Number of Ayat of Surah al-Fatihah
The scholars unanimously agree that surah al-Fatihah contains seven Ayat. However, they differ about which ayah is number seven. Some scholars maintain that the first ayah is ‘In the name of Allah…,’ and ‘The path of those You have blessed…,’ is ayah number seven. Other scholars believe that ‘In the name of Allah…’ is not ayah in surah al-Fatihah and that ‘The path of those You have blessed’ [6], not of those who have incurred wrath, nor those who have gone astray.’ [7] are two Ayat. And Allah knows best.
Period of Revelation
Most scholars maintain that surah al-Fatihah was revealed in al-Mecca. This the most correct opinion. Allah says, interpretation of meaning, [Indeed, We have given you the seven oft-repeated ayat and the Glorious Quran.] [Surah al-Hijr: 87] The scholars unanimously agree that surah al-Hijr was revealed in Mecca. It mentions that Allah has given Messenger Muhammad the seven oft-repeated ayat, which is surah al-Fatihah. This supports that surah al-Fatihah was revealed in Mecca.
Topics Discussed Surah al-Fatihah
Surah al-Fatihah mentions the main goals of the Quran. Some of its topics are the following:
1. Godhood: It includes the three types of Godhood, i.e. Oneness of worship (Tawheed al-Uluhiyah), Oneness of Lordship (Tawheed ar-Rububiyah), and Oneness of Names of Attributes (Tawheed of al-Asma’ wa-as-Sifat). It is found in these ayat: [All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The Giver of Mercy, the Most Merciful.]
2. Surah al-Fatihah mentions the Day of Judgment. When Allah will recompense people for what they did in the worldly life. It is found in this ayah: [The Master of the Day of Judgment.]
3. Surah al-Fatihah refers to worshipping Allah alone, which includes all rituals of worship, e.g. prayer, Zakat, Hajj, and commanding what is good and forbidding what is evil. It is found in this ayah: [You alone we worship.]
4. Seeking help from Allah alone in all matters. Allah alone can help His slaves. It is found in this ayah: [You alone we ask for help.]
5. Abiding by the requirements of the straight path after following it is a great bounty that Allah grants to His sincere slaves. The straight path is a comprehensive concept that includes all that Allah commands through His prophets and messengers, from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad. This is found in this ayah: [Guide us to the straight path.]
6. The path of the sincere slaves of Allah is the path of those Allah has granted bounty. It is the path of Allah’s prophets, the truthful slaves, the martyrs, and the righteous. This path encompasses the beliefs of those Allah has granted His bounty, their methods of inviting people to the straight path, learned lessons from their stories, and their excellent biographies that will remain beacons throughout ages.
7. Surah al-Fatihah refers to the path of those who have incurred Allah’s wrath and those who have gone astray. They are two human models. The first one has known the truth and then deliberately avoids it because of envy or whims. The second model has gone astray and has not known the path of the truth. Some of them lose their ways in the labyrinth of human ideas, and others deviate from the straight path.
Examining the goals of surahs revealed in Mecca, we find that they discuss Allah’s Oneness, the Day of Judgment, prophethood, and ethics. Similarly, surahs revealed in al-Madinah discuss principles of building Islamic society, legislation, and rules related to worship and transactions, and regulations aim at protecting Islamic society from its enemies, deviations, and wrongdoings. All these goals are found in the topics mentioned in surah al-Fatihah. This may help us understand why it is described as the mother of the Book and the Quran. Indeed, surah al-Fatihah is like a mother that gives birth to offspring that multiplies and proliferates. All descendants trace their origins to their mother. Similarly, all goals of the Quran are found in the main topics mentioned in surah al-Fatihah.
No comments:
Post a Comment