Surah Al-Fatiha is the largest chapter of the Quran. It has no equal, whether in the rest of the Book or in the Scriptures that preceded it. It is a light which was granted to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and which was not attributed to any other Prophet or Messenger before him.
Some Pious Predecessors claimed that when this surah was revealed, Satan let out a huge cry of lamentation. It holds a central place within daily prayer and therefore within the life of the Muslim.
The underlying theme of Al-Fatiha deals with contemplation and serenity. It covers many topics such as:
- meditation on the Names and Attributes of Allah meditation on creation
- the recognition that He alone is worthy of praise and adoration, that He alone is to be called upon for help, that He alone is to be feared, that He alone is to be hoped for, that He alone is to be invoked, that the Day of Judgment exists with certainty, that guidance has come to us and we are required to follow it.
It calls us to carefully examine our relationship with our Lord: are we living by the implication of “no deity worthy of worship except Allah” or not?
This introductory surah, despite its brevity, calls on man, in thirty places, to fulfill the rights of monotheism, the right that Allah has over us and which consists of worshiping Him exclusively without an associate.
This surah summarizes, in a few words, the message of the entire Quran. It is because of the importance of this surah that this commentary has been compiled.
It is a summary of many classics of the exegesis of the Quran, including:
- Tafsir Al-Qur'an Al-'Adhim by Ibn Kathir
- Tafsir Al-Qayyim by Ibn Al-Qayyim
- Jami' Al-Bayan fi Ta'wil Al-Qur'an by Al-Tabari
- Zad Al-Masir fi 'Ilm Al-Tafsir by Ibn Al-Jawzi
- Al-Jami' li-l-Ahkam Al-Qur'an by Al-Qurtubi
- Al-Durr Al-Manthur fi Al-Tafsir Al-Ma'thur by Al-Suyuti
- Fath Al-Qadir Al-Jami' bayna fannay Al-Riwaya Wa Al-Dirayah min 'Ilm al-Tafsir by Al-Shawkani
- Tafsir Al-Qur'an by Al-Sama'ani
- Ma'alim Al-Tanzil by Al-Baghawi
- Al-Kashshaf 'an Haqa'iq Al-Tanzil wa 'Uyun Al-Aqawil fi Wujuh Al-Ta'wil by Al-Zamakhshari
- Al-Muharrar Al-Wajiz fi Tafsir Al-Kitab Al-'Aziz by Ibn 'Atiyyah
- Al-Tafsir Al-Kabir by Al-Razi
- Al-Bahr Al-Muhit by Abu Hayyan
- Al-Anwar Al-Tanzil wa al-Asrar Al-Ta'wil by Al-Baydawi
- Al-Lubab fi 'Ulum Al-Kitab by Ibn 'Adil
- Nazm Al-Durar fi Tanasub Al-Ayat wa Al-Suwar by Al-Baqa'i
- Lubab al-Ta'wil fi Ma'ani Al-Tanzil by Al-Khazin
- Ruh Al-Ma'ani fi Tafsir Al-Qur'an Al-'Adhim wa Al-Sab' Al-Mathani by Al-Alusi
The exegesis of a bottomless ocean such as the Book of Allah can never be completed. This is a lifelong study.
This commentary is therefore only a small part of the documentation available on the exegesis of this surah. Many elements have been omitted, many others have been summarized, but this will not prevent, Allah willing, from giving the reader a glimpse of the depth of meanings that can be found there.
It also aims to demonstrate the extent of the efforts that our scholars, may Allah have mercy on them all, have made in taking on this immense task of explaining the Quran.
