Basics of Religious Education — Page 56
B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION 56 56 56 56 56 This chapter, known as Sura-Al-Faatihah, is sometimes called the ‘Mother of the Book’ because the rest of the Qur’an is, in fact, a commentary on this chapter in which God teaches man to pray to Him for guidance on the right path. We read at the beginning of the next chapter: This is a perfect book; there is no doubt in it. It is a guid- ance for the righteous. (2:2) We find in the Qur’an short sketches of the lives of previous prophets on whom God has bestowed His favours and warns us to avoid the evil ways of the enemies of God concerning which we seek protection in the words of the prayer: ". . . those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. " The Qur’an frequently refers to the teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam saw and the evil practices of his enemies. The reader should understand why Sura Al-Faatihah was placed at the beginning of the Qur’an although it was not the first one to be revealed. It commences: Bismi-Llahir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem ‘In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. ’ These words should be recited before commencing any undertaking, great or small. They embody a prayer appealing especially to the two attributes of God: Ar-Rahmaan — The Gracious; and Ar-Raheem —The Merciful The word Allah occurring in the verse is the distinctive name of the Su- preme Being and is never used for any other thing or being. The word Ar-Rahmaan (the Gracious) signifies the free and gratuitous providence of God. All bounties vouchsafed to mankind which have not been earned fall under this attribute. The word signifies the Giver of the best and highest reward for virtue. God has thus taught us to invoke the Rahmaan (the Gracious) for all the needs required for any undertaking and then to pray to Ar-Raheem (the Merciful) imploring for the highest reward for the labour performed. The Qur’an which is a guidance for mankind 2. 4 Verse 1 A A A A A LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH AND AND AND AND AND THE THE THE THE THE H H H H H OL OL OL OL OLY Y Y Y Y Q Q Q Q Q UR UR UR UR UR ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ AN AN AN AN AN — S — S — S — S — S URAH URAH URAH URAH URAH A A A A A L L L L L -F -F -F -F -F A A A A ATIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA AND AND AND AND AND C C C C C OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENTAR AR AR AR ARY Y Y Y Y 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 Commentary by Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad ra , Qamarul Ambiyaa (from the Review of Religions, April 1991)