Questions over Surah Al-Fatiha summary

1. Surat "Al-Fatiha" is also called "Umm-ul-Ketab', and has been prescribed on Muslims to be read at least 17 times daily (in Salah), why?
2. Some of Allah's most beautiful and most important names and attributes have been mentioned in Surat "Al-Fatiha", what are they? Explain the meaning of each.
3. Explain the difference in meaning between the name "Allah" and "Rabb-ul-A'alameen".
4. On the contrary of the normal concept of slavery among humans, what makes the exclusive slavery to Allah (SWT) actually an honor for any human being?
5. What are the main components of "Tawheed" (the belief in the oneness of Allah)?
6. What are the different channels or levels of guidance that one should seek?

Summary of Surah Al-Fatitha - The Opening

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Surat Al Hamd

1. The high aims of a Muslim in this life are six, and this surah Allah has put forward the definition of each as follows:

I. Defining Allah as the divine and the:

• only deity rightly worthy of worship,
• the only one to be asked for help and support is the Rabb; the creator, sustainer, the Sovereign, Ruler of all worlds.
• the only one to be asked for guidance and direction is The most merciful, the most compassionate.

II. Defining what is the day of recompense and accountability.

III. Proving the prophethood.

IV. Defining what is guidance to the straight path and what are its levels.

V. Defining what is the straight path of this life in comparison to that one of the second life.

VI. Defining those whom Allah has bestowed on them his grace in comparison to those who earned the wrath of Allah and those who went astray.

2. The surah has built the fundamental connections between the creator and the creation as follows:

• Allah = Divine, deity only you we worship
• Rabb= Provider, Sovereign only from you we ask for help
• Rahman/Rahim= infinitely merciful Guide and direct us on the straight path
• Maliki/Malik= The Master of the Day of Recompense Straight path defined

3. The surah included all kind of tawheed in a condensed form and in a detailed form:

• all praise be to Allah alone is the condensed form (Tawheed al- Hamd).
• Allah is praised as a deity, praised as a creator, praised as a sustainer, praised as merciful and compassionate, and praised as a Master of the hereafter.
• The one name (Allah) and three attributes (Rabb, Rahman/Rahim, and Maliki) are the detailed form.( توحيد الأولهيه، توحيد الربوبيه، وتوحيد الأسماء والصفات)

4. The pillars of Hamd ( praise) are here:

• He is praised by his beautiful and perfect attributes,
• He is adored, loved and pleased with.
• He is the only one we surrendered to in submission and obedience.

So, one can not praise him if his attributes being denied, or his love was not inculcated in the heart or if you reject to submit to his will.

5. The Guidance that we ask for is six levels.

• Inborn guidance (Fitrah), given upon birth. هداية الفطرة
• Proof and clarity of the truth and the clarity of the falsehood, this is included in the message and in the Quran.هداية البيان والدلالة
• The complete knowing and comprehensive understanding of the truth and the falsehood, Those have acquired the knowledge of the truth, we will increase their Iman and Huda.والذين اهتدوا زادهم هدى( هداية العمل القائم على العلم )
• The desire to follow all that we know sincerely openly and secretly.تهاونا وكسلا
• The ability to stand upright as Allah commanded us in sayings, actions, heartedlyهداية الاستقامة كما أمر الله قولا وعملا وظاهرا وباطنا
• The continuity and consistency until the day of our last breath.هاية الإدامة والثبات
• The call to the Deen and the strength to defend it حب هداية الآخرين والذود عن الحق

6. The surah has made it clear that the best intercessors to us are two:

• His names and attributes in a praising way
• The act of worship as a practical aspect of Tawheed ( oneness of Allah)

No request proceeded with these requirements will be denied by Allah.

7. The term of worship combines two pillars:

• The ultimate love, you are willingly knowingly submitting in obedience and love to him.
• The ultimate humbleness, submission, and obedience

8. Asking he help of Allah has two components:

• Complete trust in him, no one ask for help from someone that without trust
• Total dependence on him no one ask for help from someone that co not be relied on

9. The surah has categorized mankind into three categories;

• Those whom Allah has bestowed on the his favors: Knew Allah, his names and attributes, his actions and negating all imperfections and defects, knew his Deen and his Sovereignty, and practice accordingly
• Those who earned the wrath of Allah, who knew the truth and not practicing it
• Those who went astray who practice without knowledge the truth.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ﴿:1:1

(1:1) In the name of Allah, the Merciful, and the Compassionate

1. One of the many practices taught by Islam is that its followers should begin their activities in the name of God. This principle, if consciously and earnestly followed, will necessarily yield three beneficial results.

First, one will be able to restrain oneself from many misdeed, since the habit of pronouncing the name of God is bound to make one wonder when about to commit some offence how such an act can be reconciled with the saying of God's holy name.

Second, if a man pronounces the name of God before starting good and legitimate tasks, this act will ensue that both his starting point and his mental orientation are sound.

Third - and this is the most important benefit - when a man begins something by pronouncing God's name, he will enjoy God's support and succour; God will bless his efforts and protect him from the machinations and temptation of Satan. For whenever man turns to God, God turns to him as well.

اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ﴿1:2﴾ (1:2) Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the entire universe.

2. As we have already explained, the character of this surah is that of a prayer. The prayer begins with praise of the One to whom our prayer is addressed. This indicates that whenever one prays one ought to pray in a dignified manner. It does not become a cultivated person to blurt out his/her petition. Refinement demands that our requests should be preceded by a wholehearted acknowledgement of the unique position, infinite benevolence and unmatched excellence of the One to Whom we pray. Whenever we praise someone, we do so for two reasons.

