Ismail ibn Musa Menk Tafseer of Surah Al Fatiha

Opening

Opening Khutbah

Insha'Allah I will commence with a short recitation from the Qur'an for the purposes of barakah:

Quranic Recitation

Reference: Quran 8:4-6

Main Body

The Protection of the Quran

Allah has a plan to keep this Quran intact. Part of the plan is those who don't know the Arabic language will memorize it. Amazing! Or at least memorize parts of it. Why? Their salah, their prayer will not be complete until and unless they read portions of the Quran exactly as they were revealed to Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam. Without that, their salah won't be complete.

So you find a revert to Islam - one of the first things after tahara and so on they are learning is how to recite Surat Al-Fatiha. I know transliterated, there are a lot of people who have reverted to Islam in my presence who have then learned Surat Al-Fatiha so they know the surah firstly without even knowing the meaning. So that is your contribution, my contribution towards the protection of the Quran firstly even without understanding it.

How Other Scriptures Were Lost

So remember how were the other scriptures lost? The other scriptures that are in existence - the original manuscripts - how have they disappeared? They have disappeared because their followers decided that we will adjust the word of God for us to understand it.

So as time passed and they translated it into several languages, they lost the original. When it comes to the Quran, Muslims are totally different. We will adjust ourselves to understand the word of God.

The word of Allah, so that's the difference. They adjusted the word of God for them to understand it. In the process they lost it. With us, we will adjust ourselves to understand, to read the Quran, to memorize it and to understand it.

So it will remain and it has remained intact, Alhamdulillahi. We thank Allah for that.

Hadith about the Quran on the Day of Judgment

And remember Allah says in a hadith which was narrated to us from the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam:

(Sunan Abu Dawud 1464)

He says, on the Day of Qiyamah, Sahib Al-Quran - a person with the Quran - will be told: "Read and recite as though you used to recite in the dunya. Or recite in the same manner you used to recite in the dunya and keep on going up. As you are reciting, your final abode in Heaven shall be at the point where you stop, where you get stuck or where you don't know any further."

What is the meaning of Sahib Al-Quran? The majority of the scholars of hadith say it is a person who has memorized the entire Quran.

But I'd like to take the other meaning of it to include all of us here. We have all got - every single one of us have got - a portion of the Quran in our hearts. Is that not correct? Of my heart.

I'm sure we all memorize Surah Al-Fatihah. We all probably know Surah Al-Ikhlas. We all probably know Surah Al-Kawthar.

So wouldn't we Inshallah also be told to recite? May Allah grant us acceptance. So these are just some of the issues surrounding the memorization of Surah Al-Fatihah, the memorization of the Quran and how important it is to know the surah by heart - Surah Al-Fatihah.

The Power of Surah Al-Fatiha

That is the opening surah of the Quran. The power of it is such that even the tunes used by the reciters to read the Quran is different in Surah Al-Fatihah. Amazing.

If I were to read the same surah slightly differently, you would actually pick up and say, "You know what? This is the tune of Sudais. You would say this is the tune of Shuraim. This is the tune of so-and-so."

Obviously these are names that you know and I know - that's why I'm taking them. But that is the power of the surah. It is read in the opening of salah.

The Powerful Hadith Qudsi

So what does it mean? Because most of us, to be honest, even if we do know the literal meaning of it, we tend to read Surah Al-Fatihah without concentrating on its meaning in salah. And for that reason, I wish to share with you a powerful hadith - one of the most powerful hadith connected to this particular surah. Allah says in a hadith qudsi:

(Sahih Muslim 395)

You know what is the meaning of hadith qudsi? Qudsi means the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam tells us that Allah is saying, and then quote, and he quotes the same, unquote, and he completes the same but it's not part of the Quran. That's the meaning of hadith qudsi. Which means there is a hadith - it's not part of the Quran, but there is a quotation from the sayings of Allah.

Not just from the sayings of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, but he is narrating what the Creator has said. So Allah says: "I have divided as-salah between myself and my worshipper into two portions, two equal portions."

One might ask what is the meaning of the term as-salah? Because Allah is saying "I have divided salah between myself and my worshipper into two equal portions."

So in order to understand what is meant by the term as-salah, we would need to read the rest of the hadith. So Allah says:

He says when my worshipper says (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ - meaning "Praise be to Allah.") Normally we would see "Lord of the worlds," but I told you Rabb means Creator, Nourisher, Cherisher, Sustainer, Provider, Protector, Curer and many more meanings in that one word: Rabb. "Rabb of the worlds."

When my worshipper says "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds," I respond saying: "My worshipper has praised me."

So Allah responds saying: "My worshipper has praised me."

This means He hears in every single one of us. Even at the same moment if we were to say (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) Allah says: "Look at my worshipper. He has actually praised me." Amazing.

Now, do we realize when we say (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) that Allah has heard that and He is replying, responding, and He is so happy? Amazing.

If we felt that even for a moment, we would take our time in salah. And this is why mostly you find the imams of the Haram - I know, and a lot of other imams, but I'm giving you that example because I'm sure

most of us would know that - mostly the imams of the Haram, they would stop at every verse because there is a response.

The Divine Conversation Continues

So they would say (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) there is a pause. Allah is saying: "My worshipper has praised me." Amazing. That's the first verse. Allah hears the worshipper say (الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيم) - Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Some say Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. We could say Most Forgiving, Most Merciful or you could say Most Merciful, Most Merciful. Rahman and Rahim are very close in meaning. We will get to that just now, Inshallah.

