Surah al-Fatihah ("The Opening") is the first chapter of the Quran, a seven-verse prayer that praises God, affirms that He alone is worshipped, and asks Him for guidance to the straight path. Muslims recite it in every unit of every prayer, at least 17 times a day, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called it the greatest surah in the Quran.
Because it is repeated so often, al-Fatihah is the passage Muslims know best. Understanding its meaning turns a familiar recitation into a conversation with God, and gives non-Muslim readers a clear summary of what Islam teaches.
Key takeaways
- Surah al-Fatihah is the first surah of the Quran, has seven verses, and is generally classified as revealed in Mecca.
- Sahih al-Bukhari reports that the Prophet called al-Fatihah the greatest surah in the Quran and "the seven oft-repeated verses."
- Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that there is no valid prayer for a person who does not recite al-Fatihah.
- Al-Fatihah is also called Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book, because it summarizes the Quran's core message.
- In a hadith in Sahih Muslim, God describes the recitation of al-Fatihah as a dialogue in which He answers His servant verse by verse.
What is Surah al-Fatihah?
Surah al-Fatihah opens the Quran, but it was not the first passage revealed. The first revelation was the opening of Surah al-Alaq (96:1–5), received in the cave of Hira. Al-Fatihah was placed at the start of the Quran because it introduces everything that follows.
The surah has a simple three-part shape. Verses 1 to 4 praise God, verse 5 is a pledge of worship and reliance, and verses 6 and 7 are a request for guidance. "Allah", the word used throughout, is the Arabic word for God, and Arab Christians use it too.
Surah al-Fatihah in English (Sahih International)
Here is the full surah in the Sahih International translation.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds - The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path - The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
In the most widely used verse count, the opening line "In the name of Allah" (the Basmalah) is verse 1. Other recognized counts do not number the Basmalah and instead divide the last verse into two, so the surah has seven verses either way. Scholars also differ on whether the Basmalah is part of al-Fatihah itself.
Surah Fatiha transliteration
This transliteration spells out the Arabic sounds in English letters. An apostrophe (') marks the Arabic letter 'ayn, and "ee" and "oo" mark long vowels.
Verse 1: Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
Verse 2: Alhamdu lillahi rabbi al'alameena
Verse 3: Alrrahmani alrraheemi
Verse 4: Maliki yawmi alddeeni
Verse 5: Iyyaka na'budu waiyyaka nasta'eenu
Verse 6: Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
Verse 7: Sirata allatheena an'amta 'alayhim ghayri almaghdoobi 'alayhim wala alddalleena
After finishing al-Fatihah in prayer, Muslims say Amin ("O God, answer"). It is not part of the surah, but Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that whoever's Amin coincides with that of the angels will have past sins forgiven. To recite correctly, learn alongside a skilled reciter, as our guide on how to read the Quran suggests.
Surah Fatiha meaning, verse by verse
Verse 1: In the name of Allah
Muslims begin the Quran, and most daily actions, "in the name of Allah." Two names of mercy follow. Scholars, including Ibn Kathir, explain that ar-Rahman (the Entirely Merciful) describes mercy that reaches all creation, while ar-Rahim (the Especially Merciful) describes mercy given especially to believers.
Verse 2: All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds
Al-hamd is praise combined with love and gratitude. Rabb, translated "Lord", also carries the sense of master, sustainer and nurturer. "The worlds" covers all of creation: humans, jinn, angels, animals and everything else.
Verse 3: The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
The two names of mercy are repeated right after God is called Lord of all the worlds. The reminder is that the One with total power over creation is, above all, merciful.
Verse 4: Sovereign of the Day of Recompense
The Day of Recompense (Yawm ad-Din) is the Day of Judgment, when every person receives the result of their deeds. Mercy in verse 3 is balanced by accountability here, so the believer lives between hope and awareness.
Verse 5: It is You we worship and You we ask for help
This is the heart of the surah. In Arabic, "You" (iyyaka) comes first, which gives the meaning "You alone". The speech also shifts from talking about God to speaking directly to Him. The verse pairs worship with asking for help, since no one can worship properly without God's support.