First, because excellence calls for praise, irrespective of whether that excellence has any direct relevance to us or not.

Second, we praise one who, we consider to be our benefactor; when this is the case our praise arises from a deep feeling of gratitude. God is worthy of praise on both counts. It is incumbent on us to praise Him not only in recognition of His infinite excellence but also because of our feeling of gratitude to Him, arising from our awareness of the blessings He has lavished upon us. It is important to note that what is said here is not merely that praise be to God, but that all praise be to God alone. Whenever there is any beauty, any excellence, any perfection-in whatever thing or in whatever shape it may manifest itself- its ultimate source is none other than God Himself. No human beings, angels, Demigods, heavenly bodies-in short, no created beings-are possessed of an innate excellence; where excellence exists, it is a gift from God. Thus, if there is anyone at all whom we ought to adore and worship, to whom we ought to feel indebted and grateful, towards whom we should remain humble and obedient; it is the creator of excellence, rather than its possessor.

3. In Arabic the word Rabb has three meanings:

• Lord and Master;
• Sustainer, Provider, Supporter, Nourisher and Guardian,
• Sovereign, Ruler, He Who controls and directs.

God is the Rabb of the universe in all three meanings of the term.

َالرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ﴿1:3﴾ (1:3)

(1:3) The Merciful, the Compassionate.

4. Whenever we are deeply impressed by the greatness of something we try to express our feelings by using superlatives. If the use of one superlative does not do full justice to our feelings, we tend to re-emphasize the extraordinary excellence of the object of our admiration by adding a second superlative of nearly equivalent meaning.* This would seem to explain the use of the word Rahim following Rahman. The form of the word Rahman connotes intensity. Yet God's mercy and beneficence towards His creatures is so great, so extensive and of such an infinite nature that no one word, however strong its connotation, can do it full justice. The epithet Rahim was therefore added to that of Rahman.

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ﴿1:4﴾ (1:4) The Master of the Day of Recompense.

5. God will be the Lord of the Day when all generations of mankind gather together on order to render an account of their conduct, and when each person will be finally rewarded or punished for his deeds. The description of God as Lord of the Day of Judgement following the mention of his benevolence and compassion indicates that we ought to remember another aspect of God as well-namely, that He will judge us all, that He is so absolutely powerful, that on the Day of Judgement no one will have the power either to resist the enforcement of punishments that He decrees or to prevent anyone from receiving the rewards that He decides to confer. Hence, we ought not only to love Him for nourishing and sustaining us and for His compassion and mercy towards us, but should also hold Him in awe because of His justice, and should not forget that our ultimate happiness or misery rests completely with Him.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ ﴿1:5﴾ (1:5) You alone do we worship, and You alone do we turn for help.

6. The term ibadah is used in three senses:

• (i) Worship and adoration;
• (ii) Obedience and submission; and
• (iii) service and subjection. In this particular context the term carries all these meanings simultaneously. In other words, we say to God that we worship and adore Him, that we are obedient to Him and follow His will, and also that we are His servants. Moreover man is so bound to none save God, that none but He, may be the subject of man's worship and total devotion, of man's unreserved obedience, of man's absolute subjection and servitude.

7. Not only do we worship God, but our relationship with Him is such that we turn to Him alone for help and succour. We know that He is the Lord of the whole universe and that He alone is the Master of all blessings and benefactions. Hence, in seeking the fulfillment of our needs we turn to Him alone. It is towards Him alone that we stretch forth our hands when we pray and supplicate. It is in Him that we repose our trust. It is therefore to Him alone that we address our request for true guidance.

اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ﴿1:6﴾ (1:6) Direct us on to the Straight Way.

8. We beseech God to guide us in all walks of life to a way which is absolutely true, which provides us with a properly-based outlook and sound principles of behavior, a way which will prevent our succumbing to false doctrines and adopting unsound principles of conduct, a way that will lead us to our true salvation and happiness. This is man's prayer to God as he begins the study of the Qur'an. It is, in short, to illuminate the truth which he often tends to lose in a labyrinth of philosophical speculation; to enlighten him as to which of the numerous ethical doctrines ensures a sound course of conduct; to show which of the myriad ways and by-ways is the clear, straight, open road of sound belief and right behavior.

صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّيْنَ ﴿1:7﴾ (1:7) The way of those whom You have favored, who did not incur Your wrath, who are not astray.

9. This defines the 'straight way' which we ask God to open to us. It is the way which has always been followed by those who have enjoyed God's favors and blessings. This is the way which has been trodden from the beginning of time by all those individuals and communities that have unfailingly enjoyed God's favors and blessings.

10. This makes it clear that the recipients of God's favor are not those who appear, briefly, to enjoy worldly prosperity and success; all too often, these people are among those whom God has condemned because they have lost sight of the true path of salvation and happiness. This negative explanation makes it quite clear that in'am (favor) denotes all those real and abiding favors and blessings which one receives in reward for righteous conduct through God's approval and pleasure, rather than those apparent and fleeting favors which the Pharaohs, Nimrods and Korahs (Qaruns) used to receive in the past, and which are enjoyed even today by people notorious for oppression, evil and corruption.

Intro to my blog

The purpose of my blogger account is to help others learn to understand the Qur'an using the class summaries & my own personal notes from a tafseer class that I am taking at a local masjid.

I will first post the summaries to the Surahs, then my own personal class notes, then the questions posed in the class about each surah. After reading the responses to the questions posed I will give the answers that were given for those questions in the class.

I do have local access to the scholar teaching this class and can pose questions to him asked by readers of this blog. So please feel free to post your questions here in reponse to my blogposts or send them to help.islamic@gmail.com & I will post the answers as soon as I have them.

Thank you for reading.