So when a worshipper says (الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ) Allah says in that hadith: "My worshipper has declared my greatness." Imagine - that is the greatness of Allah. (حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي) - that is the first one. The second response: (مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي) - "My worshipper has declared my greatness." Imagine just by saying (الرَّحْمنِ الرحيم)

Those are two verses. The first one Allah responded, the second one Allah responded.

(مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ) - Owner of the Day of Judgment. Allah says: "My worshipper has declared my greatness. My worshipper has now made mention of a huge fact and that is the Owner of the Day of Judgment."

He is declaring the fact that I am the Owner. Allahu Akbar - another point of the greatness of Allah. That is the third verse. There are seven verses in Surah Al-Fatiha.

The Middle Verse - The Pivotal Point

The fourth one: (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ) - "You alone we worship and You alone we seek help from." And Allah says: "This verse is now between me and my worshipper, half and half, and now I will grant him whatever he asks for."

Look at the sequence. Now Allah says: "I will grant him whatever he asks for." Obviously, in the Arabic, the masculine form is also inclusive - please sisters don't be offended. It's called taghlib - it's the Arabic language. So "I will grant my worshipper what he or she asks."

That is the middle verse of the surah. Why? Because now we are saying: "You alone we worship, You alone we ask for help."

The Most Important Dua

So what is the first dua that is made by us? The most important dua - because if there was any other dua more important it would have been mentioned here, in this particular surah, at this particular junction:

- "Guide us to the straight path."

That is the most important dua anybody could make.

Before you make dua for your Lexus and your Mercedes Benz and your wife and your husband and your house and your debts and your passing of your exams in medical school and what have you - before that: "Guide us to the straight path."

I might die now, you might die now. I don't know if I will walk out of this place, nor do you. If we have been rightly guided, Inshallah, we will have whatever we wish. If we haven't been, we won't.

May Allah not do that to us - meaning the latter. Obviously, I will give you a slight bit of detail just now.

So that is the first dua, and that is the only dua. There is no other dua in Surah Al-Fatihah. There is only one dua.

O Allah, guide me to the straight path. That's it. So every time we are reading salah and we are reciting Surah Al-Fatihah, we are asking for one thing at the beginning: "Ya Allah, guide me to the straight path."

Description of the Straight Path

That's it. Now the description of the straight path follows: (صرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ) - "The path of those whom You have blessed, whom You have favored, whom You love, whom You have guided."

Who are those? Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and his companions. And the others whom Allah has guided - He knows them.

- "Not the path of those who have earned Your anger."

Why does Allah not just mention who they were? Who are those? Because anyone who earns the anger of Allah is included in this particular verse. Even though it may be referring to those who knew the scriptures and hid them intentionally because they were fearing to lose numbers to the true submission known as Islam.

So anyone who knows the truth and hides it, blocks it, denies it, doesn't want it, throws it aside is earning the anger of Allah.

So we don't want that path. Ya Allah, save us from that path. And we also want You, Ya Allah, to save us from the path of those who have gone astray.

Who has gone astray? Those who are not in search of the truth. Those who have at times known what is right, but their weaknesses led them far away.

In this particular surah, the Mufassireen have mentioned that there are two groups in particular. Those who have earned the anger of Allah - the Jews - that's what's mentioned in the tafseer. Those Jews that

have intentionally covered the truth and blocked it and hidden it and intentionally not showing the others - those are being referred to.

But as I said, it does not only include them. It includes anyone who knows the truth and blocks it, doesn't want the others to know them. Themselves, they don't want to practice it. They are included in that.

And those who are astray - the Christians are included in there according to the Mufassireen, according to the books of tafseer. But as I said, it does not only include them. It includes anyone who is astray.

May Allah not make us from amongst them.

Understanding Our Need for Allah

And for this reason, it is very important that when we make a dua, we must understand who we are calling out to and who are we in relation to Allah, the Creator. Who are we? We need to understand that.

Let me explain that for a moment. Here you have a Creator who doesn't need me, who doesn't need you. Not at all.

"O people, you are the ones who are in absolute need of Allah. He is independent completely and does not need you at all." There we are.

There are many verses in the Quran. So here is the Creator - we are asking Him for something. He has asked us for something as well.

We are asking Him for something we need. He is asking us for something, but if we were not to fulfill it, He would not really require it from us. He says in the Quran: "If you are to turn away, We will come with other nations who will worship Us."

So they would say (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ). There is a pause. Allah is saying: "My worshipper has praised me." Amazing. That's the first verse.

We don't need you. Others will worship Us and they won't be like you. They won't turn away like you.

Amazing. So Allah shows us His independence. When we call out to Him with any dua - not only the duas in Surah Al-Fatihah or the dua of Surah Al-Fatihah - if you ask Allah: "Ya Allah, I want You to help me to pass my examinations. I want You, Ya Allah, to grant me contentment" - we want the response when? Immediately.

I am probably writing five minutes after I made the dua and I expect Allah, Inshallah, through His mercy He will give me, to make me pass, Inshallah. I want Him to grant me contentment.

When Allah Asks Something of Us

Okay, there's a question I have. And this question we all need to ask ourselves. When Allah asked you for something, what did you do? Did you respond? What does He want from you? What does my Creator want from me? What does He want from you?

He doesn't need it, but He has told that to us for our own good He is requiring from us.

He says: "Listen, five salah. Five salah. Just five salah a day. Five. Just five."

You say: "You know, I am lazy. I don't know what to do. You know, outside it's like cold today. Let me just take a walk outside."

We are gone. Does Allah require the salah from us? No, He doesn't. He don't help us.