Verse 6: Guide us to the straight path
Having praised God and pledged to Him, the reader makes the single most important request: guidance. Scholars explain that even believers ask for this every day, because they need both guidance to the path and steadfastness on it.
Verse 7: The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor
The Quran itself explains who these favoured people are.
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.
The verse then asks to be kept away from two errors. Classical commentators, including Ibn Kathir, cite a narration in Jami at-Tirmidhi that gives the Jews and Christians of that era as examples. Scholars also stress the underlying qualities: those who "evoked anger" knew the truth but did not follow it, while those "astray" sought God without sound knowledge. Muslims recite this as a warning to themselves first, asking to combine right knowledge with right action.
Why is al-Fatihah recited in every prayer?
The first reason is the Prophet's instruction. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that he said there is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book. Al-Fatihah is therefore recited in every unit (rak'ah) of the five daily prayers, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
The second reason is what the recitation is. In a hadith qudsi (a saying the Prophet attributed to God) in Sahih Muslim, God says He has divided the prayer between Himself and His servant into two halves, and His servant will have what he asks for. When the servant says "Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds", God says, "My servant has praised Me." He responds to each verse in turn, and after "Guide us to the straight path" He says, "This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asked for."
Seen this way, every prayer contains a personal conversation with God, repeated many times a day.
Mother of the Book and the seven oft-repeated verses
Al-Fatihah has several names, each pointing to part of its importance.
- Umm al-Kitab or Umm al-Quran (Mother of the Book). In Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet called al-Fatihah Umm al-Quran. Scholars explain that, like a source from which everything flows, it summarizes the Quran's main themes: God's oneness and mercy, worship, the afterlife, guidance and the lessons of past peoples.
- As-Sab' al-Mathani (the seven oft-repeated verses). The Quran refers to this gift directly, and Sahih al-Bukhari confirms that it means al-Fatihah. The name reflects its constant repetition in prayer.
- Al-Fatihah (the Opening). It opens the written Quran and opens each prayer.
- A ruqyah (healing recitation). Sahih al-Bukhari reports that companions recited al-Fatihah over a man stung by a scorpion, and he recovered. The Prophet approved, asking how they knew it was a ruqyah.
This is the verse that mentions the seven oft-repeated verses.
And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur'an.
Sahih Muslim also reports that an angel described al-Fatihah, together with the closing verses of Surah al-Baqarah, as a light given to no prophet before. You can read about the second of these in our guide to the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah.
Read Surah al-Fatihah with tafsir on Quran Universe
You can read Surah al-Fatihah on Quran Universe with the Arabic text, word-by-word meaning, transliteration and a short card for each verse. Tafsir Ibn Kathir's commentary on al-Fatihah is especially rich, and our article on what tafsir is explains how to use it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Surah al-Fatihah?
Al-Fatihah means "The Opening". The surah praises God as the merciful Lord of all creation and Master of the Day of Judgment, declares that He alone is worshipped and asked for help, and asks Him for guidance to the straight path of those He has favoured.
Why is al-Fatihah recited in every prayer?
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that the Prophet said there is no prayer for someone who does not recite al-Fatihah. A hadith in Sahih Muslim also describes its recitation as a dialogue in which God responds to each verse. This makes it the essential core of every unit of Muslim prayer.
Why is al-Fatihah called the Mother of the Book?
The Prophet called it Umm al-Quran, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari. Scholars explain that it gathers the main themes of the whole Quran, including God's oneness, His mercy, worship, the Day of Judgment and the search for guidance, in just seven verses.
What are the seven oft-repeated verses?
The seven oft-repeated verses (as-Sab' al-Mathani) are the seven verses of Surah al-Fatihah. The Quran mentions this gift in verse 15:87, and Sahih al-Bukhari reports that the Prophet identified it as al-Fatihah. They are called oft-repeated because they are recited in every unit of every prayer.
Is Bismillah part of Surah al-Fatihah?
In the most widely used verse count, "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful" is numbered as the first verse of al-Fatihah. Other recognized counts do not number it and split the final verse in two, keeping the total at seven. Scholars of different schools hold different views on whether it is part of the surah.