Sūrat Al-Fātihah

Abu Sa’id bin al-Mu’alla (RA) reported, “I was praying when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by me and called me. I didn’t come to him until I finished praying. Then I came to him and he said, “What prevented you from coming? Didn’t Allah say, ‘O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you’?” Then he said, “I shall teach you the greatest sūrah in the Qur’an before I leave.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ started to leave so I reminded him of it.” Mu’āth said, “Shu’bah narrated this to us from Khubayb, who heard from Hafs, who heard from Abu Sa’id, a man from the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ, and he said, “It is ‘Alhamdu lillāhi Rabbil ‘Ālameen (i.e., Sūrah Al-Fātiḥah) which is As-Sab’ Al-Mathāni (i.e., the seven oft-repeated āyāt).” Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari 4474

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فَمَرَّ بِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَدَعَانِي فَلَمْ آتِهِ حَتَّى صَلَّيْتُ، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ ‏

‏ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ (‏يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ‏)‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ لأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ ‏

‏‏.‏ فَذَهَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيَخْرُجَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ خُبَيْبٍ، سَمِعَ حَفْصًا، سَمِعَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، رَجُلاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا، وَقَالَ هِيَ (‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏)‏ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي.

Anas bin Mālik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was heading somewhere and a man came to his side, so the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ turned to him and said, “Shall I not inform you about the greatest (part) of the Quran? The man said, “Yes.” So he (the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ) recited, Alhamdu lillāhi Rabbil ‘Ālameen (i.e., Sūrah Al-Fātiḥah). Reference:

Sunan an-Nasāʾī al-Kubrā 8011, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 774, and Mustadrak al-Ḥākim 2056 with slight variations

كان النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم في مسيرٍ فنزل ونزل رجلٌ إلى جانبِه قال فالتفت النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم فقال ألا أخبِرُك بأفضلِ القرآنِ قال بلى فتلا { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ}.

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka’b said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, Allah did not reveal in the Tawrāh or the Injīl anything like Umm al-Quran (al-Fātiḥah), which is the seven oft-recited (verses), and (Allah said) it is divided between Myself and My slave will have what he asked for.” Reference:

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3125

عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَلاَ فِي الإِنْجِيلِ مِثْلَ أُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ وَهِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَهِيَ مَقْسُومَةٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ

‏ .

Abdullāh b. Abbās reported that while Angel Jibreel was sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he heard a sound above him. He lifted his head, and said, “This is a gate which has been opened in heaven today. It was never opened before.” Then an Angel descended through it, he said, “This is an Angel who has come down to earth He never came down before.” He sent greetings and said, “Rejoice with two lights given to you. Such lights were not given to any Prophet (ﷺ) before you. These (lights) are:

Fātiḥatul-Kitāb (Sūrah al-Fātiḥah), and the concluding (Āyāt) of Sūrah Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a word from them without being granted (your du’ā).” Reference: Sahih Muslim 806

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا جِبْرِيلُ قَاعِدٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعَ نَقِيضًا مِنْ فَوْقِهِ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ هَذَا بَابٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ لَمْ يُفْتَحْ قَطُّ إِلاَّ الْيَوْمَ فَنَزَلَ مِنْهُ مَلَكٌ فَقَالَ هَذَا مَلَكٌ نَزَلَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ قَطُّ إِلاَّ الْيَوْمَ فَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ أَبْشِرْ بِنُورَيْنِ أُوتِيتَهُمَا لَمْ يُؤْتَهُمَا نَبِيٌّ قَبْلَكَ فَاتِحَةُ الْكِتَابِ وَخَوَاتِيمُ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ لَنْ تَقْرَأَ بِحَرْفٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلاَّ أُعْطِيتَهُ ‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said, “The prayer is not valid for the one who does not recite the Fātiḥah (opening chapter) of the Book.” Reference:

Sahih Muslim 394

عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ لاَ صَلاَةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ ‏

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Abu Hurayrah reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an (i.e., Al-Fātiḥah), it is deficient [he said this three times] and incomplete. It was said to Abu Hurayraa: At times we are behind the Imam. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) declare that Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judgment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. And sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: You do we worship and of You do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us along the straight path, the path of those to whom You have been Gracious, not of those who have incurred Your displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Reference: Sahih Muslim 395

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهْىَ خِدَاجٌ – ثَلاَثًا – غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّا نَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ (‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ (‏ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي ‏.‏ وَإِذَا قَالَ (‏ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي – وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَوَّضَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي – فَإِذَا قَالَ (‏ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ‏.‏ فَإِذَا قَالَ (‏ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ‏)‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Sa’īd al-Khudrī said, “Some of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ went on a journey. They alighted with a certain clan of the Arabs. Someone of them said, “Our chief has been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. Has any of you something which gives relief to our chief?” A man of the people said, “Yes, I swear by Allah. I can recite an incantation, but we asked you for hospitality and you denied it to us. I shall not recite the incantation until you give me some payment.” So, they promised to give some sheep to him. He came to him and recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah over him and blew (upon him) till he was cured, and he seemed as if he were set free from a bond. So, they gave him the payment that was agreed between them. They said, “Distribute it.” The man who applied the treatment said, “Do not do it until we approach the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” And He ﷺ said, “From where did you learn that it was a treatment? You have done right. Apportion them, and give me a share along with you.” Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari 5007

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ كُنَّا فِي مَسِيرٍ لَنَا فَنَزَلْنَا فَجَاءَتْ جَارِيَةٌ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ سَيِّدَ الْحَىِّ سَلِيمٌ، وَإِنَّ نَفَرَنَا غُيَّبٌ فَهَلْ مِنْكُمْ رَاقٍ فَقَامَ مَعَهَا رَجُلٌ مَا كُنَّا نَأْبُنُهُ بِرُقْيَةٍ فَرَقَاهُ فَبَرَأَ فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِثَلاَثِينَ شَاةً وَسَقَانَا لَبَنًا فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ قُلْنَا لَهُ أَكُنْتَ تُحْسِنُ رُقْيَةً أَوْ كُنْتَ تَرْقِي قَالَ لاَ مَا رَقَيْتُ إِلاَّ بِأُمِّ الْكِتَابِ‏.‏ قُلْنَا لاَ تُحْدِثُوا شَيْئًا حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ ـ أَوْ نَسْأَلَ ـ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ ذَكَرْنَاهُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏

‏ وَمَا كَانَ يُدْرِيهِ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ اقْسِمُوا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ ‏

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