Surah Al-Fatihah

Surah Al-Fatihah was revealed in Mecca, according to ibn Abbaas, Qataadah, and Abu al-Aaliyah.

Surah Al-Fatihah consists of seven verses, and there is a consensus on this matter.

Surah Al-Fatihah, also known as “The Opening,” is so named because it opens the Qur’an and marks the beginning of the recitation during prayer. It is also referred to as Ummul Qur’an, meaning “The Mother of the Qur’an,” and Ummul Kitaab, or “The Mother of the Book,” according to most scholars. This was mentioned by Anas, although al-Hasan and ibn Seereen preferred not to use this title, believing it better suited for the Preserved Tablet. Al-Hasan also noted that the unequivocal verses of the Qur’an are considered the “Mother of the Book.”

However, a hadith in at-Tirmidhee narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) referred to the chapter beginning with “All praises and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the Universe” as the Mother of the Qur’an, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses, and the Great Qur’an (i.e., Ummul Qur’an, Ummul Kitaab, Sab`ul Mathaanee, and al-Qur’anul Adheem).

Surah Al-Fatihah is called Ummul Qur’an because it is the first chapter written in the Qur’anic manuscripts, and it is the chapter with which prayer begins. This is supported by a narration in Sahih Bukhari. It is also known as al-Hamd, meaning “The Praise,” because it contains praise of Allah, similar to how Surah al-Baqarah is named after the mention of the cow within it. Some scholars argue that al-Hamd forms the heart of al-Fatihah.

The Surah is additionally referred to as as-Salaah, or “The Prayer,” as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned in a report from his Lord. Another name for Surah Al-Fatihah is ar-Ruqya, meaning “The Spiritual Cure,” based on a narration in Sahih Bukhari where Abu Sa`eed (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it to heal someone bitten by a scorpion, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved of this use.

Most scholars, including Maalik, ash-Shaafiee, and Ahmad, hold that reciting al-Fatihah during prayer is obligatory, and that the prayer is invalid without it. Their view is supported by several hadiths, including the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) statement, “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Another hadith in Sahih Muslim emphasizes, “Whosoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite the Mother of the Book, it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, it is incomplete.”