Some thoughts on reflection and short benefits of the verses of Surah Al-Fatihah

Some thoughts on reflection and short benefits

of the verses of

Surah Al-Fatihah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collected and Arranged

By

 

 

Ahmad Abdullah Al-Dusari

 

 

First Edition

1443 Hijri /2021 C.E.

 

 

 

 

 

Praise be to Allah for His great attributes and beautiful actions, Worthy of praise, extolment and glory. I send peace and blessings on the best of His creatures and seal of His messengers our master Muhammad.

To proceed:

This is the Surat Al-Fatihah, the Surah of guidance and grace, the secret of creation and the command. It’s a clear favour and comprehensive goodness that’s a source of light, guidance, grace and glad tidings for a believer.

In these pages we stand humbled before the majesty, the beauty and the lights of praise, mercy, worship and grace, recommend each other for truth, meditate, contemplate and reflect on some of the meanings and guidance of Surat Al-Fatihah, the greatest surah in the Qur’an, rather, it is the mother of the entire Qur’an

Surah Al-Fatihah came to liberate the human mind from the dirt of polytheism, to keep it away from deviation and misguidance, to implant in it the doctrine of monotheism, to direct it to the Creator, the Judge, and to establish in it the roots of sincerity to the Most Compassionate of this world and the Hereafter, and their Merciful One. It came to delineate for a person, the purpose his life, and to guide him to the means of achieving it, so that the believer would increase in faith and connection with the Lord of the worlds.

Whatever the speakers spoke, the commentators wrote, and the jurists and teachers lectured and taught throughout the times and periods, the Surah Al-Hamd remains an inexhaustible source that deserves to be invested with efforts in explaining its great significance, purposes and secrets, and reformulating that statement in an easy way, away from specialized scientific elaboration, in order to clarify and simplify it to the general Muslims, and to remind them of virtue of the surah and its guidance, for, it is the greatest revelation that ever descended from the heaven. It is the secret of guidance, it is the secret of life, it is the chant of the believer at all times.

Because of my interest in it and my frequent reading about its secrets and contemplative meanings, I referred to a lot of various sources and quoted often with some changes, a lot of what have written about it, in more than one book, compilation, or Internet publication, or what I heard from audio clips or YouTube videos from trustworthy scholars who are known for their excellence. So, I collected what I found, and compiled what I reassured myself with, hoping that I had done well in what I preferred to collect. I was not keen on deep scientific material, as I eased some of the restrictions and things that should be taken into account in writing scientific books, away from the purely scientific academy language, with the intent to clarify the reflective meanings and benefits directly, to motivate and relieve the reader who is not specialized in Islamic science.

I wished to attribute each saying to the one who said it, but could not due to the amount of time that this research took. So, I ask for permission of everyone I quoted from him or took from him, but did not mention his name, his reward is on Allah. It is sufficient for us to spread knowledge and bring it closer to the people.

I do not claim anything for myself about that, but the credit for all of that is for Allah Almighty Alone, and then for the people of knowledge from whom I collected the best fruits, from those who compiled and recorded, their names are well known, their books have been published and their audio clips are available. But I strove and quoted from all the best available benefits, subtleties, and reflective knowledge, and I brought them out and arranged in the form of short sentences, in an easy way as much as possible for me, so my role was limited to collecting and arranging.

The reader may notice some repetition when the meanings of the noble verses have been explained, with change in the form and style. That is due to the multiplicity of transmission from the sources. It is also useful to simplify the meaning and clarify the deliberative explanation in more than a way.

To conclude, it is a new attempt to spread the beneficial knowledge, and to recommend it to each other, that we should reflect on Surah Al-Fatihah as a method of faith and righteous deeds, it is the way to salvation and the path that leads to Paradise. If I reached the goal, it is from Allah, His Majesty, and to Him be praise and thanks, asking the Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, to give the reward to those whom I collected from, and to everyone who participated in a review or correction, so that the benefit should spread. It is sufficient for me to spread knowledge and to benefit my Muslim brothers.

Ahmad Abdullah Al-Dusri

Muharram 1443

[email protected]

*******

General Definition

Before the surah

Surah Al-Fatihah is the greatest Surah in the Qur’an, and it is the best thing that came down from the heaven to the earth. It has been called ( (القرآن العظيم “the Great Qur’an”, indicating that it is the greatest surah in it. He (the prophet peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: "هي السبع المثاني، والقرآن العظيم الذي أوتيته" (it’s seven often repeated verses and it is the Great Qur'an which is given to me).[1]

Allah did not reveal the like of it in His books, it is the mother of the book, which means that it sums up the essence of the whole Qur’an. It is only in four lines, it is index of the Quran (if my expression is true), so we should pay attention to every letter of it.

Surah Al-Fatihah covered the contents of the Qur’an from Qur’anic knowledge and universal sciences. It includes its purposes, demands, and great meanings, as well as it contains its secrets.

It bears the objective unity around which all the demands of the Holy Qur’an, and the comprehensiveness of Islamic belief, Islamic perception, feelings and orientations, revolve. It indicates the part of the wisdom behind its selection to recite it repeatedly in each rak’ah (of the prayer), and that all prayers are invalid if its recitation is missed.

It has comprehensive rules that summarize the religion from its beginning to end, nothing that Allah Almighty wanted from His servants is missing in this surah. So, everything that came in the Book of Allah is an explanation of it, and a clarification of its meaning.

It contains the secrets of the world and the Hereafter, so it is necessary for us to make it a way of life, as it is equivalent to the complete Qur’ān, and based on that, it comprises the ultimate human perfection.

It is called Al-Fatihah, because the Qur’an begins with it, because it is the key of the Qur’an (i.e., its meanings), in which each of its surahs begins. All treasures of the Qur’an lie in it. If a person understands Al-Fatihah, he will understand all the chapters of the Qur’an that follow.

Placing Al-Fatihah at the beginning of the Qur’an is an indication that it is necessary to start with the most important before the important, and with the fundamentals before the branches. Surah Al-Fatihah is a cure for the diseases of the hearts and bodies, the heart’s need for it is emphasized, and the secret of healing in it is the reverence of your heart and the certainty in it.

