Surah Al-Fatihah
الفاتحة
Al-Fatihah is the seven-verse opening chapter of the Quran, a short prayer of praise and a request for guidance that Muslims recite in every unit of the daily prayer.
- Meaning
- The Opener
- Surah
- 1 of 114
- Verses
- 7
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 1
What Surah Al-Fatihah is about
Al-Fatihah, The Opener, is the first surah of the Quran and one of the shortest, with seven verses. It is generally counted as Meccan. Its name comes from its place at the start of the book, and it is also widely known as Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book. In this numbering the opening line, In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful, is counted as verse 1; scholars differ on whether that line is a verse of Al-Fatihah itself, and some count the seven verses differently as a result.
The surah moves in a clear order. Verses 1-4 speak about Allah: His mercy, His praise as Lord of the Worlds, and His authority over the Day of Judgment. Verse 5 turns to address Him directly, with the worshipper saying that worship and requests for help belong to Him alone. Verses 6-7 then make a single request, to be guided on the straight path, and describe that path as the way of those Allah has blessed, as opposed to those who earned anger or went astray. In a few lines it moves from praise, to commitment, to asking.
Main themes
Praise and mercy
The surah opens by praising Allah as Lord of the Worlds and names His mercy twice, in verses 1 and 3. Before anything is asked, the reader is reminded who is being addressed and that mercy is central to how He is described.
Verses 1–3Accountability
Verse 4 describes Allah as Master of the Day of Judgment. Placed right after the verses on mercy, it keeps hope and responsibility side by side, so that the prayer is made with both in mind.
Verse 4Worship and reliance
Verse 5 is where the speaker shifts from talking about Allah to speaking to Him. It joins two things together: worshipping Him alone and turning to Him alone for help.
Verse 5Asking for guidance
The only request in the surah is for guidance on the straight path. Verse 7 explains that path through people: those who have been blessed, and not those who incurred anger or lost their way.
Verses 6–7
Verses to know
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ ﴿٥﴾
It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help.
This is the turning point of the surah, where description becomes direct address. Many people treat it as a short summary of the whole relationship between a believer and Allah.
ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾
Guide us to the straight path.
Guidance is the one thing the surah asks for, and because Al-Fatihah is repeated in every prayer, this request is made many times each day.
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ﴿٧﴾
The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided.
It explains the straight path by pointing to the people who walked it, which makes guidance something lived rather than only an idea.
When Surah Al-Fatihah is recited
Al-Fatihah is recited in every unit (rak'ah) of every prayer, so a Muslim who prays the five daily prayers recites it at least seventeen times a day. A hadith reported in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim says that there is no valid prayer for someone who does not recite it. Sahih Muslim also reports a hadith qudsi in which Allah describes the prayer as divided between Himself and His servant, answering each verse of Al-Fatihah as it is recited. Muslims also commonly recite it when making du'a, opening gatherings, and seeking healing.
Surah Al-Fatihah in Arabic and English
All 7 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
- 1
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
- 2
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
- 3
ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Alrrahmani alrraheemi
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
- 4
مَٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Maliki yawmi alddeeni
Master of the Day of Judgment.
- 5
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
Iyyaka naAAbudu waiyyaka nastaAAeenu
It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help.
- 6
ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ
Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
Guide us to the straight path.
- 7
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided.
Surah Al-Fatihah PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Fatihah
How many verses are in Surah Al-Fatihah?
Surah Al-Fatihah has 7 verses. In the common numbering used here the opening line, In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful, is verse 1, though some scholars count the seven verses differently.
What does Al-Fatihah mean?
Al-Fatihah means The Opener or The Opening. It is the first surah of the Quran, and it is also known as Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book.
Is Surah Al-Fatihah Meccan or Medinan?
It is generally classed as a Meccan surah, revealed before the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ moved to Medina. A minority of early scholars held other views, but the Meccan view is the most widely held.
Why is Surah Al-Fatihah recited in every prayer?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that the prayer is not valid without it, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Its content, praise followed by a request for guidance, also makes it a natural core for each unit of prayer.