Surah Al-Fatiha, "The Opening", is the first surah of the Quran and the one every Muslim recites at least 17 times a day in the obligatory prayers. Seven short verses hold praise of Allah, belief in the Day of Judgment, a promise of worship, and the most important request a person can make: guidance.
The names of Al-Fatiha
The surah has many names, each showing part of its status:
- Al-Fatiha — The Opening, because the Quran opens with it
- Umm Al-Kitab / Umm Al-Quran — The Mother of the Book, because it summarizes the Quran's main themes
- As-Sab' Al-Mathani — The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses (Al-Hijr 15:87)
- Ash-Shifa / Ar-Ruqyah — The Cure, because the Companions used it as ruqyah with the Prophet's approval (Bukhari 5736)
- As-Salah — The Prayer, as Allah calls it in a hadith qudsi (Muslim 395)
Its virtues
- The greatest surah in the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ told Abu Sa'id ibn Al-Mu'alla that Al-Fatiha is the greatest surah in the Quran (Bukhari 4474).
- Prayer is not valid without it. "There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book" (Bukhari 756).
- A conversation with Allah. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says He has divided the prayer between Himself and His servant into two halves, and He answers each verse as it is recited (Muslim 395).
Meaning, verse by verse
The translations below give the general meaning in English.
1. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
We begin every good action by seeking Allah's help and blessing. Ar-Rahman points to the vastness of His mercy. Ar-Raheem points to His mercy reaching His servants.
2. ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.
Every form of perfect praise belongs to Allah. He is Rabb: the Creator, Owner, Sustainer and Nurturer of everything that exists.
3. ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Mercy is repeated right after His lordship, reminding us that His care for creation is founded on mercy.
4. مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Master of the Day of Judgment.
After hope comes accountability. On that Day, no one owns anything except Allah.
5. إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
This is the heart of the surah. Worship and reliance belong to Allah alone. Placing "You" first in Arabic gives the meaning of only You.
6. ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the straight path.
The most important dua: to know the truth, to follow it, and to stay firm on it.
7. صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
The path of those You have blessed, not of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray.
The blessed are the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous (An-Nisa 4:69). We ask to be kept away from both knowing the truth without following it, and acting without knowledge.
After finishing Al-Fatiha it is Sunnah to say "Ameen", meaning "O Allah, answer".
Common recitation mistakes
Because Al-Fatiha is a pillar of prayer, scholars stress reciting it correctly. Watch out for these frequent mistakes:
- ٱلْحَمْدُ with a ه instead of ح. The ح comes from the middle of the throat and has a soft, breathy sound. Pronouncing it like an English "h" changes the word.
- ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ with a weak ع. The ع is a throat letter. Dropping it turns the word into something else.
- Shortening the madd in ٱلضَّآلِّينَ. This is a Madd Lazim and is stretched for 6 counts.
- The ض. It is a heavy letter that comes from the side of the tongue against the upper molars. Many people pronounce it like a د or a ظ.
- The shaddah on إِيَّاكَ. Dropping the shaddah on the ي (reading "iyaka") changes the meaning completely. Hold the doubled ي clearly.
- Rushing. The Prophet ﷺ used to pause at the end of each verse. Stopping at each verse ending makes your recitation clearer and gives time to reflect.
You can study these rules in more detail in our guide to Tajweed rules for beginners.
Make Al-Fatiha the first thing you perfect
If you are starting your Quran journey, Al-Fatiha is the right place to begin, then move on to the best short surahs to memorize. A qualified teacher can listen to your recitation and fix any mistakes in just a few sessions.
At Quran Egy, our Azhari teachers check and correct your Al-Fatiha in your very first lesson. Book a free trial class.
Azhari-trained teachers · male & female · kids and adults
Frequently asked questions
Is Bismillah a verse of Al-Fatiha?
In the Hafs recitation (the most common printed Mushaf), Bismillah is counted as the first verse of Al-Fatiha. Scholars have discussed this, and all agree it should be recited.
How many times a day do Muslims recite Al-Fatiha?
At least 17 times, once in every rak'ah of the five daily prayers. More with the Sunnah and voluntary prayers.
Can I recite Al-Fatiha in English in prayer?
The prayer is performed with the Arabic recitation. Learning the meaning in your language helps you understand and focus on what you are saying.
