Fatihah 1

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

It is a Meccan surah. Some, however, say it is both Meccan and Medinan, as it was revealed once in Mecca and again in Medina. It is called “Umm al-Qur’an” (The Mother of the Qur’an) because it encompasses the meanings found in the Qur’an—praising God as He deserves, acts of worship involving commands and prohibitions, and promises and warnings. It is also known as “Surah al-Kanz” (The Chapter of the Treasure) and “al-Wafiyah” (The Complete One) for the same reason. Other names include “Surah al-Hamd” (The Chapter of Praise), “al-Mathani” (The Repeated Verses) because it is recited in every unit of prayer, “Surah al-Salah” (The Chapter of Prayer) because its recitation makes the prayer valid, and “Surah al-Shifa” and “al-Shafiyah” (The Healing Chapter).

It consists of seven verses by unanimous agreement, though scholars differ on whether “An’amta ’alayhim” (whom You have blessed) should be counted as a separate verse, or if instead, “Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim” (In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) should be counted as one.

The reciters of Medina, Basra, and Sham, as well as their jurists, hold that “Bismillah” is not a verse of Al-Fatiha nor any other surah. They argue that it was written only to mark separations between surahs and for the blessing of beginning with God’s name, just as His name is invoked at the start of any important matter. This is also the view of Abu Hanifa and his followers, which is why they do not recite it aloud in prayer.

On the other hand, the reciters of Mecca and Kufa, along with their jurists, consider “Bismillah” to be a verse of Al-Fatiha and every surah. This is also the opinion of Imam al-Shafi’i and his followers, which is why they recite it aloud in prayer. They argue that the early Muslims wrote it in the official Mushaf (Qur’anic manuscript) despite their instruction to keep the Qur’an free of non-Qur’anic additions. They did not include “Ameen” in the text, which indicates that “Bismillah” is indeed part of the Qur’an. Ibn Abbas said, “Whoever omits it has omitted 114 verses from God’s Book.”

Analysis of “Bismillah”

If you ask: What is the grammatical function of the letter “B” in “Bismillah”?

The answer is that it is linked to an implied verb, such as “I recite (Bismillah) in the name of God” or “I read (Bismillah) in the name of God.” The reason is that what follows “Bismillah” is usually a recitation, just as when a traveler sets out and says “Bismillah wa al-barakat” (In the name of God and with blessings), it implies “I set out in the name of God.” Similarly, when one is about to slaughter an animal and says “Bismillah,” the implied meaning is “I slaughter in the name of God.”

A similar omission of a verb can be seen in Qur’anic phrases like:

• “Fi tis’i ayatin ila Fir’awn wa qawmihi” (In nine signs to Pharaoh and his people), meaning “Go in nine signs to Pharaoh and his people.”

• Common Arabic expressions like:

• “Bil-rafā’ wa al-banīn” (With happiness and children), meaning “May you be blessed with a happy marriage and children.”

• “Bil-yumni wa al-barakah” (With prosperity and blessing), meaning “May you be blessed with prosperity and good fortune.”

• Poetic example:

• “Fa-qultu ila al-ta’ami fa-qala minhum… fariqun nahsudu al-insa al-ta’ama”

• (I invited them to the food, and a group among them said, “We envy humans for food.”)

If you ask: Why is the omitted verb placed after “Bismillah” instead of before it?

The answer is that the most important part of the phrase is the name of God, not the verb. This is because before Islam, the polytheists used to begin actions with the names of their idols, saying, “In the name of al-Lat,” “In the name of al-‘Uzza,” etc. Therefore, in Islamic monotheism, the phrase was structured to emphasize that only God’s name is invoked at the beginning of every action.

This is similar to “Iyyaka na’budu” (You alone we worship), where the object “You alone” is placed first to emphasize exclusivity.

The proof of this order is found in the Qur’anic verse:

“Bismillah majraha wa mursaha” (In the name of God is its course and its anchorage).

If you ask: Why does the verse “Iqra’ bismi Rabbik” (Read in the name of your Lord) place the verb before “Bismillah”?

The answer is that this was the first revelation, and in that context, the command to read was more urgent than the phrase itself.

If you ask: What does it mean for the name of God to be connected to reading?

There are two interpretations:

1. It is connected in the same way that a pen is to writing when one says: “I wrote with the pen”—meaning that a believer, having the conviction that no action is valid in religious law or aligned with the Sunnah unless it begins with the mention of God’s name (as stated in the hadith: “Every important matter that does not begin with the name of God is cut off”), treats his action as being carried out by the name of God, just as writing is done by means of a pen.

2. It is connected in the same way as oil is to plant growth in the verse: “It grows by means of oil” (i.e., nourished by oil). Here, the meaning is: “I read while seeking blessing from the name of God.” Similarly, when one says “Bil-rafā’ wa al-banīn” (With happiness and children) to a groom, the meaning is “You have married with happiness and children as your fortune.”

This second interpretation is more eloquent and precise.

