The secrets about the excellence of the Fātiḥah – Imrān Mogra

Imrān Mogra offers some Muslim perspectives on the First Sūrah of the Holy Qur’ān: the Fātiḥah.

Teaching about prayer in primary and secondary schools provides opportunities for learners to develop some key skills of communication. Most religious traditions have a principal prayer which may be considered to be the heart of their spiritual and theological teachings. One such prayer, in the form of a sūrah (chapter), features in the Noble Qur’ān and exegetes provide much information about this. In this article, some key points about the Fātiḥah are made and classroom activities are suggested to support the achievement of some aims in religious education.

In some Muslim faith schools and state schools, where Muslim collective worship is provided, the Fātiḥah is used as a central ‘prayer’. The Fātiḥah holds an exceptional position in the life of a Muslim, and this status gives teachers opportunities to explore and examine it in religious education lessons, so that learners discover how religious beliefs and ideas are expressed. In order to fully appreciate its potential for the classroom, some background information is necessary.

The Fātiḥah, known by various names, each depicting its own characteristic, is called as such because it opens the Qur’ān, i.e., it is the first chapter. This is probably the most famous of its names. However, teachers can transcend such literalism, so that children can begin to know that it is also an opening to the secrets and mysteries that Muslims believe are hidden in Divine words.

Such is its significance that Muhammad (pbuh) is recorded to have stated that no prayer is complete without it. Consequently, Muslims, offering their daily prayers, recite it at least 17 times in a day. As an essential component for daily prayers, the first Sūrah of the Qur’ān is named Surat al-Salat (Chapter of prayer).

Due to this frequent repetition, the Fātiḥah has earned itself a title in the Qur’ān. It is referred to as the Seven Oft-Repeated (15:87). Moreover, since the whole of Fātiḥah is considered a petition to God; it is named Surat al-Dua (Chapter of supplication) as well.

Considering its content, it has also been entitled Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the book), as the essence of the Qurān is encompassed in these verses. Other names include al–Shifa (The healer) as it is believed to be a healer, physically and spiritually. Consequently, in practice, it is recited and blown onto the body or into water and drunk.

Structurally, the first three verses consist of Divine attributes so they manifest praise, mercy and majesty of God, then the middle verse demonstrates the dependence of humankind on God, thereafter, the final three verses reflect the craving of the soul for righteousness and grace. Therefore, it is important for teachers to facilitate the recognition of the text being God-centred.

In the classroom, discussions about the role of praise during supplications and the nature of these phrases can be explored to learn what Muslims believe about God and people and the relationship between the two. Learners can also analyse the purpose contained in each phrase of the prayer.

There are several concepts that can be used for further enquiry. Tasks can be set to find out more, from the Muslim perspective, what Creator, Merciful, straight path, going astray and final day might mean, and how these might affect a Muslim’s behaviour. Other general concepts could be explored such as sacred, authority, worship, ritual and communication.

Learners can synthesise the Fātiḥah by considering the various themes within it and identify what they think the essence of the Sūrah as a whole is.

There are valuable issues to discuss about responsibility and accountability through the phrase “the Master of the Day of Judgement” and indeed the meaning and implications of ‘Master’.

The translation of the meaning of the Fātiḥah is presented below and a brief commentary for teachers on each phrase.

1. Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. 2. The All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. 3. Master of the Day of Judgement.

The proper name, Allah, and four attributes (Rab, Rahmān, Rahim, Malik) have been gathered in these verses. Each conveys a significant theme and Muslims learn many things from these including the following.

Through this first phrase Muslims discover that they should praise God and that all praise is for God. It also teaches them that any praise extended to others ultimately goes to God, Because God is the Creator. In declaring that God is the Lord of the worlds, Muslims belief that God exists and because God is the Creator, God is the only one worthy of worship. The word rab reminds them that God nurtures every thing in the known and unknown worlds, by bringing it into being and then nourishing it to its perfection.

Rahmān and Rahim are attributes of God, meaning All-Merciful and Very Merciful respectively. Muslims learn about the mercy of God so that they can turn to Him at all times for everything. The words provide comfort to them as they first recognise that God is merciful and then later learn that there is to be a day of judgement. Furthermore, Muslims become alert to the readiness of God to forgive through Rahim, which brings them closer to Him and creates, in their heart, a sense of hope.

In the third verse, reverence to God as the Master (Mālik) is established. Muslims learn that God is the Master of the Day of Judgement. They also understand that they will be accountable for all of their actions; in turn this establishes a belief in the Afterlife. This phrase helps Muslims to think about the relationship that they should have with God and with other people. They are also alerted to the consequences of their actions and as a result become motivated to worship. Moreover, this phrase acts as a constant reminder of the temporal nature of this world and a directive towards continued spiritual progress and preparation for the Afterlife.

4. You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help.

Tawhid (the Oneness of God) comes to a climax in this phrase, and there is recognition that ultimate refuge is in God. It also establishes, for Muslims, the kind of relationship to be had with God. The previous verses appear in the third person, which talk about God but not to God. However, this verse suddenly shifts to the second person, addressing God directly. For some Muslims this grammatical turn is a style of eloquence and has been used to maintain eagerness, inclination and attention, so that there is heightened awareness of God. Others suggest that it creates nearness. This is because in using the third person there is a sense of remoteness whereas in using the second person there is a sense of imminence.

5. Guide us on the straight path. 6. The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, 7. not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.

From the viewpoint of Islam, some would argue, there is a blessed path and a cursed one. The former walked by messengers, prophets and the godly; the latter by Satan, his associates and the bad. Since the path is slippery, seeking steadfastness and straightness become essential. This has to be done continuously and therefore unsurprisingly, as a prayer of seeking guidance, it features so prominently in the spiritual actions of Muslim life.

Being unique within the Qur’ān, it appears that the excellence of the Fātiḥah rests less in being only an opening to the Qur’ān, and more in being an integral part of Muslim life and belief. The Fātiḥah has a central role in Islam because it encourages a desire for worship; it clarifies who and why Muslims worship. In addition, it is important as it emphasises the need for spiritual purification of the soul by seeking the mercy and forgiveness of God. Finally, it counsels Muslims against negligence by reminding them about the Day of Judgement.

Learners should be able to:

• develop a nuanced understanding of religious language used for prayer;
• know some of the core Muslim beliefs;
• understand why the Fātiḥah is a prominent feature of devotion in Islam;
• comprehend and analyse scriptural texts.

NB A teaching resource for KS2 and KS3 illustrating the use of prayer in Islam is available at: https://www.reonline.org.uk/resources/how-and-why-do-people-pray/