Introduction To Surah AL-FATIHAH

REVEALED IN: Makkah

No. of AYATS: 7

No. of Ayats:

There are seven ayats and there is no disagreement about it.According to the majority of the reciters of Al-Kufah, a group of the Companions, the Tabi`in, and a number of scholars from the successive generations, the Bismillah is a separate Ayah in its beginning.

Various Names:

This Surah is called AL-FATIHA because it's the Surah with which the Glorious Quran Starts. AL-FATIHAH is also called UMM AL-KITAB (Mother of the book) by many scholars. It's evident in an authentic hadith of Tirmidhi that Messenger of ALLAH said:

الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبَ الْعَالَمِينَ أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ وَأُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَالسَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ

Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Qur'an.             - (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

 This Surah is also called AL-HAMD and AS-SALAH, because the Prophet said that his Lord said,

قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ، فَإِذَا قَالَ 

الْعَبْدُ:الْحَمْدُدِلله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، قَالَ اللهُ: حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي

The prayer (i.e., Al-Fatihah) is divided into two halves between Me and My servants.' When the servant says, `All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of existence,' Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me. 

                                          - (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)