Surah Al Fatihah Tafseer

The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (that) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray.

We mentioned the Hadith in which the servant proclaims,

اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيم

(Guide us to the straight way) and Allah says,

"This is for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asks for."

Allah's statement;

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ

The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, defines the path.

`Those upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace' are those mentioned in Surat An-Nisa' (chapter 4), when Allah said,

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّـلِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـيِكَ رَفِيقاً

ذلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ عَلِيماً

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, the Prophets, the Siddiqin (the truly faithful), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

Such is the bounty from Allah, and Allah is sufficient to know. (4:69-70)

Allah's statement,

...

غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

Not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray, meaning:

guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom you have bestowed Your grace, that is, the people of guidance, sincerity and obedience to Allah and His Messengers. They are the people who adhere to Allah's commandments and refrain from committing what He has prohibited. But, help us to avoid the path of those whom Allah is angry with, whose intentions are corrupt, who know the truth, yet deviate from it.

Also, help us avoid the path of those who were led astray, who lost the true knowledge and, as a result, are wandering in misguidance, unable to find the correct path.

Allah asserted that the two paths He described here are both misguided when He repeated the negation `not'. These two paths are the paths of the Christians and Jews, a fact that the believer should beware of so that he avoids them. The path of the believers is knowledge of the truth and abiding by it. In comparison, the Jews abandoned practicing the religion, while the Christians lost the true knowledge. This is why `anger' descended upon the Jews, while being described as `led astray' is more appropriate of the Christians. Those who know, but avoid implementing the truth, deserve the anger, unlike those who are ignorant. The Christians want to seek the true knowledge, but are unable to find it because they did not seek it from its proper resources.

This is why they were led astray. We should also mention that both the Christians and the Jews have earned the anger and are led astray, but the anger is one of the attributes more particular of the Jews. Allah said about the Jews,

مَن لَّعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ

Those (Jews) who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath. (5:60)

The attribute that the Christians deserve most is that of being led astray, just as Allah said about them,

قَدْ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ كَثِيراً وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ

Who went astray before and who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the right path, (5:77)

There are several Hadiths and reports from the Salaf on this subject.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Adi bin Hatim said,

"The horsemen of the Messenger of Allah seized my paternal aunt and some other people. When they brought them to the Messenger of Allah , they were made to stand in line before him. My aunt said,

`O Messenger of Allah! The supporter is far away, the offspring have stopped coming and I am an old woman, unable to serve. Grant me your favor, may Allah grant you His favor.'

He said, `Who is your supporter'

She said, `Adi bin Hatim.'

He said, `The one who ran away from Allah and His Messenger'

She said, `So,

the Prophet freed me.'

When the Prophet came back, there was a man next to him, I think that he was `Ali, who said to her, `Ask him for a means of transportation.'

She asked the Prophet , and he ordered that she be given an animal.�

Adi then said,

"Later on, she came to me and said,

`He (Muhammad) has done a favor that your father (who was a generous man) would never have done. So and-so person came to him and he granted him his favor, and so-and-so came to him and he granted him his favor.'

So I went to the Prophet and found that some women and children were gathering with him, so close that I knew that he was not a king like Kisra (King of Persia) or Caesar.

He said,

`O `Adi! What made you run away, so that La ilaha illallah is not proclaimed?

Is there a deity worthy of worship except Allah What made you run away, so that Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greater) is not proclaimed?

Is there anything Greater than Allah?'

I proclaimed my Islam and I saw his face radiate with pleasure and he said:

إِنَّ الْمَغْضُوبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْيَهُودُ وَ إِنَّ الضَّالِينَ النَّصَارَى

Those who have earned the anger are the Jews and those who are led astray are the Christians."

This Hadith was also collected by At-Tirmidhi who said that it is Hasan Gharib.

Also, when Zayd bin `Amr bin Nufayl went with some of his friends - before Islam - to Ash-Sham seeking the true religion, the Jews said to him,

"You will not become a Jew unless you carry a share of the anger of Allah that we have earned."

He said, "I am seeking to escape Allah's anger."

Also, the Christians said to him,

"If you become one of us you will carry a share in Allah's discontent."

He said, "I cannot bear it."

So he remained in his pure nature and avoided worshipping the idols and the polytheistic practices. He became neither a Jew, nor Christian. As for his companions, they became Christians because they found it more pure than Judaism. Waraqah bin Nawfal was among these people until Allah guided him by the hand of His Prophet, when he was sent as Prophet, and Waraqah believed in the revelation that was sent to the Prophet may Allah be pleased with him.

The Summary of Al-Fatihah

The honorable Surah Al-Fatihah contains seven Ayat including the praise and thanks of Allah, glorifying Him and praising Him by mentioning His most Beautiful Names and most high Attributes.

It also mentions the Hereafter, which is the Day of Resurrection, and directs Allah's servants to ask of Him, invoking Him and declaring that all power and strength comes from Him.

It also calls to the sincerity of the worship of Allah alone, singling Him out in His divinity, believing in His perfection, being free from the need of any partners, having no rivals nor equals.

Al-Fatihah directs the believers to invoke Allah to guide them to the straight path, which is the true religion, and to help them remain on that path in this life, and to pass over the actual Sirat (bridge over hell that everyone must pass over) on the Day of Judgment. On that Day, the believers will be directed to the gardens of comfort in the company of the Prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the righteous.

Al-Fatihah also encourages performing good deeds, so that the believers will be in the company of the good-doers on the Day of Resurrection. The Surah also warns against following the paths of misguidance, so that one does not end up being gathered with those who indulge in sin, on the Day of Resurrection, including those who have earned the anger and those who were led astray.

