Surah Al-Fatiha is first surah in Quran and therefore it is also called the opener of Quran. Prophet Mohammed Peace be upon him called this surah as “The Greatest Surah” of the Quran.

Names of Surah al Fatiha

There are many names given to this surah depending upon different virtues and attributes of this Surah which are listed below with their meaning in English.

Al Fatiha: It means the opener of Quran as it is the first surah in the Quran so that is why it is called Al-Fatiha

Umm ul Quran: It means “Mother of Quran” which means that is one of most glorious surahs of Quran.

Umm-ul-Kitab: It means “Mother of The Book” that is Holy Quran. It also shows the importance of this Surah in Quran.

Sab-ul-Mathani: Seven often repeated verses, as the name suggests that the seven verses of this Surah are repeated most often.

Asas-al-Quran: It means Foundation of the Quran which shows that it has most important concepts of Quran.

Ar- Ruqyah: It means “Spiritual care” as it cleans heart from impurities and removes the darkness of heart which surrounds the heart due to sins.

As-Salah: The Prayer, By meaning this surah is a prayer to Allah in which a Muslim asks Allah for strength to follow right path.

Al-Hamd: It means Praises to Allah, this name is given to this surah because in first verses are related to praising Allah SWT.

Ash-Shifa: It means the Cure, the name suggests that this surah can cure spiritual diseases and refresh Iman of Muslims.

Reciting Al-Fatihah in Prayer:

According to majority of Islamic scholars says that reciting surah Al Fatiha in Salah is obligatory and prayer is ivalid without it. This opinion is based on the hadith:Narrated ‘Ubâdah bin As-Sâmit Allâh’s Messenger said,

"Whoever does not recite Sûrat Al-Fâtihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, Hadîth No. 723).

The Virtues of Surah Al-Fatihah

There are many hadiths describing different virtues of this holy surah. Here we are mentioning a few of them for our readers.

1. Allah responds to the believer when he recites Surah Al-Fatah

There is hadith in Sahih Muslim which is narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah according to that hadith prayer is conversation between the Allah Almighty. Allah answers each and every verse of Al-Fatiha recited by Muslims. As Al-Fatiha is itself a Prayer so Allah SWT accepts the prayer.

2. Mother of the Quran

As mentioned in the above lines that Al Fatiha is Umm-Ul Quran i-e “Mother of the Quran” which means that Al-Fatiha is having very special status among other surahs of the Holy Quran. There is hadith in Tirmidhi narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah which quotes Prophet Mohammed Peace be upon him as:
[The chapter commencing with]

"All praises and thanks are due to Allah the Lord of the worlds” is the Mother of the Quran, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses and the Great Qur’an."

3. Unlike other revelations

Once a companion asked Prophet Mohammed Peace be Upon Him to teach the surah which unlike other revelations (Torah, Injil, Zaboor). Prophet Peace be Upon gave Him hint that the surah which you recite in Salah. He said he recites Umm- Ul – Quran salah, then Prophet Mohammed Said:

"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, Allah has not revealed the likes of it in the Torah, Injil, Zabur, or the [rest of the] Quran. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated verses."

This Hadith is narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah and listed in Masnad Ahmad.

4. Greatest Surah of the Quran

In Masnad Ahmad there is another hadith on the authority of Abu Sa’ad ibn Al-Mu’alla who said (in part of the hadith) that the Prophet Peace be Upon said:

"…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."

5. Surah Al-Fatehah part of the two lights given to the prophet (s)

On the authority of Ibn e, Abbas Sahih Muslim records a hadith in which Prophet Mohammed Peace be Upon said that he has given two lights that are not given to any other Prophet and they are surah Al Fatiha and concluding two verses of Surah.

6. The Noblest and excellent part of the Quran

On the authority of Anas An-Nisai records that the Prophet Peace be Upon Him said,

"Should I not inform you of the noblest and excellent part of the Quran?” He then recited “All praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds"

Listen to the beautiful recitation of Surah Al Fatiha and English Translation is given below:

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
2. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
3. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
4. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
5. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
6. Guide us to the Straight Way
7. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray. [Quran, Surah Al-Fatihah]