Praise for Allah is the one thing around which the surah revolves, rather, the first creation began with the praise, and the last thing that creation will end with, is praise, the heavens and the earth have been created with praise, and when the reward ends, there will be a praise, that is why, praise became the greatest thing that the great book begins with.

It is a summary of the demands of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, from the man, it is called Surat Al-Kanz because it is light in pronunciation, but it is precious in results for those who strive to comply with it.

It is obligatory in the prayers, the prayer is invalid without it, it is sufficient, it suffices from others, and nothing can suffice from it.  

It is adequate, because it is sufficient for the meanings of the Qur’an, it is enough for the knowledge necessary for man as well as for his happy ending and the goodness of life.

It is Surah Al-Hamd (the praise) because it begins with praise.

It is the seven oft-repeated, because it is repeated in each prayer.[2]

It is the Opening of the Book (of Allah) as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, called it[3], and it is the initiator of all goods.

It is the healer; because if it is complied, the humanity will be cured from all its physical and spiritual diseases. It is also a Ruqyah, as it has been narrated in authentic Hadith by the Prophet, may peace and blessing of Allah be upon him.[4]

It is the surah of the prayer, it is all praise of Allah, you praise Allah Almighty with it, and he praises you with it. The surah teaches a person how to deal with Allah. When he intends to supplicate, it is desirable for him to praise Allah first, (He should begin with the praise and glorification of Allah, then ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon His Messenger), after that he should supplicate with what he wills, for, his supplication is accepted with Allah’s permission.

It is the mother of the Qur’an,[5] which has the proof of monotheism, the proof of the messengership with its result. It also has the division of people (the ones who are blessed, and those who have earned [His] anger or those who are astray) and the talk about the Last Day.

It is Surat Al-Munajat (Silent supplication to Allah), reciting Surah Al-Fatihah opens the greatest doors of honour for you, that is the dialogue with Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, as the highest and most honourable description in existence, is the description of slavery, "قال الله تعالى: قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين" (Allah Almighty said: 'I have divided the prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves)[6] You address with the word of slavery eight times, and whenever you recite Surah Al-Fatihah, you feel that Allah Almighty responds to you. What honour is this in a dialogue in which the Lord of Glory repeats your remembrance of slavery and rewards you with an answer even though you did not bring anything new and did not give anything from you.

It is the first surah in the Qur’an on Active Participle form (Grammatical Term), and there is no opening until it is closed, this means that it is in the first surah of the Qur’an and the beginning is the opening... It is a key for your closed heart. It is a key to understand the Holy Qur’an, as a Muslim recites it in every rak’ah of his prayer.

It is a Surah of Al-Ubudiyyah (servitude), in the beginning of it, there is an invocation with praise, extolment and extension for the One Who deserves to be worshipped, the Almighty and Great. In the middle of it, there is a supplication, acknowledgment and confession of servitude. And in the last of it, there is a description of the way of servitude, a question, a request to get it and the guidance to be steadfast on the straight path, and that there is no way for him to be steadfast except by the guidance of his Lord to him; Just as there is no way for him to worship Him except with His help, as well as there is no way for him to be steadfast on the path except with His guidance.

It is Surah of Al-Tarbiyah (discipline and education) that teaches you to be thankful on His graces and it praises Him with all His Names, Attributes and praiseworthy actions, then it brings you up on mercy that is repeated four times, so that you know that your religion is mercy and that your life can’t be straight except with mercy (If His mercy had not excelled His wrath, He would have punished all of us.)

Allah Who is glorious and exalted, has allowed His Messenger-Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him- to repeat it in each rak’ah of the prayer, Otherwise, the basic principle is that the worshipper is permitted to vary in reciting the Qur’an, it means that he should not become accustomed to reciting certain surahs so that he does not recite inadvertently or lose his submission (to Allah).

It is a light, that was revealed specifically, to the Prophet -may peace and blessing of Allah be upon him- without the rest of the prophets. The good news of it, was revealed by an angel, and he -may peace and blessing of Allah be upon him- has been promised to be given everything that it comprises, i.e., virtues and characteristics for him and his nation[7].

One of its secrets is that prayer is not valid without it, that is to make it easier for the servants, it is sufficient for its honour that there is hardly a Muslim in this world who does not memorize it, even the person who newly accepts Islam, and utters the two testimonies, memorizes Surah Al-Fatihah before others so that his prayer gets valid with it. And if a person confined himself to it in prayer, his prayers would be valid. Anything (recitation of other Surah) except it, is Mustahab (recommended), not obligatory.

The surah begins with: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم in the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Then, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, is repeated in the second verse. Since mercy is prominent in the most beautiful names of Allah, so the first thing by which a person recognizes his Lord is to recognize Him through His mercy and His goodness, so he loves Him before hope and fear. Then the love with hope is superior to the feeling of fear.

It has the three overall purposes of the Qur’an: belief, worship, and morals, so, it includes the entire religion. The Qur’an, firstly, calls for the correct belief, i.e., you have to believe in Allah Almighty truly on sound foundations. Secondly, it calls for correct worship and the establishment of rituals, at the same time it is a comprehensive and integrated approach to the ethics and life.

The entire Qur’an after Surat Al-Fatihah is either a clarification of beliefs, explanation of the meaning of (الحمد لله رب العالمين  praise due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds), the meaning of ( الرحمن الرحيم the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful) and the meaning of (مالك يوم الدين the Master of the Day of Judgment)… or it clarifies how we worship Allah Almighty (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.). Or it talks about the methods on the earth, the ways of the aggressors and the perished people, and the ways of the survivors, so we find many verses that explain the meaning of (ٱهْدِنَاٱلصّرَاطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيم  Guide us to the straight path)

In His saying (الحمد لله رب العالمين. الرحمن الرحيم) ([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds - the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful), is knowing Allah with proof of monotheism, proof of the messengership, and hope, and manifesting Allah’s blessings with the Creator’s love for His creation as well as creation’s love for their Creator, so you remember Allah’s mercy on His servants, which included the world and the hereafter, so you ask Him for mercy and be humbled in your prayers.

In Surah Al-Fatihah, the person knows his Lord, and knows himself also; For, if there is a Lord, then there must be someone who is lorded over, if there is a Merciful, then there must be a person who receives His mercy, if there is a Master, then there must be a slave, if there is a worshipper, then there must be the One Who is worshipped, if there is a guide, so there must be a guided one, if there is a giver, then there must be a person who is given His blessings, if there is a one who has earned [His] anger, so there must be the One Who receives anger, and if there is a person who is astray, then there must be the One Who makes them astray.

