Secrets of Surah Al Fatihah

Do you know that Surah Al Fatihah is a dialogue between us and Allah ta’ala

Surah al fatihah conversation with Allah

Yes, Surah Al Fatihah is a dialogue between ourselves and Allah ta’ala and we read this Surah in Salaat every day again, showing how interactive the Qur’an is. Every time we pray we are having a dialogue with Allah ta’ala. It appears in a Hadeeth Qudsi that Allah ta’ala says “I have divided Surah Faatihah in two halves. We will read about it later in the post but first let us read Surah Fatiha and its meaning in English.

Surah Al Fatihah in Arabic and English 

Facts about Surah al fatiha

Surah Faatihah was the first surah to be revealed in its entirety after Surah Alaq. 

There are 25 other names of Surah Faatihah which include

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• Faatihatul Kitaab (The Opening of the Book)
• Ummul Kitaab (The Mother of the Book)
• Ummul Qur’an (The Mother of the Qur’an)
• As Sab’ul Mathaani (The Seven oft repeated verses)
• Suratul Hamd (Surah of Praise) 
• Surah of Shifa

There is nothing revealed like surah Faatiha in the previous books. It has the essence of the Qur’an, the root of the Qur’an and the gist of the Qur’an.

Hadith on Surah Fatiha:

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu’anhu) says: I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhiwasallam) say, ‘Allah Ta’ala said’:

“I have divided Salah [Surah Fatihah] between myself and between my servant in two halves and my servant shall have what he asks for.

Surah Fatiha as a dialogue with Allah

So when a person says,

‘Al HamdulillahiRabbil ‘Alamin’ (All praise belongs to Allah, the Rabb of the universe), 

Allah Ta’ala says,‘Hamidani ‘abdi’ (My Servant has praised me).

When he says

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ – 1:3

‘ArRahmanir Rahim’ (The Most Compassionate the Most Merciful) 

Allah Ta’ala says‘Athna ‘alayya ‘abdi’ (My servant has extolled me)

When he says, 

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ – 1:4

‘Maliki Yawmid Din’ (The Master of the Day of Judgement)

Allah Ta’ala says, ‘Majjadani ‘abdi’ (My servant has glorified me)

When he says,

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ – 1:5

‘IyyakaNa’buduWaIyyakaNasta’in’ (You Alone do we worship and You Alone do we ask for help)

Allah Ta’ala says, ‘Hadhabayniwabayna ‘abdiwa li ‘abdi ma sa-ala’ (This is between me and my slave and me servant will have what he asks for)

When he says,

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ – 1:6

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ – 1:7

‘IhdinasSiratalMustaqim. SiratalLadhinaAn ‘Amta ‘AlayhimGhayrilMaghdubi ‘AlayhimWa Lad- Dallin’ (

Guide us to the straight path. The path of those whom You have favored and not the path of those with whom You are angry nor the path of those who have gone astray)

Allah Ta’ala says, ‘Hadha li ‘abdiwa li ‘abdi ma sa-ala’ (This is for my servant and my servant shall have what he asks for)

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 395)

Surah Fatiha is also the greatest Surah of Quran-

Abu Sa’ad ibn Al-Mu’alla narrated the Apostle ﷺ of Allah saying as:

“…I will teach a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Quran before you leave the Masjid.’ Then he took hold of my hand and when he intended to leave [the Masjid], I asked him, “Did you not say that you would teach me a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Qur’an?” He replied, ‘Yes. It is [the Surah commencing with], “All praise and thanks are due to Allah.” It is the Seven Oft-Repeated verses and the Great Qur’an that has been given to me.’ “(Ahmad)

The above stated Hadith shows that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has called this Surah as the Utmost section of the Holy Quran.

And also a part of 2 light given to Rasul Allah SAW-

Ibn Abbas (R.A) narrated the Messenger ﷺ of Allah saying as:

“While the Messenger ﷺ of Allah was sitting with Jibril he heard a creaking sound above him. Jibril looked up and said, “This is [the sound of] a gate that has been opened in heaven today and has never been previously opened.” Then an Angel descended through it and came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘Rejoice in the good news of two lights that have been given to you such as no Prophet before you has been given. [They are] Surah Al-Fatihah and the concluding [two] verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a word from them without being given the blessings they contain.’ “

Some scholars have said Surah Al Fatihah has some secrets

Five are related to the attributes of Allah ta’ala (mentioned in the first three verses)

1. He is Allah, He is divine
2. He is Rabb
3. He is Rahmaan
4. He is Raheem
5. He is Maalik

Five are related to the attributes of human beings which are necessary to become close to Allah ta’ala and to truly benefit from Allah ta’ala being Rahmaan, Raheem and being our Rabb.

1. ‘Ibaadah -Worship Iyyaakana’budu
2. Isti’aanah – Seeking the help of Allah ta’ala which sometimes one gets however on should seek it, yearn for it Iyyaakanasta’een
3. Yearning for Hidaayah – Ihdinaa
4. Yearning for Istiqaamah – Mustaqeem
5. Yearning for the Ne’mah of being on the path of those who are blessed An’amta ‘alayhim

How to Stay in Siratul Mustaqeem ?

Another secret of Surah Al  Fatihah is that it is spiritual  a journey to Allah ta’ala. It is the “Opening”. scholars have made is that when one reaches “Maalikiyawmiddeen” when reciting Surah Faatihaha, the journey begins and when one begins a journey, one needs the following:

Provisions. One’s ‘Ibaadah is the provision which is the spiritual provision and will nourish. A person needs nourishment or multivitamins when they are weak or sick. Similarly more worship should be done when one is spiritually weak.

Transportation. Asking for Allah ta’ala’s help is the transportation and one will move faster with the help of Allah ta’ala. Often we are stuck in our journey to Allah ta’ala like in a traffic jam, not progressing. This is the time to turn to Allah ta’ala and make du’a asking for help. When people come with problems we can tell them to seek the help Allah ta’ala as only He can help in any situation.

Guide.It becomes much easier when one travels with a guide who shows us the direction and stops us from veering off onto the side roads. The guides are the travellers who have been on that path, the Ambiyaa, the Ulama.

When we recite Surah Fatiha in Salaah, it we make these teachings a part of our Salaah and make it a condition of our hearts in Salaah then we will attain the stamina and some level of Khushoo’ (Concentration) for the rest of Salaah.

Surah Fatihah is a journey to Allah ta’ala. It is the “Opening”. May it be an opening of our hearts in our journey to Allah ta’ala, aameen!

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ – 3:8

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.