Table of Contents
Introduction
This is the seventeenth part of a series of articles discussing prayer in Islam—its correct performance, how the righteous predecessors prayed, and emphasizing the significance Surah Al-Fatihah, which contains the most powerful words in existence. Click here to read the entire series, ALLAH willing.
Entering Prayer: The Opening Words of Al-Fatihah
Al-Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Quran, holds words of unparalleled depth, connecting the believer to ALLAH in a profound way. After beginning prayer with Takbiratul Ihram and the opening supplication (Du’a al-Istiftah), the conversation with ALLAH Almighty begins with the recitation of the most profound words—those from Surah Al-Fatihah:
“Bismi LLAHi RRahmaani RRahiim, ‘Alhamdu liLLAHi Rabbi l’caalamiin“
“In the name of ALLAH, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [All] praise is [due] to ALLAH, LORD of the worlds –”1
In these words, you are offering praise, not merely to your personal LORD, but to the Lord of all realms. You stand now before the LORD of humankind, the LORD of jinn, the LORD of angels, the LORD of inanimate things, animals, bacteria, parasites, stars, planets, galaxies, moons—all that exists. Each of these is a unique realm, and HE is the Master over all, governing their affairs with perfect command. Glory and praise be to HIM, the One who is above all imperfection.
When you say, “‘Alhamdu liLLAHi Rabbi l’caalamiin”, let your heart be filled with gratitude as you praise and thank ALLAH for granting you the moment to stand before HIM and recite these sacred words. Keep in mind that this is not only your LORD, but the LORD of all worlds.
The Mercy and Majesty of ALLAH in Al-Fatihah
As you recite
“Ar-Rahmaani RRahiim“
“The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful“2
let your heart reflect on how, despite HIS boundless majesty as LORD of all worlds, HIS mercy reaches you, HIS blessings pour upon you, and HIS generosity embraces you. HIS perfection as both Magnificent and Merciful establishes a profound harmony of beauty and grandeur, of reverent awe and hopeful peace.
This combination humbles the heart, breaking it softly with the awareness of the One before whom it stands—One greater, more beautiful, more majestic, and more merciful than any other. Before you stands the Most Awe-Inspiring, yet also the most tender, loving, and gentle presence. HE is the Greatest, the Most High, the Compeller, yet also the Most Kind, Most Merciful, Most Loving, Most Generous—Glorified and praised beyond all imperfection.
These two verses—” ‘Alhamdu liLLAHi Rabbi l’caalamiin” and “Ar-Rahmaani RRahiim“—work profound wonders within the heart. It would have been enough to say “Ar-Rahmaan” (The Entirely Merciful) alone to reveal HIS merciful nature, yet HE also chose “Ar-Rahiim” (The Especially Merciful), emphasizing the vastness of HIS mercy without limit. This mercy assures you not to fear as you approach ALLAH, even with your sins, for you are but a humble servant coming before the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Embrace glad tidings, then more glad tidings, and yet more still. Your LORD is Ar-Rahmaani RRahiim. What reason for fear remains? Whether it is worry, sin, distress, or future anxieties—remember, your LORD is Ar-Rahmaani RRahiim.
The Significance of Al-Fatihah in Faith and the Hereafter
When you reach
“Maaliki yawmi ddiin“
“Master of the Day of Recompense“3
let it remind you that the greatest influences on a purified heart are knowledge of ALLAH and of the Last Day. Scholars highlight that among the six pillars of faith—belief in ALLAH, the Last Day, angels, divine books, messengers, and divine decree—the two most transformative for deepening faith are belief in ALLAH and in the Last Day. This is why the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) often stated, “Whoever believes in ALLAH and the Last Day…”
Here, our reflection shifts from ALLAH’s essence to contemplating the Last Day—a day of tremendous majesty and profound events. Who is the Sovereign of that day? Who holds complete control? ALLAH, the Mighty and Sublime.
There are two authentic readings of this verse: “Maaliki yawmi ddiin” (Master of the Day of Recompense)4 and “Maliki yawmi ddiin” (Sovereign of the Day of Recompense)5. Consider how one may own something yet lack complete control over it—like owning a house without full authority over everything within it. Or one might have control over something without truly owning it. But ALLAH, the Mighty and Sublime, is both the Master (Maalik) and the Sovereign (Malik) of this Day. Glorified and praised be HE.
Nothing should concern your heart more or invoke greater awe than this Day—the Last Day. When entering prayer, a believer should feel a reverent fear for the events of that Day. Yet, ALLAH, the Mighty and Sublime, reassures: “Do not fear, for I am the Master of this Day; call upon ME now and draw near so that I may grant you safety on that Day”.
Ibn Al-Qayyim beautifully expressed,
“A servant has two standings before ALLAH: one in this world during prayer and another before HIM in the Hereafter for reckoning. Whoever perfects their standing in this world, ALLAH will perfect their standing before HIM in the Hereafter”6
As you recite “Maaliki yawmi ddiin”, remember that the One before whom you stand now is the same One before whom you will stand in only a few short years—a span that, in the true measure of the Day of Judgment, is an hour or even less. Soon, you will stand before HIM once more, so perfect your standing before HIM now, so that HE may perfect your standing before HIM on that Day. Glorified and praised be HE.
Worship and Seeking Help: “It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help”7
Ibn Taymiyyah said,
“This verse contains the entirety of the Quran and encompasses all levels of faith”
Notice how, in Al-Fatihah, we first approach ALLAH by glorifying HIM, recalling HIS attributes and names, and contemplating the Last Day. This reflection nurtures worship within our hearts. Now, O LORD, after we have mentioned YOU, praised and glorified YOU, exalted YOUR greatness, and acknowledged YOUR mercy, kindness, and gentleness—and then remembered the majestic Day of Judgment—we proclaim,
“Iyyaaka nacbudu wa iyyaaka nastaciin“
“It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help“8
Our LORD did not phrase it as “We worship YOU and seek help from YOU ”, because “Iyyaaka nacbudu wa iyyaaka nastaciin” conveys, “YOU ˹alone˺ we worship and YOU ˹alone˺ we ask for help9”. And why didn’t ALLAH say, “YOU alone we seek help from and YOU alone we worship”? Wouldn’t it seem that we first need our LORD’s help to worship HIM?
The answer lies in our responsibility to take the first step, showing our sincerity and striving toward HIM, and then ALLAH, in HIS mercy, turns toward us. As conveyed in the divine Hadith:
“When a slave of Mine draws near to ME a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to ME a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to ME walking, I go to him running”10
Sufyan Al-Thawri would be moved to tears when he reached this verse, often unable to complete Al-Fatihah. It is a verse of profound weight—do we truly seek help from none but ALLAH? This verse embodies pure monotheism and sincerity: “O LORD, let nothing occupy our hearts but YOU”. “O LORD, we seek nothing in this world or the next except YOUR pleasure, except that YOU look upon our hearts and see YOURSELF reflected there. Let us want none but YOU, desire only YOUR mercy. Our focus is upon YOU, our path leads solely to YOU, to YOU alone, regardless of the strength or stature of others”.
“To YOU alone do the riding mounts journey,
And from YOU alone, or else the seeker fails,
And in YOU alone, or else love is lost,
And about YOU alone, or else the speaker lies”11
This verse awakens monotheism, rekindles the seeds of sincerity within the heart, and cleanses the heart of all that distracts from ALLAH.
The Greatest Supplication in Al-Fatihah: Seeking Guidance
“‘Ihdina SSiraaTa lmustaqiim“
“Guide us to the straight path –“12
follows the loftiest praise in the Quran, in the greatest surah of the Quran: “[All] praise is [due] to ALLAH, LORD of the worlds – The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help”13. ALLAH’s response is this profound supplication, “Guide us to the straight path”. This prayer is no ordinary request; it shows that guidance is an immense gift, a privilege granted solely by ALLAH. One does not attain it through strength, intelligence, insight, or skill—never. Guidance is purely a favor from ALLAH. So, we ask HIM to guide us and to make us among the righteous.
A Muslim recites this supplication in every rak’ah of every prayer—17 times daily, without even counting voluntary prayers. No rak’ah is complete without “Guide us to the straight path”. Guidance is the greatest blessing one can seek from ALLAH. For those who say, “If ALLAH wanted to guide me, HE would have”, the answer is: Come, make this supplication and draw near with “It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help”. We must take the first step for ALLAH’s help and guidance to come to us. When our LORD sees us sincere, steadfast, striving, and patient, HE will aid us.
You recite “Guide us to the straight path” at least 17 times, day and night, asking your LORD to grant you steadfastness in this life and to keep you on HIS path. This means following ALLAH’s way in this world—avoiding what HE has forbidden and embracing what HE has permitted—so that you may be guided to the straight path in the Hereafter.
The Bridge Over Hellfire: Prayer as Your Guiding Light
What is the path in the Hereafter so central to Al-Fatihah? It is the Sirat, a bridge stretched over Hell, sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair. We ask ALLAH for safety and well-being as everyone will cross it, each according to their own light. Some will have a light before them as vast as a mountain; others, like a palm tree; some, as tall as themselves; and for some, the light will only glow on their thumb—flaring briefly, then dimming. In some narrations, the light is said to be on the thumb of their foot, helping them walk briefly before it extinguishes.
This light reflects their relationship with prayer. Indeed, a servant’s light grows in proportion to the care, frequency, and dedication they put into their prayers. The early Muslims often reminded:
“Whoever desires ALLAH to illuminate their grave should fill their nights with prayer”
“Nothing prepares for the grave like night prayer.
O servants of ALLAH, strive earnestly.
Many a supplication is not rejected,
But none stand the night except those with resolve and sincere effort“
This prayer is what lights your grave, illuminates you when you rise on the Day of Judgment, and guides you across the Sirat. It’s a scene beyond imagining—Hell lies below, and on the Sirat are hooks and claws that grasp at those who cross. Some pass safely, while others emerge with wounds. Those who cross unharmed—how was their journey on the path of this world? How was their commitment to ALLAH’s commands? How steadfast were they in avoiding what HE forbade? How firm was their distance from what angers ALLAH, enabling them to cross the Sirat without a single scratch?
