ISLAM FOR BEGINNERS BRS 107.pdf - CUEA

Al-FATIHAIt is asserted that chronologically, al-fatiha is not the first sura which was revealed toMuhammad though it comes first in the present arrangement. It opens the Qur’an that iswhy it is called al-fatiha (Fataha means to open). Muslims say: qira`atu-l-Qur’an taftahubiha(the reading of the Qur’an begins with it). It has only seven ayats but Bukhari calls itthe greatest sura in his book of commentary, certainly for some constructive reasons:Narrated Abu Sa`id bin al-Mu`alla while I was offering salat in the mosque, Alla’sMessenger called me but I did not respond to him. Later I said, o Allah’smessenger! I was offering salat. He said, didn’t allah say-answer allah and hismessenger when he calls you. He then said to me, before you leave the mosque, Iwill teach you a sura which is the greatest sura in the Qur’an.Some scholars like Yusuf Ali, consider it as the essence of the Book or the mother of theBook. The sura is like a song of praise in which the believer sings the oneness,uniqueness, omnipotence, omnipresence and ultimate authority of Allah. Allah is calledtherein rabi-l-alamin (Lord of the world), Maliki yaumi-l-din (Master of the day ofjudgement). Though we will dwell on the sixth ayats, the first five ayats are not ignored forthere is a preparation of the great demand that is realised in the sixth. ihdina sirat-almustaqima(show us the straight way or guide us on a straight path). The believer,knowing in advance that it is Allah who leads, asks for guidance in the right path, a paththat leads to life. This is what holds the whole islamic ethical teaching. 25Allah is the leader of all Muslims and the sura does not mention anyone else as theultimate leader save Allah. At least, according to this verse, it is clear that leadership inIslam belongs to Allah alone. Allah is the giver of guidance to men and women. KennethCragg adds:The transcendental lawgiver ordains the human order, establishes the dueconstitution of society, and communicated it in the final revelation. 26The structure of the sura certifies that the centre or the goal of it is verse 6; everything isleading towards the man’s request.25 .Kenneth Cragg, The mind of the Qur’an, Chapters in reflection (London:George Allen, 1973), p. 85.26 .Ibid, p.86.Frederic N. Mvumbi,OP Page 66 of 85