Re: Come And Lets Read The 'Holy Qur'an'
Regarding ayah:
Alham-du-lil-lahay Rab-bil-Alameen.
I am giving my understanding of the ayah, but since this ayah can only be explained by going through surah fatiha, i would go through surah Fatiha in least words (according to my understanding and beliefs):
‘Hamd’ of Allah is important part of worship. Amongst various ‘hamd-o-Sana’ of Allah, the phrase ‘Rab-bil-Alameen’ is one the most important, as it tells about Allah being Rab of all worlds.
Surah Fatiha is a dua, where human ask guidance from Allah. Phrase of ‘hamd’ in surah Fatiha is followed with dua from us that Allah guides us on true path, carries a message of method regarding dua too. The message is regarding how one should do dua and ask from Allah, as that is how Allah likes people asking him.
Thus the method of dua that Allah likes is what Allah showed us in Surah Fatiha, and that is: First a person should do hamd-o-sana of Allah, then show helplessness and dependence on Allah, then ask Allah what person needs in most humble way, then admit that whatever person is asking only Allah knows of its good and bad and then again ask Allah to give whatever one asked in ways whatever Allah would think is the best.
Actually, since we know that Allah loves Prophet (SAW), and has mentioned in Quran that he himself sends Salaam to Prophet (SAW), best way of dua is to read Darood and then do Hamd-o-Sana before asking anything from Allah with admittance that Allah is all knowing and admittance of our helplessness and dependence on Allah.
Here is something about Surah Fatiha according to what I understand:
In surah Fatiha: First four ayahs (including Bismillah) are ‘hamd’ of Allah ... Ayah 5 is accepting our dependence on Allah ... Ayah 6 is dua itself ... and Ayah 7 is admitting that whatever we are asking, only Allah knows the best, so whatever Allah gives should be what Allah considers the best.
Ayah 1: In the name of Allah the most compassionate and merciful
Ayah 2: All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Ayah 3: Most Compassionate and Most merciful.
[From what I understand: Compassionate is the one who wants good for all, irrespectively ... and merciful is the one who forgives, provides and does good for all, irrespectively.
A person is ‘Rahman’ who has Raham in his heart (is compassionate to all, irrespectively)... that is, the person thinks and feels the pain and suffering of others irrespective of who they are. Thus, Rahman is the one who is ‘compassionate’ ... yani: Jiss kay dil may Raham hay.
A person is ‘Raheem’ who practically does Raham on others (is merciful to all, irrespective), that is, the person forgives all, help and provide the needs of others and reduces pain and suffering of others, irrespective of who they are. Thus, Raheem is the one who is ‘merciful’ ... Yani: Jo Raham kerta hay.
Allah is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem ... that is, Allah is not only Rahman and Raheem, but is the source of all such ‘feelings of Raham’ and ‘doing of Raham’].
Ayah 4: Master of the judgment day.
Actually, Allah the master of time is master of all days, but on judgment day he would be there to give judgments and his judgment would be ultimate judgment for all.
Ayah 5: It is you (Allah) that we worship and it is you (Allah) from whom we seek help.
(In this Ayah we accept and recognise our dependence on Allah in all respect).
Ayah 6: Guide us (instruct us) to follow the straight path.
This ayah is dua (prayer)... it is what we want from Allah by reciting Surah Fatiha. We want Allah’s guidance to follow straight path.
Ayah 7: The path of those you blessed and bestowed favours and not on the path of those you cursed (incurred anger) and those who have gone astray.
Ayah 7 is very important in many respects. It shows that we admit to Allah that we do not know the straight path (path of righteous that Allah likes), but with all knowledge that Allah gave us, we are still dependent on Allah that he shows the path he likes, path that only Allah knows and favours.
When reciting surah Fatiha (ayah 7), no one says that ...guide us on ‘The path we know, we follow, we understand from Quran and hadith, the path that our books teaches us, the path that our parents taught us, the path that our guru teaches us, etc’ ... but all say that ... to guide us on ‘The path of those you blessed and bestowed favours and not on the path of those you cursed (incurred anger) and those who have gone astray’.
This verse is slap on the face of those who follow certain Aqeedah and believe that they have to be ‘right’ while all others have to be ‘wrong’. Such belief shows that they are munafiq if they read Surah-Fatiha and understand it, as when they recite surah Fatiha, they admit that only Allah knows path he likes most, and it is he who can guide us on that path, not our knowledge, beliefs, understanding, books, parents, or guru.
Thus, even though everyone follows what they follow believing that they are following the true path (the path Allah likes), the only one who is blessed is the one who follow believing that what they follow is right path, but along with it they also believe that in the end only Allah knows who is right and who is wrong. With such belief, they follow the Aqeedah what they are following but leaving the judgment of ‘right and wrong’ of Aqeedah on Allah.
Since true believers know that they could not be certain of ‘right and wrong’ regarding ‘true path’, they keep their mind open all the time, so that if Allah decides to guide them on right path, they are always there to accept. Allah’s guidance comes by increasing our knowledge and analysing them unbiased using our heart and mind, as ‘heart and mind’ is the only faculty Allah gave human to analyse anything and recognize truth.
Anyhow, a person would only be certain of the right path on judgment day, but having believes on Allah and following a path relying on Allah without judging others, they can hope for forgiveness on judgement day, as they tried their best hoping the guidance from Allah for them (who is the only guide anyhow).
Actually, the reason of biggest fitna on this earth is the denial of Surah Fatiha’s Ayah 7. Because of that denial, people get involved in religious as well as sectarian violence, thinking that their path is the right path whereas all other paths are wrong path and need to get eliminated, without leaving that judgement on Allah. If they understood Ayah 7 of surah Fatiha, they would have known that only Allah knows the right path, the path he likes, and it is only Allah who could judge what a person is following and guide a person on his preferred path ... Not any book, beliefs, understanding, knowledge, parents, or guru. Thus, a person’s only duty is to learn and try his best with good intention, but leave everything regarding ‘following true path’ on Allah (that is what the person admits in surah fatiha anyhow)... as it is only Allah who can guide and his guidance is always from within, without we even knowing about it.
said that the Almighty Allah says: “I am Ar-Rahman. I created the Raham (womb, i.e. family relations) and derived a name for it from My Name. Hence, whoever keeps it, I will keep ties to him, and whoever serves it, I will server ties with him.”