The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 3
God and man. Rabb (the Creator, Sustainer and Developer), Raḥmān (the Gracious), Rahim (the Merciful) and Mālik-e-Yaumid-Din (Master of the Day of Judgement) these attributes signify that after creating man God endowed him with the best capacities and capabilities, and provided the means and material needed for his physical, social, moral and spiritual development. Further, He made a provision that all labours and endeavours of man should have an ample reward. The chapter goes on to say that man has been created for 'Ibadah, i. e. the worship of God and the attainment of His nearness, and that he constantly needs His help for the fulfilment of this supreme object of his creation. Then we have a comprehensive prayer in which all the urges of the human soul find full expression. The prayer teaches us that we should always seek and invoke the assistance of God that He may provide us with the means required for our success in this life and the life to come. And as man is apt to derive strength and encouragement from the good example of those noble and great souls who led successful lives in the past, he is taught to pray that just as by God's help and assistance those righteous and God-fearing people achieved the object of their life, and their labours were crowned with success, God should open up for him also avenues of moral and spiritual progress. Finally, the prayer contains a warning that after having been led to the right path, man sometimes strays away from it, loses sight of his goal, and becomes estranged from his Creator. We are taught to remain always on our guard and constantly seek God's protection against any possible estrangement from Him. This is the subject which is put in a nutshell in Al-Fātiḥah, and this is the subject with which the Quran deals fully and comprehensively, citing numerous examples for the guidance of the reader. Relation to the Rest of the Quran The chapter is an introduction to the Quran. It is an epitome of the whole Book. Thus, at the very beginning of his study, the reader knows in broad outline the subjects he should expect to find in the Quran. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that the chapter Al-Fatihah is the most important of the chapters of the Quran (Bukhārī). A Prayer that Must Precede the Recitation of the Quran Muslims are bidden always to begin the reading of the Holy Book with a short prayer, soliciting God's protection against Satan. God says in 16:99: When thou recitest the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the rejected. Here, refuge or protection implies: (1) that no evil should befall us; (2) that no good should escape us; and (3) that after we have attained goodness, we may not relapse into evil. 3