Superiority of Surat Al-Fiitiha (the Opening Surah)
Superiority of Surat Al-Fiitiha
(the Opening Surah)
85) Narrated Abu Huraira : I heard Allah's Messenger saying that Allah said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My slave. My slave will have what he asks for. When the slave recites: All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Allah says: My slave has praised Me. When the slave recites: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Allah says: My slave has modifid Me best. When the slave recites: He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. Allah says: My slave has glorified Me and once He says: My slave has surrendered himself to My Will. When the slave recites: You we worship and from You we seek help, Allah says: This is between Me and My slave. My slave will have whatever he has asked for. When the slave recites: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those on whom You bestowed Your favours. Those who neither exasperated you, nor went astray. At this, Allah says: This is for My slave and My slave will have what he has asked for.
(This Haditb is sound and reported by Muslim).
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In the superiority of this opening chapter Ibn Taimiyah said: All the previous revelations (Books) were summarized in the three last Books; the Torah, the Psalms, and the Bible, these were in turn included in the Qur' an, the Qur' an was also summarized in the opening chapter. He added: It is an invocation, a prayer, a remembrance and it includes monotheism, servitude of Muslims to Allah and it curses the Jews and the Christians who went astray. It is, to conclude, the best Surah of the Qur' an - Moqaddamatut- Tafseer.
