Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening Chapter)
The opening chapter of the Quran, recited in every single rak'ah.
Surah Al-Fatiha (Arabic: سورة الفاتحة) is the first and most central chapter of the Quran. It is called "The Opening" and is recited in every single rak'ah of the prayer. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab (The Opening of the Book)."
Al-Fatiha consists of seven verses and is a complete prayer in itself: it begins with praise of Allah as Lord of the Worlds, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Then the believer asks for guidance to the straight path — the path of those who have been blessed, not those who have gone astray.
Al-Fatiha is the most recited surah in the entire Quran, as it is included in all prayers. It is also called "Umm al-Quran" (Mother of the Quran), "As-Sab' al-Mathani" (The Seven Oft-Repeated) and "Ash-Shifa" (The Healing). It is sunnah to say "Ameen" after the recitation of Al-Fatiha.
Related terms
Sunan Ibn Majah (Ibn Majah's Hadith Collection)
The sixth of the canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam with unique narrations.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)
A person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim.
Ramadan (The Month of Fasting)
The holy month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
A'mal (Acts of Worship)
Specific acts of worship and rituals for particular days and occasions.
Salat al-Wahsha (The Prayer of Loneliness)
A prayer performed on the first night after burial for the soul of the deceased.