But we are not prepared. Five salah we are not ready to do. Then you make long big duas to Allah expecting Him to respond immediately.

Imagine the One whom we need most, we don't want to listen to what He's going to say. And the One who doesn't need us at all, we expect Him to listen to everything that we have to ask. Amazing.

Have we ever thought of it? That's Allah. He says: "Still through My mercy, I give you." And this is why Allah says: "If He were to punish those on earth for their sins, nothing would be left on earth."

But it's His mercy that keeps everything flowing and going. We are all weak. We are all trying to earn the pleasure of Allah. And that is why the winner is the one who engages in lots of repentance - the hadith.

The Importance of Istighfar

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) says - and I'm sure a lot of us have heard this hadith:

(Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2499)

He says: "All mankind are prone to error. They all make mistakes. They all commit sins." Obviously, besides the Prophets of Allah who are protected by Allah. Besides that, Allah says in this hadith which came to us through Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم): "All mankind commits sins and the best of those who make mistakes and commit sins are those who often repent to Allah, who often turn to Allah."

That means we need to engage in istighfar. And I'd like to bring another point very quickly because it's relevant. When we engage in istighfar, we shouldn't just try and get into the Guinness Book of Records by quickly whipping through the tasbih that we have.

Suddenly we hung it over and we're gone. Nowadays they've got the new voice recognition. I don't know if you've seen that tasbih. You haven't? Well, I haven't either. I'm just making it up. But it's coming soon, believe me - voice recognition.

At the moment, I've seen the one where you click it with your thumb. Voice recognition - maybe some of you guys can invent it. You say "Subhanallah" - if you say it properly, it will click to the next one. You don't say it, you can beat it. I think that would be a good idea, Inshallah.

So Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has taught us when you say (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللة) it is such a big act of worship, so huge that it can render you as pure as the day you were born as soon as you've said it properly. Amazing.

means: "Oh Allah, I'm a criminal. I've committed so many sins, Ya Allah. Ya Allah, I seek Your forgiveness. I repent, Ya Allah. I won't do it again. I acknowledge my crime, my sin. Ya Allah, I won't do it again."

That's the meaning of one (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللة) - that's what it means. And Allah says: "Oh My worshipper, I love you, I've forgiven you completely. You're as pure as the day you were born." One (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللة) - one immediately, just one.

- may Allah forgive us.

But what happens to us? Then again, the issue of concentration: ،(أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ الله، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللة أَسْتَغْفِرُ الله). Now, where's the place for the response? Come on, you can't say: "Hey, how's it? How are you doing? How's everything? How is your exams? How's this? How's that?" You can't give the man a chance to respond. You know that when it comes to normal language.

What about when you're speaking to your own Creator? Imagine, you say (أَسْتَغْفِرُ الله) but relax. (أَسْتَغْفِرْ الله) - pause for a moment, think of the depth of your statement and think of the response. It is there. You might not hear it, but it is definitely there.

Feel your spirituality move up and then get to the next one. By the time you say 10 (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللة) times, 11 times, you get up from that particular sitting, you will feel rejuvenated, Insha Allah.

May Allah grant that to us.

The Meaning of Al-Hamdu

Now imagine, getting back to the surah - Surah Al-Fatiha - we open the verses by praising Allah. Why do we say (الحمد) What is the meaning of (الحمد)

(الْحَمْدُ) - the alif and lam includes all the different types of the item mentioned, the noun that is coming after that.

So all the types of what? (الْحَمْدُ) - praise. Every praise is for Allah. Every bit of praise. When you say ،(الْحَمْدُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) - all praise, every single type of praise belongs to Allah.

That means we are thankful to Him for everything He has given us and we know that He is praiseworthy. We know that He is the One who has granted us absolutely everything. And this is why the word (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) is not only said in Surah Al-Fatiha, but it is said on a lot of occasions.

We know when something happens good, when some good news comes to you, what do you say? (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) You pass, you say (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) "All praise is due to Allah."

So we are opening this salah and we are reading (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ) - "All praise is due to Allah." So you are opening salah by thanking Allah because Allah says in the Quran in another place:

"If you are thankful, if you are grateful for what He has given you, He will grant you increase in what He has granted you. And if you are going to be ungrateful, He will take away even that which He has given you and He may inflict you with a serious punishment."

May Allah not do that to us. You know, at this particular university, if you see a person who is very bad to you every day - say for example, you might have given them a lift to come to the university for a week and after that they began to say bad things about you, they began to backbite, they began... would you give them another lift? You wouldn't, not at all.

Trust the youngsters of today, I see the smiles. They probably would do other things to ensure that that person is really fixed. "I gave the guy a lift, look at what he is doing, you know. I did this for him."

You help someone pass the exams, they pass. And next year they start saying: "Hey, look at this guy," and so on. Even the smallest of harm to us, we feel it immediately.

Why? It is good to them. We want to at least have a silent laugh - that's the minimum. Keep quiet - that's the minimum.

So when Allah says: "You know, if you are thankful and grateful for what I have granted you, I will give you more. The minute you are ungrateful, I will snatch it away and I will probably inflict you with punishment." May Allah not do that to us.

So that is why every raka'ah of salah, every raka'ah, every segment of the salah, every unit of the salah, we read Surah Al-Fatiha and we start off by saying (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) - "Ya Allah, we thank You for everything You've given us. All praise is due to You, Lord of the worlds, Ya Allah." And He says: "Oh, My worshipper has actually praised Me."

Amazing. That's just the opening verse. You really need to think of this. What it implies? What happens? How blessed the moment it is in that particular portion of salah. And we are saying all praise is due to Allah. We thank Him for everything He has granted us.

