Al-FATIHA

Towards a method for understanding the meanings of the Holy Qur’an by analysing its verses according to the language of the Arabs and their methods of speaking, as Arabs understood them at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an.

(Note: In brackets are sub-matters or meanings derived from the general meanings of the verse in the light of linguistic analysis, and red colour is used to distinguish it from the meaning in the light of linguistic analysis)

Surat Al-Fatiha

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ١ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٣ مَٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ ٤ إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ ٥ ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ٦ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ٧

The meaning in the light of linguistic analysis:

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيم

1- I read the Surah with the help of Allah, whom is described as the most Merciful (Rahman), who mastered with his mercy the creation of everything to perform the job it’s intended to do, and whom is described as the Compassionate (Raheem), who made the job of everything he created within the limits of his ability and his capability.

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

2- Allah is always worthy of praise, with glorification, mightiness, and impeccability, whom is described as the master of all varieties of his creation, their guardian, the owner of their existing, the custodian of them, the manager of their affairs, the granter of all varieties of grace on them, and the one in charge of their upbringing, care and reform.

ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

3- The one whom is described as the most “Merciful”, with total mercy for his creation, whose mercy has expanded everything, (The most Merciful “Rahman” is a description limited only to Allah the Almighty, and it is not permissible to use it for others, and this is an indication that this description of Allah the Almighty is related to creation and existence. Allah the Almighty created with his mercy the heavens and earth and everything within them. He created human with his mercy, and subjected everything in the heavens and earth with his mercy for the sake of human; to sustain his livelihood and the continuation of his life on earth) and whom is described as the most Compassionate, with total compassion, kindness and mercifulness for his Creation (Kindness and compassion in (the Most Compassionate) indicates that this description of Allah the Almighty is related to his compassion and mercifulness for his creation by finding ways for guidance for them in this worldly life to his oneness (the believe there is only one God), the devotion of worship to him, and the believe in his messengers and what was revealed to them. One of the ways of guidance to them is sending prophets and messengers with revelations of the holy books)

مَٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ

4- The one whom is described as the owner and the master of the day of reckoning and retribution, its king, who possesses everything in it, and on this day to him only is the Judgment and retribution, and his commands and rules are effective in it. (The mention of the attributes of Allah after praising him with glorification, mightiness, and impeccability, indicates that Allah with all these attributes deserves praising, glorifying and exalting by his creation)

إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ

5- O our Lord, we worship only you alone by obedience and submission to you, we do not join anyone with you in obedience and submission, and we ask you alone for help in your obedience and submission, the help with our livelihood, and the help with all matters of our life, and we do not seek help from anyone but you only. ( The verse (O our Lord, we worship only you alone and seek help only from you alone) after mentioning the attributes of Allah (in the previous verses), denotes that the one who is described with all these attributes deserves to be worshipped alone by those who are required to know and worship him, devoting worshipping to him, seeking help from him, and depending on Him alone for their needs)

ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ

6- O our Lord, we ask you to show and guide us the religion, for which you revealed the Qur’an to expound and explain its rules, laws, commandments and divine knowledge. The religion that is described as moderate, level and straight, and which does not have the smallest deviation from the truth. The religion that manages all people’s affairs and life’s matters. The religion which is proven and settled to be the last of the religions you revealed to people, which you show, guide and explain to us. (The meaning of the word (guide us) indicates that the person who asks should exert effort to understand the meanings of the Qur’an that Allah revealed, expounding and explaining its rules, laws, commandments and divine knowledges.)

صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

7- That is: we ask you to show and guide us the religion of those whom you have given them the blessing of Muhammad being a messenger from you to them, and giving them the grace of the Qur’an expounding and explaining its rules, laws, commandments and divine knowledges. Not those whom you described as you were displeased and angry with.(Those whom Allah was displeased and angry with are those who deny the prophecy of Muhammad (PBUH), knowingly that he is the Messenger of Allah, and they deny the Qur’an knowingly that it is the book of Allah, which was revealed to his Messenger Muhammad). Not those whom you described as having deviated from your oneness and the devotion of worship to you.

(Those who have deviated from the oneness of Allah and the devotion of worship to him, are those who obeyed anyone such as prophets, scholars, rabbis, priests, and popes, other than Allah, and made them in obedience and subjugation at an equal status as Allah.)