It contains the origin of the most beautiful names of Allah, with emphasis on the names of Allah – the Lord – the Compassionate – the Merciful. The relationship of our Lord with human is based on mercy, that is why He said twice: the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

The names mentioned after the praise and placing the praise according to its content, indicate that the Almighty is praised in His Divinity, Lordship, mercy and in his dominion. It is because, He is a praised God, praised Lord, praised Merciful, and praised Master. So, He possesses all the types of perfection.

In it, the Day of Judgment has been mentioned with the focus on the importance of preparing for the Hereafter from rebuke and fear of Hellfire, the punishment of the unbelievers, and the scenes of Resurrection in the Qur’an. So, you remember the Day of Resurrection and its horrors, and you ask your Lord to ease the fatigue of that day for you, so you will be humble in your prayers.

It includes guiding people to praise God, extol Him, glorify Him, worship Him, seek help from Him in all their religious and worldly matters, perform deeds sincerely for Allah, declare disassociation from those who are around them and their strength, and seek guidance to the straight path that leads to the path of happiness in both worlds

In it, the verse (إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين) (You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help) has summarized for you the sincerity, the signs of striving, the commands and prohibitions, where you feel at the word إِيَّاكَ (You ˹alone˺ ) that the sincerity is renewed in your heart every day, and that there is no Lord but Allah and no Helper but Allah, so you become humble in your prayers.

In it, the worship has been preferred to seeking help, because, O Lord, we worship you, not for the benefits of ourselves (i.e., Your need of Allah to get His help), but, for Allah’s will from you (to worship Him). When you prefer the will of Allah to the purpose of yourself, here you will achieve the purpose of your existence.

In it, the verse (اهدنا الصراط المستقيم) (Guide us to the straight path), is the entire Sharia. It includes all the verses of calling for steadfastness and the Islamic rulings that lead to the Paradise and the righteous deeds that lead to it along with the request for righteous companionship. So, you feel that you have no one to guide you to righteousness in this world and make you firm on it, except Allah Almighty, and you have no one who can guide you to the path of the Hereafter and establishes your feet on it to cross it, except Allah Almighty, so your closeness will increase to Him and your hope for His mercy and your fear of His punishment, so you become humble in your prayers.

In it, there is the proof of the Messengers, the Messages, and the Revelation. So, how do the slave praise Him, how do they worship Him according to what He has instructed, how do they know the path of those who have been blessed, beware of the people of misguidance and deviation except through the Messengers and books, and how will they be rewarded for that except after the clarification and establishing the argument.

In it, the verse (الذين أنعمت عليهم) (those You have blessed) is to inform about what happened to the forerunners, and the stories of the people of truth in the Qur’an from the prophets and their followers, so that your heart will look forward to their status and companionship, and you would seek examples from them.

In it, the verse (غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين) (not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray) is a summary of the stories and fates of the people of deviation, unbelief, polytheism and misguidance, so you realize that you need to request for safety and a good end.

Al-Fatihah teaches you to persevere and continue in your struggle and worship to obtain the fruit (best result) (the perpetual of it, though it is less), it also teaches you to focus on one of the doors of worship and pray to your Lord, in order to keep walking on this path, being firm on it until you meet Him.

Al-Fatihah teaches you the spirit of initiative, hasten to worship before asking for help and guidance (إذ قاموا فقالوا) (when they stood up and declared) and then came (و ربطنا على قلوبهم) (And We strengthened their hearts). approach you first.... begin you first....and when you step on the road, you will find guidance and conquest.

Al-Fatihah teaches you to strive against yourself as much as knowing and loving Allah (الحمد لله رب العالمين – الرحمن الرحيم) ([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds - the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful), as much as our need and entrusting to Allah and glorifying Him (مالك يوم الدين) (Master of the Day of Judgment) and as much as the state of the heart, sincerity and worship (إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين) (It is You we worship and You we ask for help.).

The surah teaches you how to pray, i.e., praise and acknowledge the grace ([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds) And you ask for help in need of Him and what He has, then it is time to raise your question, praying to Allah for guidance (Guide us to the straight path) and you have previously laid out the reasons for the acceptance.

Al-Fatihah contains acknowledgment and confession for Allah Almighty, that He has the perfection in all aspects, the grace, the favour, and the benevolence, with love and veneration. It includes also acknowledgment of the servant for himself, about his poverty and weakness, and his need to his Lord in religious and worldly matters, with humbleness and submission. This is one of the most important and best type of worship for Allah.

Al-Fatihah calls for achieving the perfect servitude for Allah Almighty, so he advances before his Lord with praise, extolment and glorification, then turns to Him by acknowledging the servitude to Him alone, asking Him for help about it. Since it is necessary in servitude to be sincere to Allah Almighty, and (actions should) be (performed) in accordance with His sharee’ah, and one who seeks help to be strengthened by it, he turns to supplication and asks Allah Almighty for guidance to the straight path. For, it is the way to salvation and to attain the pleasure of Allah and His Paradise. For it is the path of the people of absolute grace, and to avoid the paths of the people of deviation, misguidance, and following whims.

Al-Fatihah includes all three types of monotheism. So, Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l-Sifaat (Oneness of the Divine names and attributes) is evidenced by His saying (الحمد لله) (All praise be to Allah). The affirmation of complete praise to Him requires the affirmation of all the praiseworthy attributes of His perfection and attributes of His majesty that He affirmed for Himself and established for Him by His Messenger-may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him- without denying (their reality), likening (Allah to His creation) and making them similar (to others’ attributes). As for the Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of divine Lordship), it is taken from His saying (رب العالمين) (Lord of the all worlds), so, He is alone in creation, management and blessings. And as for Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Divinity), it is taken from His saying: (إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين) (You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.)  We do not worship but You with love, fear, hope, obedience and veneration, and we do not seek help except in You, trusting, depending and relying (on You). It is also called Tawheed Al-‘Ibaadah (Oneness of worship).

