Assalamo Alaikum,
Fwd’ing
“Bismillahir-Rahman-ir-Raheem”, “With the Name of
Allaah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful”
“And Indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven of Al-Mathani (the seven
repeatedly recited Verses), and the Grand Qur’aan” [Soorah Al-Hijr (15):
87].
Different Names of Soorah Al-Fatihah
It is named al-Faatihah, the Opening - because it opens the Book and by it the recitation in prayer commences.
It is established in at-Tirmidhee from Abu Hurayrah (RA) who said,
The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, ‘[the chapter commencing with] “all praises and thanks are due to Allaah the Lord of the Universe” is the Mother of the Quraan, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses and the Great Quraan.’ *
At-Tirmidhee declared the hadeeth to be saheeh. Al-Bukhaaree said in the beginning of the Book of Tafseer in his Saheeh, It is named Ummul Quraan because it is the first chapter written in the Quraanic texts and the recitation in prayer commences with it. [Saheeh Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 6/1 chpt. 1]]
Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree said that it was named so because the meaning of the entire Quraan is summarised therein. The Arabs named anything that concisely summarises something or comprises the most important part of something Umm, or Mother. For similar reasons it is also named al-Quraan al-Adheem, the Great Qur`aan.
It is also named Sabul Mathaanee, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses, because they are frequently recited and indeed recited in every rakah of the prayer.
It is also named al-Hamd, the Praise because it contains mention of hamd just as al-Baqarah is named so because it contains mention of the cow. Some scholars also gave the reasoning that al-Hamd constitutes the heart of al-Faatihah. [As-Sindee, ‘Sharh as-Sindee `alaa ibn Maajah’ [no. 3790]]
It is also named as-Salaah, the Prayer due his (SAW) saying while reporting from his Lord,
“I have divided the prayer between Myself and my servant equally. Therefore when the servant says, ‘all praises and thanks are due to Allaah, the Lord of the universe,’ Allaah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’.” [Saheeh Muslim
[Eng. Trans. 1/215 no. 775]]
It is named the Prayer because its recitation is a condition for the validity of the prayer.
It is also named ash-Shifaa, the Cure, due to what ad-Daarimee reports from Abu Saeed (RA) from the Messenger of Allaah (SAW), The Opening of the Book is a cure to every poison. [Ibn Katheer referred this hadeeth to ad-Daarimee from the report of Abu Sa`eed, however it is present there [2/445] as the mursal hadeeth of Abdul-Malik bin Umayr.
It is also named ar-Ruqya, the Spiritual Cure due to the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed (RA) reported in Saheeh Bukhaaree that after he had recited it to cure a person who had been bitten by a scorpion, the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said to him,
And what made you to know that it was a ruqya? [Saheeh Bukhaaree [Eng.Trans. 3/264 no. 476]]
Ash-Shabee reports from ibn Abbaas that he named it Asaasul Quraan, the Foundation of the Qur`aan, and that he said, "the foundation of al-Faatihah is, ‘with the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.’ "
Sufyaan bin Uyaynah named it al-Waaqiyah, the Protector.
Yahyaa bin Abu Katheer named it al-Kaafiyah, the Sufficient, because it suffices from everything other than it but anything else does not suffice it, as occurs in the mursal hadeeth,
The Mother of the Book suffices for other than it but nothing else suffices it. [Reported by ad-Daaruqutnee [1/322]. As-Suyutee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, referred it to ad-Daaruqutnee and al-Haakim.
It is also named Suratus Salaah, the Chapter of the Prayer, and al-Kanz, the Treasure, as mentioned by az-Zamaksharee in ‘Kashshaaf.’
Reference:
Tafseer of Surah al-Fatihah, compiled by Abu Rumaysah,(This commentary is a
compilation gathered from a number of commentaries written.) These being:
Tafseer at-Tabaree
Tafseer al-Qurtubi [Jaami lil Ahkaam al-Quraan] Tafseer ibn Katheer Tafseer ash-Shawkanee [Fath al-Qadeer] Tafseer as-Sadee [Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan]
Tafseer ash-Shanqeetee [Adwaa al-Bayaan fee Eedaah al-Quraan bil Quraan].*