(Worksheet) Tafseer Of Suratul Faatihah

(Worksheet) Tafseer Of Suratul Faatihah

Author: Imaam Abdur Rahman As Sa’dee (rahimahuAllah)

Source: Tafseerus Sa’dee

Suratul-Faatihah

“The Opening” of the Quran

Introduction:

The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us that the like of Surah Al-Faatihah (the chapter entitled: “The Opening”) has never been revealed, that it is the greatest surah (chapter) of the Quran, and that it is “The Mother (i.e. foundation) of the Quran”!  The Quran, in its entirety, is an exposition of it, while Surah Al-Faatihah is a summation of the Quran. This is because of the meanings this surah is comprised of, like:  the praise of Allah for what He deserves, worshipping Him by obeying His commands and prohibitions, and the promises of rewards and punishment. 

Also amongst the virtues of this surah, is that, with the will of Allah, it is a cure, for the one who treats himself by reciting it with sincerity, surety, and comprehension.  

Therefore, it is incumbent upon every Muslim to place great importance and concern in memorizing, reciting, studying, and striving to comprehend, reflect upon, and implement the teachings of Surah Al-Faatihah, the greatest surah of the Quran.

Allah say: 

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم

“In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“All praise is due to Allâh,  Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).”

الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

“The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

“The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense.”

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

“You, alone, we worship, and You alone, we ask for help.”

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

“Guide us to the Straight Path.”

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

“The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your Grace.”

غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَ

“Not of those who have evoked Your Anger , nor of those who are astray.”

{ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ }

In the Name of Allâh

Meaning: I begin by every name of Allaah The Exalted.

This is because the grammatical rule of:

{ اسم }

Name

Is that it is singular, conjugated by what follows it.  Therefore, it encompasses all the beautiful names of Allah.

{ اللَّهِ }

Allah

He is The Deity, The One who is worshipped. 

Allah: is the One who solely deserves to be worshipped, because of His unique and divine qualities; which are attributes of perfection.

{ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ }

The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

These are two great names of Allah, which signify that He, The Exalted, is the possessor of great and vast mercy.  His mercy embraces every living being and encompasses everything.

However, Allah has decreed His unlimited mercy for those who obey Him upon knowledge, and follow the Messengers and the Prophets, while seeking His reward and fearing His punishment.

As for those whom this does not apply to; they are only limited to a portion of this mercy.

We must be aware that amongst the unanimous principles which have been agreed upon by the Salaf (pious predecessors) and Imaams (leaders) of the Ummah (Muslim nation), is the obligation to believe in the names and attributes of Allah, along with the effects that these attributes have.

For example: we believe that Allah is The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Therefore, He is The possessor of Mercy, which He is characterized by, and which is witnessed in His creation.  All blessings, bounties, and favors, are a result of His Mercy!

Likewise, this principle is applied in all of Allah’s names.  To mention a few more examples:

His is Al-‘Aleem (The All- Knower): meaning: He is The All-Knowing and the possessor of knowledge.  Thus, with it, He knows everything.

He is Al- Qadeer (The All-Capable): He has unlimited ability, and therefore able to do anything.

{ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ }

All  praise is due to Allâh,

This is praise of Allah by His attributes of perfection and His actions which constitute favor and justice. Thus, Allah is worthy of absolute praise, from all aspects.

{ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ }

…the Lord of the 'Alamîn

Ar-Rabb is The Lord of the Aalameen.            

And Aalameen is everything that exists besides Allah. (The Creation) 

Allah’s Lordship of Aalameen is by: creating them, supplying them with bounties and provisions, and by blessing them with great favors; of which if they were to cease; then the Aalameen (the creation) would not be able to exist.

So every single blessing, bounty, and favor in the creation is from Him, The Exalted!

His nurture and maintenance of His creation, is of two types: the universal and the exclusive.

1. The universal:  is His creating the Creation, then sustaining and providing them, and also guiding them to that which is of benefit to them in their survival in this world.

2. The exclusive: is His nurture and maintenance of His allies; the obedient believers. He nurtures them by adorning them with Eeman (faith), making them conform to it, and perfecting it for them.

Additionally, He guards them from deterrence and obstacles of Eemaan.

The reality of His nurture and maintenance of His allies is that He facilitates for them all good and protects them from all evil.

Perhaps, in this reality, lies the secret as to why most of the supplications made by the Prophets start with the word “Ar-Rabb  [The Lord].’’

For indeed, all of the things they supplicated for, fell under His Specific Lordship (the exclusive nurture and maintenance of His allies). 

So His statement  “…the Lord of the 'Alamîn ’’  signifies and is proof for His exclusivity in creation, controlling the affairs , and granting favors. Also, it illustrates His total independence, and the complete neediness and dependence of everything else towards Him, in every aspect and point.

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