The Bounties are because of Allah, not the Deviations

Allah said,

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ

The way of those upon whom you have bestowed Your grace, when He mentioned His favor.

On mentioning anger, Allah said,

...

غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ

Not (that) of those who earned Your anger, without mentioning the subject, although it is He Who has sent down the anger on them, just as Allah stated in another Ayah,

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْاْ قَوْماً غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم

Have you (O Muhammad) not seen those (hypocrites) who take as friends a people upon whom is the wrath of Allah (i.e. Jews). (58:14)

Also, Allah relates the misguidance of those who indulged in it, although they were justly misguided according to Allah's appointed destiny. For instance, Allah said,

مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا

He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly-guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right path). (18:17)

and,

مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgression. (7:186)

These and several other Ayat testify to the fact that Allah alone is the One Who guides and misguides, contrary to the belief of the Qadariyyah sect, who claimed that the servants choose and create their own destiny. They rely on some unclear Ayat avoiding what is clear and contradicts their desires. Theirs, is the method of the people who follow their lust, desire and wickedness. An authentic Hadith narrated,

إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ فَأُوليِكَ الَّذِينَ سَمَّى اللهُ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ

When you see those who follow what is not so clear in it (the Qur'an), then they are those whom Allah has mentioned (refer to 3:7). Hence, avoid them.

The Prophet was referring to Allah's statement,

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـبَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَأءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَأءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ

So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials), and seeking for its hidden meanings. (3:7)

Verily, no innovator in the religion could ever rely on any authentic evidence in the Qur'an that testifies to his innovation. The Qur'an came to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and guidance and misguidance. The Qur'an does not contain any discrepancies or contradictions, because it is a revelation from the Most Wise, Worthy of all praise.

Saying Amin

It is recommended to say Amin after finishing the recitation of Al-Fatihah.

Amin means, "O Allah! Accept our invocation."

The evidence that saying Amin is recommended is contained in what Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi recorded, that Wa'il bin Hujr said,

"I heard the Messenger of Allah recite,

غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

(Not (that) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray), and he said `Amin' extending it with his voice."

Abu Dawud's narration added,

"Raising his voice with it."

At-Tirmidhi then commented that this Hadith is Hasan and was also narrated from Ali and Ibn Mas`ud.

Also, Abu Hurayrah narrated that

whenever the Messenger of Allah would recite,

غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

(Not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray), He would say Amin until those who were behind him in the first line could hear him.

Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah recorded this Hadith with the addition,

"Then the Masjid would shake because of (those behind the Prophet) reciting Amin."

Also, Ad-Daraqutni recorded this Hadith and commented that it is Hasan.

Further, Bilal narrated that he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Do not finish saying Amin before I can join you."

This was recorded by Abu Dawud.

In addition, Abu Nasr Al-Qushayri narrated that Al-Hasan and Jafar As-Sadiq stressed the `m' in Amin.

Saying Amin is recommended for those who are not praying (when reciting Al-Fatihah) and is strongly recommended for those who are praying, whether alone or behind the Imam.

The Two Sahihs recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِذَا أَمَّنَ الاِْمَامُ فَأَمِّنُوا فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ وَافَقَ تَأْمِينُهُ تَأْمِينَ الْمَلَيِكَةِ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

When the Imam says, 'Amin', then say, 'Amin', because whoever says, Amin' with the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.

Muslim recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِذَا قَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الصَّلَةِ امِينَ وَالْمَلَيِكَةُ فِي السَّمَاءِ امِينَ فَوَافَقَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا الاُْخْرَى غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

When any of you says in the prayer, 'Amin` and the angels in heaven say, `Amin', in unison, his previous sins will be forgiven.

It was said that the Hadith talks about both the angels and the Muslims saying Amin` at the same time. The Hadith also refers to when the Amins said by the angels and the Muslims are equally sincere (thus bringing about forgiveness).

Further, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim that Abu Musa related to the Prophet that he said,

إِذَا قَالَ يَعنِي الاِْمَامَ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ فَقُولُوا امِينَ يُجِبْكُمُ اللهُ

When the Imam says, `Walad-dallin', say, `Amin' and Allah will answer your invocation.

In addition, At-Tirmidhi said that `Amin' means,

"Do not disappoint our hope",

while the majority of scholars said that it means.

"Answer our invocation."

Also, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded that A'ishah said that when the Jews were mentioned to him, the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّهُم لَنْ يَحْسُدُونَا عَلَى شَيْءٍ كَمَا يَحْسُدُونَا عَلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الَّتِي هَدَانَا اللهُ لَهَا وَضَلُّوا عَنْهَا وَعَلَى الْقِبْلَةِ الَّتِي هَدَانَا اللهُ لَهَا وَضَلُّوا عَنْهَا وَعَلَى قَوْلِنَا خَلْفَ الاِْمَامِ امِينَ

- They will not envy us for anything more than they envy us for Friday which we have been guided to, while they were led astray from it,

- and for the Qiblah which we were guided to, while they were led astray from it,

- and for our saying `Amin' behind the Imam.

Also, Ibn Majah recorded this Hadith with the wording,

مَا حَسَدَتْكُمُ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مَا حَسَدَتْكُمْ عَلَى السَّلَامِ وَالتَّأْمِينِ

The Jews have never envied you more than for your saying the Salam (Islamic greeting) and for saying Amin.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah At-Fatihah, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah