The excellence of Surah Fatiha

The excellence of Surah Fatiha

 

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: 

 

Translation: By Him who holds My life in His hands!  No Surah like this has been revealed in the Torah or the Bible or the Psalms or in the Holy Quran.  Indeed!  These are the oft-repeated ones (Saba’a Mathaani), which Allah Most High has granted Me.

 

This is related in Jame’ Tirmidhi and is declared fairly authenticated (Hasan Saheeh) and Hakim has said that this Hadith is authenticated as per the standards of Sahih Muslim.

 

Such a great Surah which has been declared to the oft-repeated one and a great part of the Holy Quran, about whose excellence the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said that such a Surah has not been revealed in the Torah, Psalms and Bible and there is no Surah like this in the Holy Quran itself.  How excellent this Surah is and how excellent are those folk who read it often.

 

Hadhrat ‘Ata (May Allah be well pleased with him), who is a Successor, says:

 

Translation: When you desire that a need of yours be fulfilled, read Surah Al Fatiha completely.  Allah-willing that need will be fulfilled.

 

As Surah Fatiha is a request and a supplication, the jurists have elucidates that like other supplications, Surah Fatiha can be read even when in an unclean state.  The reason behind this seems to be that even the jurists want that this Surah should be recited as much as possible.

 

Human beings always have needs.  When the jurists, among whom are the Successors as well, gave this general permission, would they themselves would not have recited it?

 

[Excerpted from Masala-e-Fatiha by Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Raheemuddin (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)]