If you ask: How can God say ‘I read while seeking blessing from the name of God’ when He is the speaker of the Qur’an?

The answer is that this phrase is spoken on behalf of the servants of God—just as a poet may compose verses in the voice of someone else. Similarly, phrases like “Al-hamdu lillahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin” (All praise is due to God, Lord of the worlds) and much of the Qur’an are structured this way. Their purpose is to teach God’s servants how to seek His blessings, praise Him, and glorify Him.

Why is the preposition “B” (in “Bismillah”) written with a kasrah instead of a fatḥah?

One-letter prepositions, like Kāf (for comparison), Lām (for emphasis), Wāw (for conjunction), and Fā’ (for sequencing), are usually built on a fatḥah (e.g., ka, la, wa, fa). However, the Bā’ in “Bismillah” is different because:

• Lām (in “Lillah”) takes a kasrah to distinguish it from the emphatic Lām used for emphasis (e.g., La-Akramanna – “I shall surely honor”).

• Bā’ (in “Bismillah”) always functions as a preposition governing a genitive noun (ḥarf jar), requiring kasrah.

Why does “Ism” (اسم, meaning “name”) sometimes appear with an initial hamzah and sometimes without?

“Ism” belongs to a group of ten nouns whose first letter is originally silent. To avoid starting a word with a silent letter (which Arabic phonology dislikes), an initial hamzah was added in pronunciation when beginning a sentence. However, when “Ism” appears in the middle of a sentence, the hamzah is omitted.

Some dialects avoided adding the hamzah altogether by compensating with a short vowel—thus saying “Sm” instead of “Ism.” This is reflected in the poetic line:

“Bism al-ladhi fi kulli suratin smuh.”

(Meaning: “In the name of the One whose name appears in every surah.”)

The Etymology of “Ism”

The word “Ism” originates from “Samw” (سمو), meaning “elevation” or “exalted status.” This is evident in its derivatives, such as:

• Asma’ (أسماء) (plural of “Ism”)

• Samma (سمّى) (to name)

• Summiyat (سُمِّيَتْ) (it was named)

Since giving something a name is an act of elevating and distinguishing it, “Ism” was derived from “Samw” (elevation).

A similar process happened with the term “Nabz” (نبز)—which originally meant “nickname” (from “raising one’s voice” when calling someone).

Why is the initial “Alif” in “Bismillah” dropped in writing?

• In the phrase “Bismillah”, the alif in “Ism” was omitted due to frequent usage, following the convention of writing words as they are pronounced in continuous speech (wasl) rather than how they are pronounced when starting anew (ibtida’).

• However, in “Bismi Rabbik” (In the name of your Lord), the alif remains because this phrase was less commonly written in abbreviation.

• The elongation of the “Bā’” in calligraphy was a visual compensation for the omitted alif.

Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz once instructed his scribe: “Lengthen the Bā’, clarify the ‘Sin’ strokes, and round out the Mīm.”

The Origin of “Allah”

The word “Allah” is derived from “Al-Ilāh” (الإله), meaning “The God.” Evidence for this derivation is seen in early poetry, such as:

“Ma‘ādha al-Ilāh an takūna ka-ẓabiyatin”

(Seeking refuge in Al-Ilāh, lest you be like a gazelle.)

Similar transformations occur in other Arabic words:

• “Al-Nās” (The people) comes from “Al-Anās” (الأُناس).

• Example: “Inna al-manāya yattaṭli‘na ‘ala al-unāsi al-āminīna.”

(“Indeed, death looms over the secure people.”)

The hamzah was omitted from “Al-Ilāh”, and instead, the definite article “Al-” was fused with the noun, forming “Allah.”

The Difference Between “Ilāh” and “Allah”

• “Ilāh” is a generic noun, meaning “a god”, and can refer to any object of worship, whether rightfully or falsely worshipped.

• “Allah” is a proper name, referring exclusively to the One true God.

This process is similar to how:

• “Najm” (star) refers to any star, but it came to be specifically associated with the Pleiades (Thuraya).

• “Sunnah” (year) originally meant any year but became associated with a year of drought.

• “Bayt” (house) became synonymous with the Ka‘bah.

• “Kitāb” (book) became a reference to Sibawayh’s book in grammar.

Thus, “Allah” became reserved exclusively for the true deity and was never used for any false god.

Is “Allah” a Name or a Description?

“Allah” is a proper name, not an adjective.

• A proper name can be described, but it is not used as a descriptor itself.

• For example, you can say “Allah is Merciful”, but you cannot say “A thing is Allah-like”—just as you can say “A man is wise”, but you cannot say “This object is man-like” in the same way.

Similarly, “Ilāh” (god) functions as a general descriptor (since there can be many “gods” in the broadest sense), but “Allah” is a unique, singular name that cannot be applied to anything else.

You say: “One God, the Eternal Refuge” (إله واحد صمد), just as you say “A generous and good man” (رجل كريم خير).

Moreover, God’s attributes must have a subject to which they apply. If all of them were treated as mere adjectives without a noun they describe, they would exist without being attached to anything—which is impossible.

