Al-Fatihah

This surah is a prayer to seek guidance from the Almighty for the straight path – a prayer which was the wish of every upright person in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (sws). After the Jews and the Christians had distorted the face of religion through their innovations and deviations, it was in fact the desire of every heart to receive fresh guidance. The Almighty articulated this desire through the tongue of His Prophet (sws) in these eternal and matchless words.

In other words, the prayer for fresh guidance after the Torah and the Injil is the topic of this surah. Consequently, its relationship with the Madinan Surahs of the first group is that of brevity and detail; however, with regard to its topic, it is a very appropriate preface to the Qur’an as well.
Viewed thus, it becomes evident that this is the first surah that was revealed to the Prophet (sws) in Makkah.

Text and Translation

بِاِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (1-3)

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ

عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (4-6)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful.¹
Gratitude² is only for Allah³, the Lord of the world⁴; the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful⁵; Master of the Day of Judgment⁶. (1-3)
[Lord] You alone we worship and only Your help we seek⁷.
Set us firm⁸ on the straight path⁹. The path of those you have blessed¹⁰, not of those who have earned your wrath¹¹, nor of those who have gone astray¹². (4-6)