one who does not know the meaning is like someone who does not read at all. As Allah Almighty says:

“Among them are unlettered people who know nothing of the Scripture beyond its recitation.”

That is, they do no more than recite it. A Muslim should therefore strive to understand the meaning of the Noble Quran so that he may benefit from it and follow the practice of the early Muslims, for they would not proceed beyond ten verses until they had learned them and the knowledge and deeds they contained. (1)

He also said—may Allah have mercy upon him: “Students of knowledge should take care, whenever they have occasion to gather with the general public, to present a verse from the Book of Allah and explain it—especially passages frequently recited by people, such as al-Fātihah. If you were to ask an ordinary person—or indeed many people—about the meaning of Surah al-Fātihah, he would know nothing of it.”

The commentary of our esteemed shaykh—may Allah have mercy upon him—is distinguished by its clarity of expression, precision of meaning, interpretation of the Quran through the Quran, and freedom from strained explanations. It also exhorts through the Noble Quran—and the Quran itself suffices as an admonition. Thus, in this commentary, he—may Allah Almighty have mercy upon him—combined clarification of the meaning with exhortation through the Book of Allah Almighty. May Allah reward him most generously for his service to Islam and the Muslims, elevate his rank among the rightly guided, and admit him into His spacious Gardens. He is indeed All-Hearing and Responsive. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.

Fahd ibn Nāsir al-Sulaymān