The Meaning of Rabb

We are acknowledging that He is the Owner. And at the same time, we are saying He is the Lord of the worlds. And I told you the meaning of Rabb - what does it include? Creator, Nourisher, Cherisher, Sustainer, Provider, Protector and Curer and many more other words.

Because the English language does not qualify - sorry - to translate the Arabic language. It doesn't. You need to know the Arabic.

It doesn't qualify. I give you an example: Salah.

What's the meaning of salah? They say "prayer." No, prayer is dua. If you go to a non-Muslim and say: "Please pray" - depending on the religion, they will ask something from whoever they believe in. That's a prayer.

Salah is not a prayer. Salah is an entire unit - a unit made up of words and actions together with an intention and belief, together with so much spirituality. It starts with an intention and a takbeer and it ends with salam. And it comes in different units.

I will write a whole paragraph to translate the one word "salah."

Amazing. Now you tell me, does the English word "prayer" really mean salah? We use it just because to make life easy for everyone. We just say: "Look, it's prayer."

Will you pray five times a day? I pray before I go to the loo. Do you know that? It's true. I seek Allah's protection from the evil and from the devil and so on and from the dirt.

What happened? That's a prayer, isn't it? We pray before we eat. We do. "In the name of Allah. O Allah, grant me barakah in the food I am about to eat." We pray when we have completed eating. We are asking Allah to digest the food for us. We praise Him, we thank Him. And we are acknowledging that it comes from Him. These are prayers.

Now, do we pray five times a day? We pray more than five times a day. But salah - yes - is prescribed five times a day. We will call it prayer. But the reason I'm mentioning this is to show you that even the word Rabb and so many other words in the Arabic language, they don't just translate as "Lord of the worlds." But we are saying: (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) - "All praise is due to Allah who made us, the One who grants us, the One who sustains us, the One who cures us, the One who owns us, the One who owns everything around us, the One in whose hands our hearts and our lives are and so on."

That's the opening verse - most powerful verse of the Quran. The most powerful verse.

And when we say Rabb, automatically we are acknowledging that Allah has created us. Automatically by saying Rabb, we are acknowledging that Allah has created us.

Now, when you acknowledge that Allah has created you, automatically you become the Abd - the Abd meaning the worshipper. One is a Rabb and one is an Abd. One is the Rabb meaning the Creator and one is the worshipper.

So by declaring that Allah is your Creator, you automatically become Allah's worshipper.

Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim - The Mercy of Allah

So Allah thereafter has revealed the next verse of that particular surah and He says:

- that verse is so powerful, so amazing, so interesting. It consists of only two words - only two words.

الرَّحْمنِ and الرَّحِيمِ - they both come from "rahma." Rahma meaning mercy. Why does Allah choose to speak about His mercy? Why? Because Islam is a religion based on mercy.

Islam is a religion based on mercy. So many people say: "Islam is barbaric, Islam is this, Islam is spread by the sword, Islam..." That is untrue. That is all propaganda.

The largest number of Muslims ever to enter Islam from 1945 to date - which Islamic wars took place? Not one, not one. Which sword? Rahman. From September 11 to date - the largest number of Muslims to enter Islam. The fastest growing religion. Which sword? No sword.

So why fool the world? Why lie to everybody? There is no sword. People are really learning, they are really looking into it and on merit they are accepting it. It makes sense to them.

Amazing, Allahu Akbar. That is why Islam is the most sensible religion. There is nothing hidden. There is nothing in this religion that you are not supposed to know. Nothing, nothing. If you have a question, ask it.

No matter how foolish it may seem in your mind, if you really need to know something, ask it. In a polite manner. Without being disrespectful. Ask it. You, Inshallah, will be told.

There was a time, many years back, when people used to say: "Hey, don't ask, just read. Just do." That era is gone. That has probably changed. I shouldn't be saying this, but probably because they didn't know the answer, you know. Probably, maybe.

There are answers for everything. Everything. You want to know, why do I need to make wudu before salah? Why do I have to read salah? Why do we face in a certain direction? Why do I have to be covered from here to there? Why this, why that? There are two things.

One is, you will be given the answer, Inshallah. At times, the person who's answering you might not be competent enough to give you a solid answer that will be digested immediately through your system - your spiritual system. But, you need to understand that there is an answer. You keep on asking until you get the answer, Inshallah. And you will.

Somebody asked me a question about wudu. You know, when I break wind, I wash every place besides that place. And I look down - what is it? So, why do I have to make wudu when I have broken wind?

Good question. Because it is something absolutely spiritual. It's unbounded. It is something that protects you from the unseen problems and difficulties. And it's something that cleanses you and purifies you and brings you up to another level altogether that you may not comprehend just like that. But get into that condition. Keep yourself in the condition of wudu. See how you feel. Then come back. It's amazing.

So, these are questions. You can't say: "Hey, don't ask. Come on, don't be rude." What's so rude about that? Nothing. We need to know. People need to know.

So, Allah here is mentioning mercy because Islam is based on mercy. He does not say "Owner of the severe punishment." Allah does not say "Owner of the severe punishment."

If He wanted to, He could have. He doesn't mention punishment in this particular surah at all. At all. He doesn't speak about punishment and the wrath and so on. He says

- beautiful verses.

Now one might ask, what's the difference between الرَّحْمٰن and الرَّحِيمِ الرَّحْمٰنِ is also mercy. But that is mercy which encompasses all the creatures of Allah - Muslim, non-Muslim, the animals, the plants, everything. The mercy of Allah encompasses all of that through the name

So when someone says Abdul Rahman, "the worshipper of the Most Merciful whose mercy..." or "the worshipper of the Most Merciful whose mercy encompasses absolutely everything."

