with specific conditions. 5 The statement ( Bismill h a r – Ra m n a r – Ra m ) is referred to as the Basmalah .
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Page 6 We also say that it (the deferred, mis sing verb) is appropriate to the situation in which the statement is made because the statement itself indicates the intended verb which is according to the situation. For example, Allah m essenger ( ) specified the verb when he said: Whoever has not already slaughtered (his animal), then let him slaughter in the name of Allah . 6 Or he said: Allah . 7 Allah (All h) : Allah the proper name for the l ord of all the creations. No one else is named with this name. It i s the base origin of all the other names (of Allah ) and all of them follow and describe this name. the Most – Merciful ( a r – R a m n) : This proper name of Allah mean s, the o ne w ho is described with expansive, all – encompassing mercy. Even the Arabic root form of the word that this name is based on indicates a sense of expansiveness according to the rules of Arabic conjugation . 6 Recorded by al – (no. 985) and Muslim (no. 1970). 7 Recorded by al – (no. 5500) and Muslim (no. 1970).
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Page 8 1 . First, this is untrue because we even find the characteristic of mercy among the powerful kings with no humbleness, sympathy, or being overcome with sorrow. 2 . Second, even if this were the case with the attribute of mercy and what it indicates, this is regarding mercy as it pertains to the creation. As for the mercy of the c reator, it i s an attribute that befits h is greatness and majesty , indicating no sense of deficiency in any way. We then say that the intellect actually does indicate the affirmation of a real attribute of mercy to Allah ( ) . Whatever we witness of mercy among the creation between themselves, this itself indicates the mercy of Al lah . It is a perfect attribute of mercy and Allah is the most deserving of attributes of perfection. More so, we also witness particular acts of mercy that only pertain to Allah such as the sending of rain, ending drought, and similar acts that indicate h i s mercy. The amazing thing is that these people who deny Allah their claim that the intellect does not rationalize it or make it possible , you find the same people affirming an actual attribute of intent or decision to Al lah based upon a similar characteristics specific to each of them indicates, from the intellect, the attribute of this indication is even much less tha n the effects of mercy we see among the creation because noticing such minute distinguishing features is specific to those of such field s . However, a s for the effects of Allah
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Page 9 Allah and h Question: Is t he Basmalah an a ctual v erse of S rah al – F ti ah or Not? The scholars hold differing opinions about this issue. Some say that it i s definitely a verse from al – F ti ah and it should be recited aloud in those prayers which are recited out – loud. They believe it i s not correct unless the Basmalah is recited since it is part of the entire chapter of al – F ti ah . Other scholars say that it i s not a verse of al – F ti ah , but it i s a separate verse from the book of Allah . This latter opinion is the correct one and is proven by other texts as well as the context of the chapter itself. As for the textual proof, Ab Hurayrah ( ) narrated a ad th in which the p rophet ( ) said: Allah ( ) says, I have divided the prayer in two parts between m yself and my servant. When the servant recites, All praise and thanks are to Allah , the l ord of all creations , Allah says, My servant has praised m e. And when he
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Page 10 recites, The Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy , Allah says, My servant has honored m e. When he recit es, The o wner of the Day of Recompense , Allah says, My servant has glorified m e. When he recites, You alone we worship and from y ou alone we seek help , Allah replies, This is two parts between my servant and I. When he recites, Guide us to the until the end of the chapter , Allah replies, This is for My 8 This is a textual proof that the Basmalah is not an actual verse of S rah al – F ti ah (because it was not the first statement the servant says as mentioned in this ad th ). There is another authentic statement of Anas ibn M lik ( ) a which he said: I prayed behind the p rophet ( ) , Ab none of them used to mention In the name of Allah , the Most – Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy at the beginning of their recitation s (of S rah al – F ti ah ) nor at the end of it. 9 What is meant is that each of them used not to mention it aloud. The fact that there is a distinction between it not being recited aloud as the rest of al – F ti ah is recited indicates that it is not actually a part of the chapter. As for the proof from meanings, S rah al – F ti ah consists of seven verses as is unanimously agreed upon. If you wanted to measure out 8 Recorded by Muslim (no. 395). 9 Recorded by Muslim (no. 399).
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Page 11 seven verses as they pertain to the topics of the chapter, you will find that the middle verse is: You alone we worship and from y ou alone we seek help. 10 This is the same verse about which Allah in the previous ad th . This is because the first verse is: All praise and thanks are for Allah , the Lord of all creations. 11 The second verse is: The Most Merciful, the Bestower of all mercy. 12 The third verse: The owner of the Day of Recompense. 13 10 The Quran, S rah al – F ti ah, 1:4. 11 S rah al – F ti ah, 1:1. 12 S rah al – F ti ah, 1: 2 . 13 S rah al – F ti ah, 1: 3 .
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