Surat Al-Fatihah is the beginning of mercy, the middle of which, is guidance, and the end of it, is a blessing, The true blessing comes with mercy and guidance. It was reported from Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: that when he prayed Fajr, he would stay in his assembly reading Al-Fatihah and repeating it until the sun rose or the day rose. It is the basis of remembrance and its contemplation leads to the realization of the entire religion that Allah wants.

It contains secrets, sciences, guidance and goodness that has no limit. The word ‘surah’ means the great and lofty status, like a wall. When you cross the wall, it must be opened for you. So, it (Surah Al-Fatihah) must be repeated many times a day and night, like the person who is knocking on the door, is it enough for (him to knock) only one time?

Al-Fatihah began by defining Allah Almighty with His grace, mercy, dominion and glory, and gave four keys to conquests and happiness in both worlds: the key of remembrance, praise, extolment, recommended Adhkar (Remembrance), and seeking forgiveness permanently in: (الحمد لله رب العالمين)  (All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds) - the key of devoting (one's life to Allah), worship and love of the virtues of deeds in: (إياك نعبد)  (You ˹alone˺ we worship) - the key of invocation (with the righteous deeds) and supplication in: (إياك نستعين)  (and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.) - the key to high determination in seeking the truth in: (اهدنا الصراط المستقيم)  (Guide us to the straight path).

In it, the servants are taught to turn to their Creator by presenting the means that their Lord has legislated for them, and to draw close to Him with sincere intentions to establish them on the laws of Islam by holding on to the most trustworthy handhold, and the firm rope of Allah, which His merciful servants adhere to, from the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous, and whose end is from Allah and the other end is in the Gardens of Pleasure.

It has the best and most honourable Dhikr (remembrance) i.e., praise to Allah, thanking Him, extolling Him and glorifying Him with His names and attributes. The greatest thing by which a person draws close to his Lord, Glory be to Him, is remembering and praising Him, knowing their meanings in his heart. So, he has performed the best of deeds, because remembering Allah is better than all other deeds - better than charity and jihad. Allah did not ask for a lot of things like it, and it did not come (a lot) in the Qur’an except with the remembrance.

It comprises the highest demands in heartfelt devotion. The first requirement is the perfection of the love of the Lord, the second requirement is the perfection of desire and hope for mercy, and the third requirement is the perfection of awe and fear. It also includes the principles of attaining guidance (by praise, extolment, glorification, servitude, humbleness, submission, seeking help, and supplication), then came the request for guidance and help to the straight path.

Al-Fatihah included mercy, which is the first word, then the Almighty came with its most special kind, that is the guidance, then came the most specific type of guidance, that is the grace. So, he cannot be guided until Allah has mercy on him, and he cannot be blessed until Allah guides him

It also included teaching and defining the One Who is worshipped (الحمد لله رب العالمين) (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the all Worlds), it is an introduction so that you know Allah, and if you know, then worship Him, then take help from Allah, for, if Allah did not help you, then you would not be able to worship Him (لن تطاع إلا باذنك) (You will not be obeyed except with your permission)[8] (واذن لي بذكره) (And He allowed me to remember Him)[9]. If He, neither accorded him nor helped him, it means He did not allow him?

Allah wanted us that we should be habituated to reading it in our night and day, calling him and begging him with understanding and the presence of a heart for its meanings, so that it should be with us in all our conditions and times in order to make a change in our lives... It collected the meanings of revelation and the purposes of Sharia, so whoever contemplates it, as it requires, all levels of guidance would be opened for him, and everyone will be according to his faith.

The contemplation of Surat Al-Fatihah leads to the position of Al-Ihsan (perfection or benevolence), where the first way to the perfect worship is that a person should concentrate (on worship) with his heart when reciting Al-Fatihah.

If you reflect, you will find the beginning of the surah starts with three things: by remembrance of Divinity, Lordship, and Kingship. These three points are found in the last surah of the Qur’an: {قل أعوذ برب الناس} “Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,” Lordship, {ملك الناس} “The Sovereign of mankind,” the King, {إله الناس} “The God of mankind,” Divinity. These are three attributes of our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, He mentioned them together in one place, in the beginning of the Qur’an; then he mentioned them together in one place in the last of the Qur’an that comes to your ears. It should be known that we are for the Most High and All-Aware, Who did not combine them at the beginning of the Qur’an and then at the end of it, except for what He knows exigency of the servants to know it.

With the lordship of the worlds, the heart of the believer is assured by this Lord Who is worshiped, his soul finds comfort in Him, and he completely submits himself to Him. For, his Lord Whom he worships, is the Lord of All worlds, so, who will come out from His lordship, subjugation and domination? He is also the Master of the Day of Judgment. He owns that day in which everyone will be submissive. He owns the world and the Hereafter, and He is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, we turn in His kindness, proceed to Him, ask Him for His mercy, we turn to Him completely, and our hearts are attached to Him not others, He is merciful to us, He is our Lord, He is our Master, so, to whom do we turn? If we do not turn to Him - Blessed and Most High. He is the One Who created us and brought us about, He is the One Who guided us, and He is the One who told us that He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

The word around which Al-Fatihah revolves, is (اهدنا) (Guide us), So, when the whole nation prays, it asks and calls for guidance. It is, as if all the worshipers are praying for one another, and they have begged Allah Almighty with all kinds of monotheism in order to seek guidance.

We should note that the word ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ “The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” is repeated twice in the surah (بسْمِ الله ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ) (In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful) and the Almighty’s saying:(ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ)  (the Compassionate, the Most Merciful). This makes us aware of the mercy of our Lord, which included the world and the Hereafter... The first word “The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” came after (ٱلْحَمْدُ لله رَبّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ)،  “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the all Worlds.” So the all worlds; this world and others, are moving with the mercy of our Lord Almighty, and the verse مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدّينِ “The Master of the Day of Judgment” has come after the verse (ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ) (The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful) to indicate that the Last Day will also go with the mercy of Allah. This surah reassures one that the origin of the universe is mercy of Allah, and that the origin of Allah’s relationship with His servants is mercy.