And الرحيم is a VIP mercy. When I say VIP mercy, I mean it's part of that Rahman but it's specialized. You have a doctor, for example - a GP - and then you have a specialist. Specialist is more than a GP. I'd like to hope, I'd like to think so.

Moments ago I heard somebody saying: "We don't take pictures" and I was thinking, "Well, those examples of doctors on the road..." And Allah protect us. Obviously, it's just on a lighter note. I don't mean to offend anyone.

So, the reality is, if you're a specialist, you're specialized. A specialist is obviously going to deal with your hand in a much more professional manner than a GP, though the GP might solve your problem.

Obviously, this example is totally different but only to bring it closer to our minds. الرَّحْمنِ includes everything but الرَّحِيم is only for the believers. So, Allah says there's a special type of mercy that descends on the believers.

But yet, there is mercy that descends on everyone - Muslim, non-Muslim, whether they are animals, plants, any other creatures of Allah - all encompassing the mercy. But there is a special type of mercy for the believers. Allah says in the Quran:

"[It is Allah Who is Rahim upon the believers.]"

Rahim meaning Most Merciful of a different, of a specialized nature - mercy of a specialized nature. May Allah have mercy on all of us.

Maliki Yawm Al-Din - Owner of the Day of Judgment

So then, Allah speaks of His mercy in His opening verses of Surah Al-Fatiha and the opening surah of the Quran, which He calls Umm Al-Kitab - Umm Al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book.

You know the Arabic language, they use the word "the mother of." I'm sure we all know it because of Saddam Hussein, when he used to say "The Mother of Battles, The Mother of Battles, The Mother of Battles," and he kept on saying it until it became the father of all losses.

May Allah protect us all. It was actually something very disastrous. We make a dua to Allah to protect us all, Inshallah, and to grant us kindness.

But the reason I'm mentioning that is just to show you that in the Arabic language, the word "Umm," the word "mother," is used to mean something extremely important, something the most important - Umm Al-Kitab. I'm sure the sisters are smiling, you know - very important. That's why it's better to have more children, Inshallah.

So, more people can call you mother, isn't it? I mean, come on. If one person is calling you "Mom, Mom, Mom," you can double that 100% automatically by having another child, Inshallah. And you can actually triple it or triple it in no time, Inshallah.

May Allah make it easy for all the sisters, Inshallah. It's not a joy, it's not a... Really, it's very difficult. Motherhood is a gift and it's a rank that nobody can crown the recompense of besides Allah.

So, it is known as Umm Al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book because the message of the entire Qur'an is included in this one surah. But in brief - in brief - Allah speaks firstly about how praiseworthy He is, how we should be praising Him, how He is the Lord of the worlds - the details and the rest of the Qur'an. How that praise is to be - the details and the rest of the Qur'an.

Then how merciful He is - the details and the rest of the Qur'an. Part of His mercy is that He gives a little bit of punishment - it's part of mercy. Can I give you an example?

Look, you have a child, you love your child to bits and pieces. Part of their love is, when the child does something wrong, what do you do? You need to tell him: "Listen, don't do that." If they do the same thing again...

My favorite example, I'm giving it in a lot of places, let me repeat it here. When a child breaks a glass in the house, you say: "Oh son, don't worry, we'll buy another one. It's fine." Why? You love your child.

Next day: "Oh Dad, broken a glass." "Hey son, don't do that, don't worry, we'll buy another one."

Third day: "Dad, broken a glass." "Son, that's not good, don't do that again."

Fourth day: "Dad, I broke a glass." "Hey, what's your problem?" Some might even become a bit physical. May Allah protect us. May Allah make us really... I know the bulk of you probably not knowing.

May Allah grant you spouses who will be the coolness of your eyes. Whoa, I had a loud question. You know why? It's a dua, really it is. That's the future of the Muslim Ummah. Spouses who will be the coolness of your eyes, really. And I tell you what, the parenting, especially in the Western world is not easy. It's quite, it's challenging, really. And may Allah make that easy for you as well.

So, this is how we would operate with a child. If a child tells you: "You know what, Dad? I'm fed up of life and I want to jump off this cliff." What would you do? You would go and say: "No, son, don't." You would make sure that physically you lifted the child up and put the child away, even if the child would hurt in the process slightly.

That's your mercy - you don't want the child to die. So, something that appears negative could actually be positive. The same applies with Allah.

If it wasn't for His warnings of punishment, we would probably choose to go astray. Are you following what I'm saying? If there was no punishment at all, what would we have to be worried about?

If there was no register at your lecture halls, why would we go to the lectures? If there were no exams at the end, why? What? You register at ... and Inshallah, at the end of the term, at the end of the 7 years or what have you, you become a doctor. You're known as Doctor So and So, that's it.

I just registered and paid the fee. And then when the patients come to you, you tell them: "Be patient. I am a patient, come on."

But that's exactly what would happen. Because if it was not for a check on us, we probably wouldn't have really been who we are today. But because our parents had rules, regulations, the society, the schools we went to, everyone has rules and regulations.

The more rules they have, the better we would probably be as a person. You know, in Zimbabwe, probably the case is the same here as well. The private schools have many more rules and regulations than the public schools.

They tell you: "You've got to dress in a certain way, you've got to wear your tie in a certain way, you've got to have a blazer hanging this way, you've got to do this, do that. You've got to play rugby, you've got to play this and that, you've got to have this and all sorts of things."