Is the name “Allah” derived from a root word?

The concept of derivation (ishtiqāq) implies that multiple words are linked by a shared meaning.

The form of the name “Allah” and the verb “A-li-ha” (ألِهَ)—meaning “to be perplexed”—as well as similar verbs like “Da-li-ha” (دلِهَ) and ”‘A-li-ha” (علِهَ) all share the idea of confusion and astonishment.

This connection suggests that human minds become bewildered when trying to comprehend the divine, and that intellectual confusion about God has led to widespread misguidance, false beliefs, and a scarcity of sound reasoning.

Is the “Lām” in “Allah” pronounced with emphasis (tafkhīm)?

Yes, Al-Zajjāj stated that emphasizing (tafkhīm) the “Lām” in “Allah” is Sunnah.

This was the pronunciation of all Arabs, and their unanimous usage suggests it was inherited from their ancestors.

The Difference Between “Rahmān” (الرَّحْمٰن) and “Rahīm” (الرَّحِيم)

• “Rahmān” follows the pattern “Fa‘lān” (فعلان) from the root “Raḥima” (رحمَ)—just like “Ghaḍbān” (غضبان, full of anger) and “Sakrān” (سكران, drunk).

• “Rahīm” follows the pattern “Fa‘īl” (فعيل)—just like “Marīḍ” (مريض, sick) and “Saqīm” (سقيم, ill).

“Rahmān” conveys a greater degree of intensity than “Rahīm.”

This is why scholars say:

• “Rahmān” refers to God’s mercy in both this world and the Hereafter.

• “Rahīm” refers to His mercy specifically in this world.

This follows the linguistic principle that longer word forms indicate greater intensity of meaning.

A Story About Word Expansion in Arabic

Al-Zajjāj once heard an interesting example of how Arabs naturally expand words to indicate greater meaning.

• In Iraq, people used the term “Shaqdaf” (شقدف) for a lightweight saddle.

• In Ṭā’if, when he asked a Bedouin the name of a heavier saddle, the man replied:

“Isn’t that one called Shaqdaf?”

Al-Zajjāj said, “Yes.”

The Bedouin then said: “Then this one is called Shaqandaf (شقندف)!”

By lengthening the word, the Bedouin indicated that this saddle was larger than the regular Shaqdaf.

Similarly, “Rahmān” is a more intense form of mercy than “Rahīm”, just as “Allah” is a unique name used only for the One True God.

Why Did Some in Arabia Call Musaylima “The Rahmān of Yamāmah”?

The Banu Hanīfa tribe falsely referred to Musaylima (a false prophet) as “Rahmān of Yamāmah”, and their poets even praised him with verses like:

“You are the rain-bringer of the people—may you remain our Rahmān forever!”

This was an act of deliberate distortion in their disbelief.

Is “Rahmān” Inflected in Arabic? (Does It Take Tanwīn?)

If we analyze “Rahmān” based on linguistic patterns, it resembles words like:

• ‘Aṭshān (عطشان, thirsty)

• Gharthān (غرثان, hungry)

• Sakrān (سكران, drunk)

Since these words are not inflected (i.e., they do not take tanwīn), we might assume “Rahmān” should follow the same rule.

However, a problem arises:

• Words in the “Fa‘lān” (فعلان) pattern are usually adjectives that have a feminine form ending in ”-ā” (فعلى, e.g., عطشى, سكرى).

• But “Rahmān” is exclusive to God, meaning it has no feminine equivalent.

One might argue that, since it lacks a feminine form, it should be fully inflected (i.e., take tanwīn).

However, because “Rahmān” originally followed the same linguistic pattern as “‘Aṭshān” and “Sakrān,” it remains indeclinable.

Thus, it does not take tanwīn.

What Does It Mean for God to Be Described as “Merciful” (Rahīm)?

The root meaning of “Raḥma” (رحمة) is tenderness and compassion, and is related to “Raḥim” (رحم, the womb), which surrounds and nurtures what is inside it.

When applied to God, “Raḥma” is metaphorical—it does not mean that He has emotions like humans do.

Instead, it refers to His kindness and generosity.

• A king who feels compassion toward his people grants them favors.

• A king who is harsh with his people denies them benefits.

Thus, God’s “Raḥma” is understood as His blessings and generosity toward His creation.

Why Is “Rahmān” (the More Intense Form) Placed Before “Rahīm”?

Ordinarily, Arabic rhetoric prefers progression from a lower degree to a higher one, like:

• “He is a scholar, a genius.”

• “He is brave, a lion in battle.”

• “He is generous, overflowing with kindness.”

However, in “Rahmān” and “Rahīm,” the greater attribute comes first.

This is because:

1. “Rahmān” covers the greatest and most fundamental blessings—such as life, sustenance, and creation itself.

2. “Rahīm” follows as a complement, covering subtler and more specific mercies.

Thus, “Rahmān” encompasses broad, universal mercy, while “Rahīm” applies to individual cases.