Another will cross the Sirat, yet wounded, and upon crossing, they will say, “All praise is to ALLAH who saved me and granted me what HE has given to no one else in creation”. In their heart, they feel that none could have endured such difficulty.
Some will take a step and stumble, another step and falter, until they are finally saved. The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) stands at the head of the Sirat, pleading, “O LORD, grant safety! O LORD, grant safety! ”14. This is the Sirat we ask ALLAH to guide us to 17 times, day and night. We must grasp the gravity of this path, the difficulty of this trial.
“There is none of you who will not pass over it.˹This is˺ a decree your LORD must fulfil“15
(Suraat Maryam, 19:71)
We will all cross it.
“Then WE will save those who feared ALLAH and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees“16
(Suraat Maryam, 19:71)
We will all cross it. So, does your heart truly yearn for guidance to the Sirat each time you pray, “Guide us to the straight path”?
Seeking The Path of Those Blessed by ALLAH
Whose path is this? It is
“‘SiraaTa lladhiina ancamta calayhim, ghayri lmaghDuubi calayhim, wa la DDaalliin“
“The path of those upon whom YOU have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [YOUR] anger or of those who are astray“17
This verse urges you to seek the company of the blessed—“the path of those upon whom YOU have bestowed favor”. O LORD, include us among them and guide us with them. Notice that even when we pray alone, we don’t say “guide me”, but “guide us”, for the journey to ALLAH cannot be made alone. It is a path we travel with our brothers and sisters, hand in hand, together reaching toward HIM.
“The path of those upon whom YOU have bestowed favor”—you ask ALLAH that you and those you pray with, all who make this supplication, be counted among those HE has blessed. The greatest blessing is that ALLAH guides you to this path, whether it is the path of guidance in this world or the path crossing over Hell in the Hereafter.
Avoiding the Path of Those Who Displeased ALLAH
“Guide us to the straight path – The path of those upon whom YOU have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [YOUR] anger or of those who are astray”. Sensing the grandeur of this supplication deepens your appreciation of what you are truly asking.
“The path of those upon whom YOU have bestowed favor,”—you are seeking ALLAH’s blessing, a path of divine favor. “not of those who have earned [YOUR] anger”—not like the Jews who, despite knowing ALLAH’s commands, chose to ignore them. They understood what pleases and displeases ALLAH, what brings one closer or drives one away, yet they disregarded it. We seek refuge in ALLAH from falling into their ways. “or of those who are astray”—not like the Christians, who never sought to know, who wandered and were deprived of ALLAH’s blessing and honor.
We ask ALLAH to bless us, honor us, and guide us to the straight path. May HE make us among the righteous and God-fearing, and answer this heartfelt supplication—the one we repeat most often—asking ALLAH to guide us to the straight path.
A Lifetime Journey with Al-Fatihah
After all this, do not assume that this is all there is to Al-Fatihah. What we have explored here is but a single drop in an ocean, a mere glimpse of its depth. These reflections are just a few keys; there are many more for you to uncover. Our purpose in these articles is simply to set your feet at the starting point, to point you toward the path, and to say, “Begin your journey”.
Seek to understand Al-Fatihah deeply, for the more you grasp its meanings, the more your heart will soar, the more you will connect with your prayer, and the more you will cherish Surah Al-Fatihah. As I write these reflections, I long to reach a place where I am moved to tears in prayer, deeply affected by Al-Fatihah. I have not yet reached that state.
I hear of the righteous who experience this, but I have yet to attain it. I hope to feel what Sufyan Al-Thawri felt as he wept over “It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help”. I hope to know what Ahmad ibn Abi Al-Hawari felt when he wept at these same words, standing in the mosque, repeating “It is YOU we worship and YOU we ask for help”, unable to go further, even as people passed by, attending to the mosque around him.
As for me, I recite Al-Fatihah almost as if it’s routine. Too often, we only begin to feel khushu’ (humility and reverence) after finishing AlFatihah. My hope is for people to recognize that Al-Fatihah holds a depth beyond what they may have known, to see it with fresh insight and in a new light. But reaching this level requires a deeper exploration of its meanings—attend a course on Al-Fatihah, read a book about this Surah, immerse yourself in its verses, and reflect on them over and over.
Sources:
- Dr. Ahmed ElAraby. فاهم 36 | سلسلة تذوق العبادات – (1) الصلاة | مع د. أحمد العربي. YouTube Video.
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Fadel Soliman, Bridges’ translation ↩︎
- Fadel Soliman, Bridges’ translation ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Al-Fawaid ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran translation ↩︎
- Sahih Al-Bukhari ↩︎
- Al Imam Al Qahtani ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
- Sahih Al-Bukhari ↩︎
- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran translation ↩︎
- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran translation ↩︎
- Saheeh International translation ↩︎