And those private schools, the results are far better generally than... You might get the odd few, but generally than the public schools where people come in casual clothing, they're not bothered how they speak, they can sit, the tables are not in a line, not in order, nothing is orderly, you know. You're just relaxed and you're sitting back, smoking in the classroom and so on, offering the teacher: "Hey, do you want some?" and so on.

That type of behavior is unruly. You won't develop as a person. So Islam has lots of rules and regulations to make us better. And Allah speaks of His punishment and warns us about it to keep us in line.

And that's why the hadith says: "True iman is the right balance between fear of Allah's punishment and hope in His mercy." That's the true iman.

If a person has so much hope, they will be astray. And if a person is so worried about the fear, they will never ever live life in accordance to what Allah wants. So it's the right balance. You need to know we enjoy life within the limits of Islam and we will fear Inshallah the punishment.

So wherever we heard, we will turn back to Allah seeking forgiveness. So Rabb Al-Izzati Wal Jalal decided to have in Surah Al-Fatiha the words of rahma and not the words of adhab. There's no adhab mentioned in the surah.

And the surah is repeated so much to show us that Islam is based on mercy. Meaning these words are repeated, the surah is repeated and all this is repeated so many times because of this. Don't we all want the mercy of Allah? Well, we ask from Him the mercy and we ask Him to give it to us constantly.

Islam's Balance of Mercy and Justice

There are other religions which say that, you know, Islam is very barbaric and you know, no forgiveness and so on. And they will claim that no, we are, you know, fully based on mercy and you can do what you want and so on. All that sadly is one-sided.

Those who want to speak about Islam should speak fairly. They should balance the statement. Islam is one of the only religions - I know Judaism is quite close in this particular belief - where there is no confession at all to a human being when you've committed a sin. Your sin is your secret between yourself and your Creator.

And it can be wiped out immediately. Allah says:

Some long verses Allah says: "Those who have oppressed themselves. They remember Allah immediately and seek forgiveness."

Allah grants them forgiveness and grants them Jannah and Paradise in return. Jannah and Paradise in return. Another verse Allah says:

Allah says: "Those who repent and do good deeds thereafter, they change their lives after repentance."

Allah says: "We take the sins they've committed and We change them into good deeds and put them on to the right side of the scale. After them having been sinful, they become so good that even the sins then are turned into good deeds." Amazing.

That's the mercy of Allah. But the condition for that - two conditions. One is tawbah and changing your life after tawbah.

Another verse then and Allah says:

"Say O Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم - Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), tell them: O My worshippers who have oppressed themselves in any way, in any way, those who have oppressed themselves in any way, never ever lose hope in the mercy of your Creator of Allah. He will forgive every single sin you have committed. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Look at the words: Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. Repeating themselves elsewhere in the Quran. Didn't I tell you that these words in Surah Al-Fatiha, the details of them are explained in the rest of the Quran.

Most Merciful, Most Forgiving. Then we say (مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّين - Maliki Yawm Al-Din) - "He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment."

What is meant by the Owner of the Day of Judgment? If you are the owner of a place, you can allow people in or you don't have to allow people in. Or you can make a person feel at home or you can make him feel unwanted and so on. You are the owner of something, you can allow a person to use it, to make use of it or not. You have the discretion.

So Allah is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. He is the Boss on the Day of Qiyamah. He is always the Owner of everything but on the Day of Qiyamah, it will be manifested.

Allah describes the Day of Qiyamah and He says: "All the voices shall be silenced for the sake of Allah's voice. To hear it for His sake and for Him you will not hear even a whisper. Meaning you will hear nothing on that day at all. Only Allah, whoever He permits will be allowed to say whatever they have to say."

He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. By saying that, by reading that verse, automatically we are confirming our iman, our belief.

What is the difference between iman and Islam? Very interesting and very simple to understand.

Islam is generally referring to five pillars which you can see. They are like actions, you can see. If a person reads the shahadah, can you see that? Yes, you can see. A person reads their salah, can you see? Yes, you can. They are giving zakah, you can see it. They are abstaining from food, you can see it. They are going for hajj, you can see it.

Those are the five pillars of Islam - things you can see. And iman - six pillars of iman - things you cannot see. They are in the heart, you see. Iman, and if we include, you can say six or seven. And I'm sure you know what that means.

So by you saying Allah is the Owner of the Day of Judgment, you are automatically believing in the Day of Judgment. By you believing in the Day of Judgment, you automatically believe that you are answerable to Allah. Look at the power of that little verse.

We say "Owner of the Day of Judgment" and in that it's already included that I am answerable to You, Ya Allah. Imagine, declaring the greatness of Allah. Declaring His ownership and dominion completely.

And Allah responds, He says: "Oh My worshipper has declared My greatness." Amazing.

Living with Accountability

Now if we believe in the Day of Judgment, there is something we need to know. Every deed we do, every thought we think, everything we see, whatever we do in our lives, we must ask ourselves one question: Do I have a response for Allah when He asks me about this? On the Day of Qiyamah.

That is now true belief in Maliki Yawm Al-Din. You say Allah is the Owner of the Day of Judgment.

Okay, I'm walking out of here. How am I walking? I meet non-Muslims. How do I treat them? Do I act very arrogantly? Do I come across extremely rude and so on? Is that the picture of Islam you meant to be

portraying to people who are not Muslims? Is that how you meant to be attracting them towards your religion? Do you think your religion is only copyrighted or franchised to you? No, it's not.

They might accept Islam and become more powerful than me and you. There's a possibility. So, we need to beam... We need to beam the message of this particular deen through our actions firstly.

