http://www.paklinks.com/gs/religion-and-scripture/532736-what-we-learn-about-ourselves-in-surah-fatihah.html
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/religion-and-scripture/532529-what-we-learn-about-allah-swt-in-surah-fatihah.html
Peace LKK
May Allah (SWT) reward your efforts … This is a natural progression from a couple of threads that I put up some time ago … so I have linked them here …
Your idea takes it further because we are analysing the verses one at a time … :k:
I would like to elaborate here on the phrase “Bismillah …”
It is constructed from three Arabic words.
Bi + Ism + Allah
When the word/Name “Allah” is pronounced in isolation we have to “fatten” the fatha sound after the Laam… we call this jalee … this also happens with the Raa letter, except when before the laam or Raa there is a kasra … in the “Bismillah” there is a kasra before the Laam and that results on the pronunciation being “thinner” or leen.
Bi = With/In/By
Ism = Name
Allah = {Proper noun of Deity in Arabic - can be viewed as Al-Ilah}
Since the Name Allah is a combined word which contains the word ‘Al’ = The = Definite Article - This makes whatever follow it “definite” … Something “definite” is something “Known” … A wisdom here is that “Allah is Known” or defined for us to know … There can be none else with the name that has been defined - Denoting Unique Identity …
When we say “an apple” we mean to say one of many … When we say “The apple” we are talking about a specific apple … Likewise “Allah” is inherent to specificity … the Name is always Definite.
“Allah” the word begins with a hamzat-ul-wasl - which means that it can be deleted … leaving the Llah with a sukun on the laam … the meem from “Ism” joins with the laam with a damma giving a jalee sound …“Ismullah” … Also, the word Ism has a hamzat-ul-wasl which means that too can be deleted leaving the Seen with a sukun … “Bi” is harf-u-Jarr … which converts the marfu’ of “Ismu” to the jarr of “Ismi” sound … thus making up the phrase “Bismillahi”
It translates to “In the Name of Allah” - However, if we look to both English and Urdu translations we say “I begin” - These two words are totally absent from the Arabic, but yet we still say them by meaning … What is happening when we say these words?
What we are doing is recognising the sanctity in the Name of Allah (SWT) and using it to anoint the passages that follow … just as we use it to anoint the actions we take … We are metaphorically using what is blessed to continue and surround us in that blessing … So it can be taken as a form of cleansing … declaring that we acknowledge the sanctity of the act/words and seek approval from Allah (SWT) using His Name … We begin - Using the Name of Allah (SWT) since the rightful place of Allah (SWT) is as His Attribute - The First … at the beginning …
We can indeed say anything noble precedes the words “In the Name of Allah” -
I begin in the Name of Allah
I read in the Name of Allah
I walk …
I run …
and so on … all are relevant with a single phrase “Bismillahi” … So we are taught this universal phrase of sanctifying our actions and we are taught the nobility of the Name and it’s rightful place - hence we use it through a sense of etiquette and honour … And what better place to use this than before reading the “Word of Allah”?
Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem - both from the same root in Arabic are Attributive to Allah (SWT) - Why used here? Well perhaps “The Qur’an is indeed a Mercy and Guidance which has been given to us without our efforts” It is like being put in a puzzle game (life) and then being given the solution book … (Al-Qur’an) … This is indeed a Mercy and reflects the nature of the manner in which The Qur’an al-Kareem was revealed to us.
PSYAH