In the next surah (Al-Baqarah), the first verse of it, is (هدى للمتقين) (a guidance for those conscious of Allah). He described them with their qualities, then He repeated that they are (على هدى من ربهم) (on guidance from their Lord) as if, there was an answer to the question of the one calling for guidance (اهدنا الصراطالمستقيم) (Guide us to the straight path). The qualities of the guided people mentioned in Surah Al-Fatihah, have also been described in the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, then the second category of (disbelievers) of the verse (إن الذين كفروا) (Indeed, those who disbelieve) has been mentioned in Surah Al-Fatihah in the verse (الضالين) (those who are astray), and in the third category, are the hypocrites (المغضوب عليهم) (those who have earned [Your] anger) because they know the truth and avoid the straight path.

Since the essence of the religion is (servitude and asking for help), so, your religion will not be complete for you unless you complete them. Here, your standing before Allah, is in proportion to your need of Him. The verse وإياك نستعين “You ˹alone˺ we ask for help” is like an introduction to confessing in front the Allah about the need and the question of guidance (for my servant is everything that he asked) What do you want, O My servant? He teaches him to pray for guidance (Guide us to the straight path).

Since the first part of Al-Fatihah includes praise, glorification, and extolment of Allah, and the last of it, includes censure of those who refuse to believe in Him, and acknowledgment of obedience to Him – so, it indicates that the beginning of good deeds, and the title of happiness, is in the turning to Allah the Mighty and Sublime, and the emergence of evils, and the head of transgressions, is in the turning away from Him- Glory be to Him- and being away from His obedience.

Whoever established the meanings of Al-Fatihah in terms of knowledge, learning, action, condition, and reality, has attained human perfection with the most abundant share, and his servitude has become the special servitude of those whose rank is higher than the common worshipers.

It is a surah that includes the meanings of divine perfection. The person (who recites it) evokes the praise of his Lord Almighty and the perfection of his bounty and grace with this great Qur’an. He recognizes the names of God and the attributes that indicate His perfection and majesty, so he increases knowledge, love and closeness of his Lord. Then he confesses to his Lord with right servitude, longs to ascend to the honour of its stages and looks forward to the ranks of those who are close to Him. Here, he seeks help from his Lord bringing up his weakness, his shortcomings, and his need for his Lord in all his circumstances, especially to achieve his servitude as he likes and is pleased with.

It included the lofty demands in the principles of the three heartfelt acts of worship. There is no worship except with the three demands. The first: the love of the Lord (praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds) with the belief that Allah is Lord of the worlds. This is the key to the perfection of love, because souls have been endowed with those who are good to them, and no one is better to humans than their Lord Almighty (يا أيها الناس اعبدوا ربكم الذي خلقكم) (O people, worship your Lord who created you) the second: perfection of desire and hope of everything that He has, and the third: perfection of awe.

Since He, Glory be to Him, knows your weakness and exigency of your worldly life, He commanded you to pray as a channel of communication with Him, Glory be to Him, the Almighty, He taught you how to have a conversation with Al-Fatihah, so the beginning is praise, extolment and glorification, then affirmation, declaration, fulfilment of your servitude to Him and seeking help with Him. Then comes the question and request for guidance and success to Heaven, as He has promised you about acceptance (of your good deeds) when you will be humble and submissive with present heart, sincere intent, broken heart.

What is meant by prayer in His saying, Glory be to Him, in the Qudsi Hadith (قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين)  (I divided the prayer between Me and My servant in two halves),[10] is Al-Fatihah, it is the main essence of prayer which is not valid except with it,  because it is the essence and core of prayer. It has two parts, one is for Allah Almighty and sublime, and one for the servant: three and a half verses, are purely for Allah, and three and a half verses, are purely for the servant, half is read on the earth and half is read from above seven heavens. You should feel…

Surat Al-Fatihah has dealt with four main themes:

1.   The creedal theme: To believe in Allah and distinguishing Him with complete meaning of praise and extolment, as a part of the defining Him -may He be sublime- and also to believe that He is the Benefactor, Remunerator, to Whom we have to return and go back, He has no partner and no equal who is worthy of worship. This theme appears in the Almighty’s saying: (الحمد لله رب العالمين الرحمن الرحيم مالك يوم الدين)([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds, The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.). He -Glory be to Him- is the source of everything that deserves praise. He is the Creator, the Initiator, the Restorer, the Fosterer with all blessings and graces.

2.   The worshipful theme: The noble surah called the worshipers to direct their worship to Allah alone, the Mighty and Sublime, because there is no true Lord except Him. So, it was to eradicate the roots of polytheism and idolatry that had spread throughout the world, and to establish Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Oneness of the Divinity), which is the most important thing for which the religion came. This theme has been represented in the Almighty’s saying:(إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين) (You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.).

3.   The methodological theme: It is the theme, through which, the surah clarifies the path of happiness, it is the method of the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. Whoever adheres to it, will attain the blessings of this world and the Hereafter, and whoever deviates from it, will lose them. This theme has been represented in the Almighty’s saying: (اهدنا الصراط المستقيم) “Guide us to the straight path”.

The conceptual or narrative theme: Through this theme, the noble surah clarified the fate of the monotheists who stood at the limits of Allah Almighty, who took the provisions of His law, and describes the consequence of the polytheists who transgress the limits of Allah Almighty, who reject the provisions of His religion. This topic came summarized in the Almighty’s saying: (صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم غير المغضوب عليهم و لا الضالين)“The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray”.

A person's complete happiness depends on the completion of his scientific, and practical volitional powers, and the completion of scientific power will be achieved only by knowing his Creator and Inventor, by knowing His Names and Attributes, by knowing the path that leads to Him, by knowing its problems, and by knowing himself and his shortcomings. The completion of voluntary practical power can only be achieved by observing His rights -Glory be to Him- over the servant, and doing them with sincerity, truthfulness, honesty, kindness, following (them), witnessing His pledge to him, and his failure to fulfil His right.

The completion of these two powers is only achieved with His help, because, He guides him (His slave) to the straight path, to which He has guided His close servants and special (slaves), and He also protects him from deviation from that path. That is either due to the weakness in his scientific power that can make him astray, or due to the weakness in his practical power, which can cause His wrath upon him.

His -the Almighty- saying: {الحمد لله رب العالمين. الرحمن الرحيم. مالك يوم الدين}   {Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the all worlds, the Most compassionate, the Most Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment” includes the first principle, which is the knowing the Lord Almighty and knowing His Names, Attributes and Actions.