And the expressions on our face are very important. Sometimes we're sitting in a lecture hall. There is a possibility that the bulk of the people in the lecture hall are not Muslim.

And we are Muslim and we're sitting there with a face... Looking corner to corner, this way, that way, you know. What's that? Is that the impression you meant to be giving to those who don't really know much about Islam? They're nodding each other and saying: "Terrorist, terrorist, terrorist."

You know that they use that word for everybody who's a Muslim. Why do we want to give them that opportunity? Wallahi, we're not and we shouldn't be.

So, if you really believe that Allah is the Owner of the Day of Judgment, you would believe that you're answerable for those expressions on your face to Allah, as small as that.

For your income, you're answerable to Allah.

Moments ago, I told you that there is a hadith which says: "The person with the Quran will be told recite as you used to recite in the dunya. You won't continue going out to Jannah until the point you get stuck."

I didn't explain to you where you would get stuck. You might be a powerful hafidh. You might know Surah Al-Fatiha solid on that day.

That's not what's going to help you. What will help you is: Did you practice upon it? Where you deviated, you get stuck. When Allah says, and if you didn't repeat your salah, then you won't know the verse.

Done. And (أَقِيمُوا الصَّلاة - Aqimu As-Salah) is in the first juz of the Quran, remember that. So you get stuck in the first part of the Quran, the first juz.

You come, first quarter of the Quran. First quarter of the first part of the Quran stuck. Why? Didn't repeat salah.

What about those who used to be judgmental? That's a topic on its own. I still got to get to it. But those who did not realize that they were answerable to their Creator.

Where would they get stuck? Done. That's where it stuck. May Allah protect us.

Why? When it comes to (مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدّين - Maliki Yawm Al-Din) when you read the verse a billion and one times, a billion, a trillion, a quadrillion, a pentillion, a sextillion, a septillion, a octillion, a nonillion, a decillion. I just wanted to

show you that I'm Zimbabwean. In Zimbabwe, these are the figures because inflation is sitting at 400 million percent.

So every day in the paper, in the newspaper, all these figures I've just given you are actually there. These are real figures. And then they write at the bottom: "Nobody has ever counted more than a decillion. We don't know what is after that." Our currency has gone as far as one pound is equal, I think about 300 sextillion. And that is the figure.

I thought it was "hex," but they use the word "sex." That's why AIDS is very, very great in Zimbabwe. But anyway.

The reality is we repeat this verse so many times (مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ, مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّين - Maliki Yawm Al-Din, Maliki Yawm Al-Din). So many times, Surah Al-Fatiha. Surah Al-Fatiha, we repeat it so many times.

But do we actually think about what we're actually saying? "Owner of the Day of Judgment" - that is Allah.

The Danger of Being Judgmental

I was making mention of being judgmental. Allah says He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment, nobody else.

Why has He kept the Day of Judgment in order to judge between people and in order to rule on people's hearts? So when I find myself ruling on someone's heart, I haven't believed in the verse correctly. And when you find yourself ruling and judging people's heart, you haven't believed in the verse correctly.

Because Allah says: "I have set a sign. I am the Owner of the Day of Judgment. I have set a sign - a whole Day of Judgment to judge people. You sitting on earth and judging people here now?"

And I'm sure a lot of us become very judgmental. And we start saying: "This person is like this, that person is like that." Don't judge a book by its cover. Don't.

And don't start saying bad things about people. Who knows there might be better than you. The Quran says that.

Surah Al-Hujurat, one of the most powerful surahs. Allah tell us - the men and the women not to scoff at one another. Not to joke and mock and backbite about one another and so on.

And in the same surah, He says: "Look, there might be better than you." That's what I need to believe, that's what you need to believe at all times. That is (مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدّين - Maliki Yawm Al-Din)

Allah has kept sign a day to judge. Why must I be judgmental? Be good to people. Worry about yourself.

That is why the Quran says: "O you who believe, be worried about yourselves. Be concerned about yourselves, your weaknesses. Rectify yourself. Those astray will not harm you. If you yourself are rightly guided. So worry about yourself."

Another verse which there are a lot of us don't know about. Allah says:

"O you who believe, be conscious of your Creator. And each one of you look into what you have prepared for the day you're going to meet Allah."

What have you prepared? Have you prepared any good deeds? Have you prepared any istighfar? Have you engaged in tawbah? Have you had a good heart towards other people? What have you done? You're going to meet your Creator. What have you done to actually earn the mercy of Allah on that day?

And we all know that He says: "Whoever has done even a mustard seed or an atom's worth, an atom's weight of good, they will see it. An atom's weight of bad, they will see it."

Unless they engaged in istighfar and tawbah, forgiveness. May Allah forgive us. That is (مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدّين - Maliki Yawm Al-Din)

lyyaka Na'budu Wa lyyaka Nasta'een

And then we tell Allah: "Ya Allah, You alone we worship. You alone we ask for help." And this is a powerful, powerful, powerful verse.

Allah is in complete control of absolutely everything. Whenever we are in need, we ask Allah. Whenever we make dua, the meaning of the word dua - raise your hands and ask - you ask Allah alone.

He says in Surah Al-Fatihah, if you find yourself the other way, this way, that way, then you haven't understood the opening verses of the Quran.

Allah says: "You are the only One we render acts of worship to. And You are the only One who we seek assistance from."

What type of help? Obviously, if I am sitting on a table to eat with you, for example. We sit and the ketchup is on the other side. I cannot raise my hands and say: "Ya Allah, I need the ketchup. Ya Allah, I need the ketchup." No, that's not what we talking about.

