The Meaning of Al-Fatihah and its Various Names This Surah is called Al-Fatihah, that is, the Opener of the Book, the Surah with which prayers are begun. It is also called, Umm Al-Kitab (the Mother of the Book), according to the majority of the scholars. In an authentic Hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, «ÇáúÍóãúÏõ ááåö ÑóÈó ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó Ãõãøõ ÇáúÞõÑúÂäö æóÃõãøõ ÇáúßöÊóÇÈö æóÇáÓøóÈúÚõ ÇáúãóËóÇäöí æóÇáúÞõÑúÂäõ ÇáúÚóÙöíãõ» (Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Qur'an.) It is also called Al-Hamd and As-Salah, because the Prophet said that his Lord said, «ÞóÓóãúÊõ ÇáÕøóáóÇÉó Èóíúäöí æóÈóíúäó ÚóÈúÏöí äöÕúÝóíúäö¡ ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÞóÇáó ÇáúÚóÈúÏõ:ÇáúÍóãúÏõÏöááå ÑóÈøö ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó¡ ÞóÇáó Çááåõ: ÍóãöÏóäöí ÚóÈúÏöí» (`The prayer (i.e., Al-Fatihah) is divided into two halves between Me and My servants.' When the servant says, `All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of existence,' Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me.') Al-Fatihah was called the Salah, because reciting it is a condition for the correctness of Salah - the prayer. Al-Fatihah was also called Ash-Shifa' (the Cure). Next
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