Why is 1st chapter of Quran Surah Al Fatiha called the Mother of the Quran?

Surah Al-Fatiha is the first complete Surah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). Its importance is directly mentioned in the Quran, where Allah says:

“We have given you the seven verses that are worthy of recitation over and over again (Surah Al-Fatiha) and the glorious Quran.” (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayah 87)

The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) emphasized its uniqueness, stating that no other revelation in Allah’s divine books compares to Surah Al-Fatiha (Bukhari). This Surah holds a special place in every prayer (Salah) and is a source of guidance, healing, and mercy.

Meaning and detail Tafseer and explanation of each seven Verses of Surah Al Fatiha

Verse 1

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Meaning:

All praise and thanks belong to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

Explanation:

All Praise Belongs to Allah

All praise and thanks truly belong to Allah. His greatness and kindness do not depend on whether people praise Him or not.

He is the Rabb—the Owner, Master, and Caretaker of everything. He provides, protects, and keeps everything alive.

Allah gives countless blessings to all people, no matter where they are or who they are.

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Verse 2

ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Meaning:

Always loving and caring, now and forever.

Explanation:

The Mercy of Allah: Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem

Ar-Rahman means Allah is extremely merciful, loving, and caring right now, but this mercy is temporary and can be taken away.

Ar-Raheem means Allah’s mercy is constant and never-ending, though it may not always be extreme or immediate.

Allah has both these qualities at the same time, showing His mercy from every angle. His kindness is beyond human imagination.

According to Ibne Abbas (RA), Ar-Rahman is for everyone in this world, while Ar-Raheem is for the believers in the eternal Hereafter.

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Verse 3

مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

Meaning:

The Absolute King and Owner of the Day of Judgment.

Explanation:

On the Day of Judgment, Allah alone will be the Judge, and He will have complete control over time. With His infinite justice and wisdom, He will reward or punish every individual based on their deeds.

Every soul will stand individually before Allah, answering for their actions. This world is not meant for complete justice—it is impossible for humans to deliver true fairness.

For example, if a person unjustly kills multiple people, the best human justice can do is to punish them once. But what about the other victims? Only Allah has the power to bring the wrongdoer back to life and punish them repeatedly as needed.

Even when justice is served, the suffering of the victim’s family remains. No human system can fully compensate for such losses. But on the Day of Judgment, Allah will ensure absolute justice, bringing peace to those who were denied fairness in this world.

Since Allah controls time, the Day of Judgment will feel like 50,000 years (Quran 70:4), proving His power over all things.

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Verse 4

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Meaning: We worship You alone with full devotion, now and always. We seek Your help alone in all our struggles, now and forever.

Explanation:

This Ayah is our declaration that we are slaves of Allah, giving up our independence to Him. True freedom comes only when we submit to Allah alone.

Many people become slaves to their desires, fashion, entertainment, society, and false ideologies. But real independence is when we live only to please Allah, without worrying about anything else.

In this Ayah, we ask for help, but we do not specify what kind of help. This is because:

1. Allah already knows what we need.
2. Our needs are endless and cannot be listed.
3. We are desperate and just cry out for help.

The most important help we seek is to remain true slaves of Allah, as we cannot achieve this without His guidance and support.

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Verse 5

ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Meaning: Guide us to the right path that leads to success and goodness.

Explanation:

Believing in Allah, His Oneness, and showing gratitude is natural for a good-hearted person because Allah has placed a natural instinct (Fitrah) in every human.

Once we declare ourselves as slaves of Allah, the next question is: What should we do as His slaves? We need guidance to follow His commands in every part of life.

What is Guidance?

In Arabic, guidance means more than just showing the right path. It includes:

• Explaining the right way.
• Helping us understand it fully.
• Filling our hearts and minds with complete satisfaction about this path.

The greatest blessing a person can receive from Allah is true guidance.

Guidance comes only from Allah

Even Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could inspire people but could not give guidance. Only Allah can do that.Guidance is given only to those who ask for it repeatedly (like in every Salah).Unlike other blessings, guidance is not automatic—it must be sought constantly.

Guidance can be taken Away

Guidance is not permanent. It can increase, decrease, or even be taken away if we do not value it. Even the Prophet (PBUH) asked for guidance daily.

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Verse 6

صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

Meaning: The straight path of those whom You have blessed and guided with Your favors.

Explanation:

After asking for guidance, we need examples of those whom Allah has already guided. This refers to past role models, not present ones. These include prophets, truthful believers (Siddiqeen), martyrs, and the righteous (Salaheen). They made efforts, and Allah guided them to the straight path.

Verse 7

غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

Meaning: Not the people who faced Allah’s anger nor those who went astray.

Explanation:

Allah tells us not to follow these two groups.

1. Those who received anger – They knew the truth but denied it. Allah’s anger is on them, and others are also angry with them because they misled people.
2. Those who are lost – They never tried to find the truth and followed their own beliefs instead.

These groups existed before and still exist today. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) explained that Jews knew the truth but denied it, while Christians followed their own ideas without seeking the truth. This is about behaviors, not labeling people. Anyone who knowingly rejects or ignores the truth falls into these categories. Allah leaves no excuse—if you know the truth, accept it; if you don’t, seek it.

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What are the benefits of reciting Surah Al-Fatiha?

*Brings guidance and mercy from Allah.

*Protects from evil and diseases.

*Strengthens faith and increases connection with Allah.

*Healing Surah (Shifa) for spiritual and physical ailments.

Conclusion

Surah Al-Fatiha is a powerful supplication for guidance, and Allah has given us the Quran as the answer. May Allah help us understand this Surah and keep us firm on the straight path. Ameen!

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