His saying: {إيّاك نعبد و إيّاك نستعين}  “You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.” implies knowing the path that leads to Him, and that it is nothing but worshiping Him alone with what He loves and is pleased with, and seeking His help to worship Him.

His saying: {اهدنا الصراط المستقيم}  {Guide us to the straight path} explains that the servant has no way to happiness except by being steadfast on the straight path, and that there is no way for him to be upright on the path except with His guidance.

His saying:  { غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالّين}   {not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.} includes the both groups who have been deviated from the straight path. The deviation of one of the two groups, is the deviation that leads to the misguidance, which caused by the corruption of knowledge and belief, and the deviation of the other group, is the deviation that leads to the anger which caused by the corruption of intention and action.

The beginning of the surah is mercy, its middle of it, is guidance, and its end is a blessing. The servant's portion of grace is according to his portion of guidance, and his portion of it (guidance) is according to his portion of mercy, so, it all came back to His grace and mercy. The grace and mercy are the essential parts of his Lordship, so, He is only merciful and gracious, these (attributes) are the best evidences of His divinity, for, He is the true God, though the deniers deny Him and the polytheists avoid Him. Whoever fulfils the meanings of Al-Fatihah in terms of knowledge, action, and condition, he has succeeded completely with the most abundant share, and his servitude has become like the servitude of those whose rank is higher than the common worshipers, this is Allah (alone) Whose help can be sought.

 

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Part One

Praise and Tawassul (Seeking to approach Allah)
 

In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

I start asking Allah for help

The word Allah includes the meanings of all beautiful names of Allah, and denotes them in general, it includes the perfection of majesty and beauty which indicates the divinity which is the worship with ultimate love, veneration and submission.

Allah is the one Whom the hearts deify in greatness and submission, yearn for Him with love, longing and nostalgia in order to see Him, become at ease with His remembrance and resort to Him in the times of need and calamities. (وأسالك لذة النظر إلى وجهك الكريم والشوق إلى لقائك) (I ask You for the pleasure of seeing Your Honourable Face and the longing to meet You).[11]

Allah is the one in Whom the minds wonder, so they cannot encompass Him in their knowledge and cannot come to know about His being and reality except with what He-the Glorified- has explained in His book. When they are amazed at some of His creatures, so what about His being, the Mighty and Sublime. The intellect is unable to realize the essence of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime ( ولا يحيطون به علما)  (but they cannot encompass Him in ˹their˺ knowledge.) (Surah Taha 110)

Allah is the God Who is worshiped and deserves to be worshipped alone, (هل تعلم له سميا) (Do you know of anyone equal to Him ˹in His attributes˺?”), (Surah Maryam 65) the mind and thought are amazed at the realities of His attributes and at the wondrousness of His creatures, the hearts do not find comfort except with His remembrance, the servants have no refuge in calamities except to Him, He is the One Who ascended and established Himself on the Throne, He is alone, Glory be to Him, worthy of deification, devotion, and asceticism.

Allah is the name that includes the oneness of Allah in the actions of the heart by the servant, such as fear and trust, and outward actions such as prayer, slaughter, charity etc.

Allah is the name that carries the sense of the perfection of His Lordship and Mercy, implying that His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things.

If the heart of the servant contemplates these great meanings of the name (Allah), it would necessitate for him to find tranquillity in his Lord, to resort to Him, to stop the mind from thinking about Himself in order to reflect on His Names and Attributes, and to think about His great creatures.

The believing hearts are about to burst due to their excessive love for Him and their attachment to Him; it is one of those things that cause the connection of these hearts to Him alone, not to anyone else, so the body does not fail to serve Him, the tongue does not get tired of remembering Him, and it completely necessitates the servant’s submission, humbleness and obedience to his Master, and it also makes him place His pleasure over everyone and everything else.

How can the majesty of this great, glorious name, be counted, which has from every perfection, the most perfect, the highest, the widest, and the greatest? Whenever this name was remembered a little, it made it abundant, (when it was remembered) at the time of fear, it took it away, at the time of anguish, it removed it, at the time of destress, it released it, and at the time of hardship, it turned it away. When the weak attached himself to it, it strengthened him, when the humiliated person got close to it, it gave him honour, and when the poor got attached to it, it made him rich. Through it, the blessings descend, supplications are accepted, ranks are raised, good deeds are elicited, and bad deeds are repelled. There is nothing greater than the majesty of (Allah), the Blessed and Exalted.

When the believer knows that Allah Almighty is characterized by this great name, he should fulfil His right of worship, which is the perfection of love with perfection of humiliation and veneration. There is nothing better for the servant, nor more delicious, nor beneficial, nor more pleasant for his life and for his heart, than His love, the continual remembrance of Him with his tongue and heart, striving for His pleasure, and reverence and submission to Him, outwardly and inwardly.

The attributive name Al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate), is the possessor of mercy encompassing all creation, it is a name derived from the attribute of mercy that exists in Him, Glory be to Him, He has characterized Himself with it.  The attributive name Al-Rahim (the Most Merciful), is the One having the continuing mercy, for He, Glory be to Him, gives mercy to His creation, and it is for the believers exclusively. The attributive name Al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate) is an adjective, and the attributive name Al-Rahim (the Most Merciful) is a verb, as His mercy encompasses the things and includes all living things, so, all of the blessings that they have, are from the effects of His mercy.

The name Allah and the attributive name Al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate): You should feel the greatness of Allah Almighty and settle in yourself the vastness of Allah’s mercy as he has paired his name with the grace of vast mercy. So, be optimistic, assured and think positively of your Lord, in your hardship that Allah will release you and in your pleasure that He will perpetuate His mercy and grace on you.

The attributive name Al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate): The encompassing mercy (ورحمتي وسعت كل شيء فسأكتبها للذين يتقون ) (but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me), (Surah Al-Aaraf 156) it indicates fullness of the attribute, but it does not indicate its perpetuity (Drowsy, so when he sleeps, his drowsiness goes away). God’s mercy on the people of the world, of the all kinds of the creature, will be taken away from them on the Day of Resurrection, because on the Day of Resurrection there will be a general wrath.