When Allah has clearly shown you with your eyes - not that which is connected to the unseen, but that which is physically in front of you - Allah has given a certain person the ability to assist you. You will ask them to help you. They will help you only through Allah's commission.

For example, you want to lift to go to Nottingham tomorrow. What would you do? You would have to say: "Listen brother, are you going to Nottingham? I'd like to come." But you cannot just sit and say: "Ya Allah, I need to go to Nottingham. Put it in the hearts of these people. They must come to me. They must tell me." They don't know a thing.

Obviously, this is a surah. I have tried to explain it without getting extremely technical. And at the same time, try to keep it a little bit lively. Bearing in mind the age group that we are speaking to.

And at the same time, I hope we have understood the meaning at least of Surah Al-Fatiha. Where Allah has really kept so much meaning in this short surah with 7 verses in it.

Encouragement to Read and Understand the Quran

And to end with, I'd like to say a point of encouragement for myself and yourselves.

Read the Quran and understand it. And read the English of the Quran as well as the Arabic of the Quran. Sometimes people ask you, what should we do? The answer is, you should read the Arabic as well.

For every letter you get 10 rewards. And you should read the English as well because it is haram to neglect the meaning of the Quran. The Quran says: "Are they not going to try and understand the Quran?" What's the answer? "Ya Allah, we will."

That verse has two meanings. "We have made this Quran so simple to memorize. Is there anyone from amongst you who is ready to do that?" First meaning.

The second meaning. "We have made this Quran so simple to understand. Is there anyone from amongst you who is going to attempt to understand it?" May Allah make us from those who will try to understand the Quran.

And I'm sure we all intend Inshallah to try and understand the Quran. Is that the case? Inshallah, it's a powerful book. Sometimes you sit and you ask people, "How many books have you read?" They say, "What about 65, 70 books?" "Have you read the Quran?" "No, I haven't."

But why? You've written novels of so and so and so and so, I don't even know the names. Should I say, maybe I know them but I don't want to say them. And you haven't read the book of Allah, the book of your Creator, the most powerful book, the book that turned the kuffar of Makkah by meaning one or two verses.

Umar Ibn Khattab R.A. And remember those people, a lot of them were unlettered. Unlettered meaning ummi. They were unable to read or write, most of them.

They heard one or two verses and it shook them and changed their whole lives and they entered the fold of Islam. Umar Ibn Khattab R.A, do you know which verses he heard? He was an enemy of Islam who went out to kill the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and he read the verses. He began to tremble, he began to cry and he said "Take me to Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam" and his life changed by reading not more than the first four verses of Surah Taha.

With us, we read the Quran from cover to cover and we open it again and we read it from cover to cover. We called it a khatam. So we make one khatam, two khatam, ten khatams and our lives haven't changed.

We haven't left the sins we were in. We haven't even flinched an island nor have we even allowed our heart to even think that we've read the book of the Owner of entire creation. Why? Because we haven't even attempted to understand it.

If we were to try to understand the Quran, Wallahi we would cry, we would weep. May Allah grant us the ability to understand the importance of going into the Quran and the meanings of the Quran.

And at the same time, I hope we have understood the meaning at least of Surah Al-Fatiha. Where Allah has really kept so much meaning in this short surah with 7 verses in it. And to end with, I'd like to say a point of encouragement for myself and yourselves.

Read the Quran and understand it. And read the English of the Quran as well as the Arabic of the Quran. Sometimes people ask you, what should we do? The answer is, you should read the Arabic as well.

For every letter you get 10 rewards. And you should read the English as well because it is haram to neglect the meaning of the Quran. The Quran says: "Are they not going to try and understand the Quran?" What's the answer? "Ya Allah, we will."

That verse has two meanings. "We have made this Quran so simple to memorize. Is there anyone from amongst you who is ready to do that?" First meaning.

The second meaning. "We have made this Quran so simple to understand. Is there anyone from amongst you who is going to attempt to understand it?" May Allah make us from those who will try to understand the Quran.

And I'm sure we all intend Inshallah to try and understand the Quran. Is that the case? Inshallah, it's a powerful book. Sometimes you sit and you ask people, "How many books have you read?" They say, "What about 65, 70 books?" "Have you read the Quran?" "No, I haven't."

But why? You've written novels of so and so and so and so, I don't even know the names. Should I say, maybe I know them but I don't want to say them. And you haven't read the book of Allah, the book of your Creator, the most powerful book, the book that turned the kuffar of Makkah by meaning one or two verses.

Umar Ibn Khattab R.A. And remember those people, a lot of them were unlettered. Unlettered meaning ummi. They were unable to read or write, most of them.

They heard one or two verses and it shook them and changed their whole lives and they entered the fold of Islam. Umar Ibn Khattab R.A, do you know which verses he heard? He was an enemy of Islam who went out to kill the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and he read the verses. He began to tremble, he

began to cry and he said "Take me to Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam" and his life changed by reading not more than the first four verses of Surah Taha.

With us, we read the Quran from cover to cover and we open it again and we read it from cover to cover. We called it a khatam. So we make one khatam, two khatam, ten khatams and our lives haven't changed.

We haven't left the sins we were in. We haven't even flinched an island nor have we even allowed our heart to even think that we've read the book of the Owner of entire creation. Why? Because we haven't even attempted to understand it.

If we were to try to understand the Quran, Wallahi we would cry, we would weep. May Allah grant us the ability to understand the importance of going into the Quran and the meanings of the Quran.

Closing Dua