Surah al-Fātiḥah: The Opening of the Book

It has three well-known names: the Opening of the Book, the Mother of the Quran, and the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses.

It is called the Opening of the Book because Allah opened the Quran with it. It is called the Mother of the Quran and the Mother of the Book because it is the foundation of the Quran, with which the Quran begins. The mother of a thing is its origin. Makkah is called the Mother of Cities because it is the origin of all lands: the earth was spread out from beneath it. It is also said that it is so called because it precedes, and leads, the surahs that follow it: its writing is begun with in the mushaf, and its recitation in prayer.

It is called the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses because, by the consensus of the scholars, it consists of seven verses. It is called the Oft-Repeated Verses because it is repeated in the prayer, being recited in every rakʿah. Mujāhid said: “It was called the Oft-Repeated Verses because Allah Most High singled it out for this community and reserved it for them.”

According to the majority, it is Makkan. Mujāhid said that it is Madinan. It has also been said that it was revealed twice: once in Makkah and once in Madinah; and for this reason it was called the Oft-Repeated Verses. The first view—that it is Makkan—is sounder, for Allah Most High bestowed it upon the Messenger, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, when He said, “We have certainly given you the seven oft-repeated verses” (al-Ḥijr 87). This refers to the Opening of the Book, and Surah al-Ḥijr is Makkan; thus, He would not have bestowed it upon him before it was revealed.

“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. (1) All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds, (2) the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, (3) Master of the Day of Recompense. (4) You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. (5) Guide us to the straight path: (6) the path of those whom You have blessed—not those who have incurred wrath, nor those who have gone astray.” (7)

“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful”: the bāʾ is a particle that puts what follows it in the genitive case, like min and ʿan. The verb to which the bāʾ is connected is omitted, since the wording indicates it. Its implied sense is: “I begin in the name of Allah,” or, “Say: In the name of Allah.”

The alif is omitted from the word ism (name) for ease and because of its frequent usage, while the bāʾ is lengthened. Al-Qutaybī said: so that the opening words of Allah’s Book may begin with an enlarged letter. ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, may Allah be pleased with him, used to tell his scribes: “Lengthen the bāʾ, make the sīn distinct, leave space between them, and round the mīm,” in veneration