The attributive name Al-Rahim (the Most Merciful), contains the mercy that is given to His servants, it is His action, the Most High, which He does whenever He wills, and to whom His mercy has reached, will continue with him in this world and the Hereafter (وكان بالمؤمنين رحيما)   (For He is ever Merciful to the believers) (Surah Al-Ahzab 43) (إنه هو البر الرحيم)   (Verily, He is the Most Kind and Most Merciful) (Surah Al-Tur 28)  (سلام قول من رب رحيم) ([And] "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord) (Surah Yasin 53), it indicates permanence (of it i.e. His mercy) even in the Hereafter (لا يحزنهم الفزع الأكبر) (They will not be grieved by the greatest terror) (Surah Al-Ambiya 103)  (نزلا من غفور رحيم) (As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful) (Surah Fussilat 32)

To begin it with the “Basmalah” (in the name of Allah) means a request for help from Allah alone, hoping for the blessings from Him, indicating the perfection of Allah’s divinity, the Mighty and Sublime, Who has the mercy. Therefore, the Muslim begins with it in all his life affairs, seeking help and trust (from Him).

The letter Ba’ is to accompany and to ask for help, i.e., I go along with the majesty of Allah’s names throughout the life. The majesty of Your names (O Allah) is in my heart. It is asking Allah for help, so that He may open your heart to understanding the secrets of the Surah, it is asking Allah for help so that He may open for you its lights that are full of mercies, to fill your heart with faith and certainty so that you obtain the treasures hidden in it.

When you come to interact with anything in the universe, you have to begin with the name of Allah, who has subjected this thing for you because you have no control over a particular thing of the universe to force it through your power to respond to you or to serve you, and because you have no power and no knowledge, So when you approach it, you remember Allah’s gift to you, mention His name on Every deed that you do and remember Allah’s blessing upon you in subjugating that thing to you, so your remembrance of His name has guaranteed you the reward of remembering Allah’s blessing.

Saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah), likewise, raises modesty in the disobedient to Allah when he begins an action, so let your disobedience to Him not prevent you from starting every action in His name, He is the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful (that is, you live your life with manifestations of mercy). And when you begin by saying in the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, a deed with a goal and a result, then if the goal bears fruit, it would be appropriate to receive this result by saying, “Praise be to Allah.”

Allah and Al-Rahman are the pillars of Allah’s most Beautiful Names (قل ادعو الله او ادعو الرحمن) (Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān].) (Surah Al-Isra 110) The names of majesty refer to Allah, which bring perfect fear, and the Names of Beauty refer to Al-Rahman the Most Compassionate), which evoke perfection of hope (ورحمتي سبقت غضبي) (My mercy excels My wrath)[12] So, the names of Allah do not exit from the ambits of Majesty and Beauty (يدعون ربهم خوفا طمعا) (they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration), (Surah Al-Sajda 16), i.e., with His Names.

All the names of God Almighty are included in (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). So, whoever says them, he has mentioned Allah with all His names, for the Most Merciful is an attribute of mercy, that carries hope, and the word of Majesty “Allah” is an attribute of divinity that carries fear.

When we begin with the Basmalah (in the name of Allah), it becomes clear to us that all our actions and behaviours should be based on two foundations: fear of Him and greed for what He has. And both foundations do not exist except after knowledge of Him and the perfection of His love in the heart. So, whoever knows Allah by His Names and Attributes, his heart would get attached to Him with love, fear and hope, and deification is the perfection of love, longing and kindness.

As the love in the Creator increases, the fear of Him increases and the hope in Him gets more, because if the Beloved avoids, the one who loves Him, fears Him, and if He (the beloved) comes forward the lover gets greedy of His approach (والذين آمنوا أشد حبا لله) (But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah). [Surah Al-Baqarah: 165]

The mercy of Allah Almighty to His creation is of two types: mercy to all creation; believers, unbelievers, and all other creatures, His mercy encompasses everything, and the second is a mercy that is specific to the believers, it is the highest and most precious, because with it the light of faith is completed and the servant is graded in the Heavens.

It (the Surah Al-Fatihah) began with the Basmalah (in the name of Allah) here, it is not the verse of Surah Al-Fatihah according to the correct view as it has been prescribed for the worshiper to read it, it is an independent verse from the Holy Qur’an, and it is its first occurrence in the Mus’haf (the Quran).

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الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds

(My slave has praised Me)[13]

This is the magnificence of the beginning (of Surah Al-Fatihah), and the good praise for the Creator of the universe and the Manager of its matters, Who created and provided sustenance, and showered kindness with the generality of His mercy and His bounty, to Him the creatures go for the account as an appropriate recompense. The essence of praise is to praise Him, Glory be to Him, by remembrance of His great attributes and beautiful actions, which bring forth the love and submission of the heart.

Praise be to Allah for the manifestation of His authority, for His entitlement to His Majesty and Beauty, to Him be gratitude for his abundant benevolence, abundant bounties, and exalted kindness. Allah’s Praise, Glory be to Him, for His Exalted Existence, is due to the attributes of His perfection, and the creation’s praise for Him, is for His bounties, majesty, and the beauty of His worthiness of the attributes of exaltation, and His response to the attributes of glory and sublimity.

This initiation has a conclusion that there must be a praise in this universe in an innate way so that the humanity should receive the torrent of blessings that overflow on the creatures, and (the praise should be from them because of) the material causes, animals and plants that are subjected to them, for their benefit and livelihood.

Al-hamdu Lillah (All praise be to Allah) (Al) denotes comprehensiveness in as much as this praise is directed exclusively to Allah Almighty with all kinds of praises, what we know of them and what we do not know, for Him alone, Who has no partner. It is correct to use the word “Kull” (All) instead of that (the letter “Al”).

The letter “Lam” in (لله “to Allah”), is denoting the entitlement to all aspects and types of praise, and no one deserves it, in this great, pure, and comprehensive way except Allah. Everything that comes after praise is due to Him, so, He is God, He is the Lord of the all worlds, He is the Most Compassionate, He is the Most Merciful, and He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is worthy of praise and deserves it because of His majesty, beauty and perfection, Glory and praise be to Him.

“Al-Hamdu” (all praise) is the complete praise for the favour and the comprehensive description of absolute perfection. It is acknowledging, before Allah, shortcomings, poverty, need for Him, and thanking Him for His blessings and kindness to His servants.

