Fat’h Al Qadeer Qur’an Exegesis

By Imam Al Shawkani

 

Surat Al Fatiha​​  (The Prelude) – سورة الفاتحة

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ​​ (1)

In the Name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful ​​ (1)

 

This is acknowledged by most​​ Muslim scholars as an independent AYAH separating the Quran Surat​​ or Chapters. Some scholars refer to it as Ayah No. 30 in Surat​​ No. 27 “An Namel” (the Ants):

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيم​​ (30)

Indeed, it is from​​ [Prophet] Sulaiman, and indeed, it reads:​​ In the Name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful. (30).​​ An important distinction between both names is that the Compassionate is exclusive for the creator while the Merciful may be used for both the​​ creator and the created.

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ​​ (2)

[All] Praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the Worlds (2)

 

Praise can only be due to the [Complete, Perfect & Integral] Creator: to​​ Allah [Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala: SWT] who is the [one and​​ only] Lord of the Worlds.

 

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ​​ (3)

the Compassionate, the Merciful (3)

 

We have already commented on the both Names of Allah above. Al Shawkani ​​ comments that Ayah 2 & 3 combined represent the “Persuasion and Intimidation” in the​​ obedience when worshiping Allah [SWT].

 

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ​​ (4)

King [or Sovereign] of the Day of Judgement (4)

 

Al Shawkani gives two Arabic language readings for this Ayah. Malik (Sovreign) and Melik (King). Melik referrers to the Self of Allah​​ [SWT] while Malik referrers to His Action. The day of judgement is doomsday when humans are remunerated and recompensed for their worldly actions.

 

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ​​ (5)​​ 

It is You we worship and You we seek help and refuge (5)

 

We​​ shall not worship and ask for help and sanctuary but from You Allah. This worship is with complete love, full submission and total fear from You Allah. In Ibn Abbas’ [Radhiya Allahu Anhu: RAA] explanation of this Ayah he comments that worshipping You Allah​​ is unifying and fearing You and seeking Your help in Obeying You for all our worldly needs. ​​ 

 

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ​​ (6)

[O Allah] Guide us to the straight path – (6)

 

Guidance is tutorship, steering and asking for guidance from the Divine Guide thus​​ seeking increased guidance. This concept is reflected in Ayah 17 in Surat Mohammad where Allah Promises the worshiper increased guidance:

وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ​​ (الاية 17 من سورة محمد)

Those who were​​ Guided Shall have increased guidance and Shall be Given their piety(17).​​ 

 

The straight path is the clear and non-crooked path for humans to follow in their worldly lifetime. Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal [Alayhe Rahmatulah: AR] reports a narration by Al​​ Nawwas Bin Sam’an [RAA] that​​ the Messenger of Allah [Salla Allahu Alyihi wa Sallam: SAAS] said that Allah [SWT] gave the parable of a straight path with walls on both of its sides having open doors with loose curtains. A caller at the beginning of the​​ straight path calls: O you people enter the straight path and do not go crooked. Another caller from above the path calls the same people not to go through the open doors.​​ The above Hadeeth [or underlined Prophetic Statement] was given the following exegesis by the Prophet of Allah Muhammad [SAAS]: The straight path is Islam. The walls on both sides of the path are the confines or boundaries of Allah [SWT]. The open doors are the taboos or prohibitions of Allah [SWT]. The caller from the beginning of the straight path is the “Qur’an” and the caller from above is the “Preacher” of Allah [SWT] in every Muslim’s heart.  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ 

 

Another clear indication of the Straight Path is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surat Ya’Seen (Ayah 61):

 

وَأَنِ​​ اعْبُدُونِي​​ ۚ​​ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (الاية 61 من سورة يس)

And that you [should] worship [only] Me. This is a straight path (61).

 

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ​​ 

غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ​​ (7)

  • The path of those​​ upon whom You have Bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] Wrath​​ 

  • nor of those who are astray. (7).

 

In this 7th​​ and last Ayah of Al Fatiha, Allah [SWT] mentions the Muslims who practice Islam, the Jews and Christians. The Muslims who practice​​ Islam as prescribed in the Glorious Qur’an and Purified Sunnah are defined in Surat ​​ An’Nisa’ Ayat 69 & 70 given hereunder:

 

ومَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ​​ ۚ​​ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا​​ (69)​​ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ​​ ۚ​​ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ ​​ عَلِيمًا​​ (70).

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger [Muhammad] – those will be amongst the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor​​ from amongst the prophets, the faithful [steadfast affirmers of truth], the martyrs and the righteous. And those are the fine Companions (69).​​ That is the Graciousness ​​ from Allah , and sufficient is Allah as All Knowledge Encompassing (70).

 

Those who​​ have evoked the Wrath of Allah [SWT] are the Jews [or Israelites] who knew the full truth through Prophet Mousa [Alyhi Al Salam: AAS] but deviated from this truth with selfishness, pride and prejudice. They thus deserved the Wrath of Allah [SWT]. The astray, on the other hand, are the Christians who deviated from the Message of Prophet Isa [AAS] out of ignorance and ill-knowledge. Assyyidah Ayisha [RAA] (daughter of Abu Bakir Al Siddiq [RAA] and the last wife of the Prophet Muhammad [SAAS] is reported as saying:

 

“The Jews have envied you [Muslims] mostly for saying: Al Salam Alaykum & Aameen (meaning: Peace Be Upon You & O Allah Respond to Our Supplication).”