“Al-hamdu Lillah” (All Praise be to Allah), is for deserving and specializing, for He, the Most High, is worthy of all types of praise and all kinds of complete extolment in all respects to Himself and His perfect Lordship over His creation, for His Names, Attributes and Actions, His creation, His blessings, His guidance, His decree and His destiny.

Allah Almighty’s beginning the surah with the praise of Himself teaches us that no one can reach the perfection of His praise, and no one can count His praise except He, the Most High, so that He educates His servants as to how to praise Him (لا أحصي ثناء عليك) (I cannot count Your praises).[14]

“Al-hamdu Lillah” (All Praise be to Allah), it is the feeling that is received by thought, settles in the conscience, and overflows with the heart of the believer, then radiates into all his organs in forms of deeds and thankfulness. So, the blessing is for all your being (تقشعر منه جلود الذين يخشون ربهم ثم  تلين جلودهم و قلوبهم إلى ذكر الله ذلك هدى الله يهدي به من يشاء ومن يضلل الله فما له من هاد ) (The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance [i.e., mention] of Allah.). (Surah Al-Zuamr 23) Then the circle expands outside you, so the movement of life gets in harmony with what has settled in your belief, and nothing comes out of you except as per the method of Allah which He has approved.

Allah is the one who deserves to be praised in His Essence because of His virtues, perfections and His actions that revolve between virtue and justice. Even though the virtues do not reach you, His Essence, the Mighty and Sublime, deserves to be praised before He created the creation (بديع السماوات والأرض)   (˹He is˺ the Originator of the heavens and the earth!). (Surah Al-Baqrah 117) He deserves to be looked at by His creation with admiration, praise, glorification and praise because he has created something without an example. So, how if you receive something from this Divine Essence through the flow of lordship of the blessings that preceded your existence and the present blessings that you are in or that await you with mercy in the Hereafter (وقالوا الحمد لله الذي هدانا لهذا) (Praise be to Allah Who has guided us to this). (Surah Al-Aaraf 43)

He is the Lord of the worlds, so, beware of thinking that one of the worlds that serve you, O man, will fail to serve you, because their forelock is in His hand, there is no god for them but Him (لذهب كل إله بما خلق)  (Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created,), (Surah Al-Muminun 91) for it is the lordship of mercy, not of power. 

Praise be to Allah because He is God in His perfection and because He is the Lord of the worlds for the abundance of blessing from Him to His creation… Your existence as a human being, since beginning and before your existence (لم يكن شيئا مذكورا) (each human is nothing yet worth mentioning) (Surah Al-Insan 1) is nothing but an abundance of divine grace that brings forth gratitude, praise and extolment and overflows on limbs to mingle with existence in the form of love and mercy with those around you.

Al-Hamdu Lillah (All Praise be to Allah) is the recognition of grace, that you should praise Allah, glorify Him, thank Him for His gifts, remember Him and glorify Him in all His Names, because whoever is praised, he is not praised except for perfection and for the attributes of the beauty and majesty, and to Allah are affirmed all His names, what is known of them and what is not known.

The opening of the Holy Book with Praise is an indication that this word is the most comprehensive word in describing the perfection of Allah the Mighty and Sublime, and that praise is one of the most complete types of remembrance, and that the first thing that people receive from the word of their Lord, is the word of praise, so it settles in their souls. The surah is based on it, in terms of its indication to the perfection of Allah Almighty signifying that He deserves the servitude and guides the servants until they begin to praise Allah Almighty, extol Him, and glorify Him in all their situations.

Al-Hamdu (All Praise) is to inform about the kindness and merits of the One Who is praised due to love for Him. His benevolences, the Exalted, are either self-existing or manifest in His creatures.

Al-Hamdu (All Praise) is the description of the praiseworthy with the attributes of perfection due to love and veneration.  If it is not with love and veneration, then it will be considered hypocrisy, showing off, lying, flattery and reprehensible praise. It is complete praise to Allah Almighty in His Essence, Attributes and Actions, because He is the Creator and Owner of all creation, the Controller of their affairs and their Educator with His general and specific blessings.

Al-Hamdu (All Praise) is the description of His attributes of perfection, Glory be to Him and Exalted, along with His love and contentment with Him. The silent lover or extoller without love cannot praise until the love and praise get together for him.

Al-Hamdu (All Praise) is better than Tasbeeh (glorifying Allah), rather, it takes the place of Tasbeeh (glorifying Allah), because it contains praise from the meaning of glorification, that is declaring Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, (to be far above any shortcoming or fault). As for Al-Hamd, it is an addition to exaltation, which is the affirmation of every perfection of the Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, in action, description, name, and declaration of His freedom from all evils, faults, and shortcomings. Since the glorification is an exaltation, so, it comes often accompanied by either praise or one of the names of Allah, the Most High, the Great (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him). Likewise, Al-Hamdu means praising Allah and giving thanks to Him, this is an exaltation of Him and an acknowledgment that He deserves to be exalted, glorified and praised, because, He is not deserving of praise unless He is free from any shortcoming. Praise and glorification be for Allah.

Al-Hamdu (All Praise) is the most general of knowledge and the broadest of sciences, it includes all the attributes of His perfection and attributes of His majesty, the Mighty and Sublime, along with His love and submission, as it includes His wisdom in all His actions and commands, He is praised, Glory be to Him, in all circumstances, and over all that He created and legislated. Whoever fills his heart with praise, his balance will be filled with it on the day when he will meet his Master. He (the prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said (والحمد لله تملأُ الميزان) (‘Al-hamdu lillah (all praise and gratitude belong to Allah’ fills the scales,),[15] “O God, our Lord, to Thee be the praise in all the heavens and all the earth, and all that it pleases Thee to create afterwards, All praise is due to You until You are pleased, All praise is due to You when You are pleased, and All praise is due to You after You are pleased.

He began with a description of divinity (الحمد لله) (All Praise be to Allah) before specifying the description of the gift of Lordship (رب العالمين)  (Lord of the worlds) although the latter is more attached to the interest of the servants and related in a more complete way to favours to them, it indicates that divinity is a mandate and in fact it is a blessing worthy of praise with a method that straightens his life (الرحمن علم القرآن)  (the Compassionate taught the Qur’an) (Surah Al-Rahman 1-2)and because it necessitates the reward in the Hereafter, it is an extension of your true life in the He