Surah Al-Fatiha
The Opening. The opening chapter of the Quran, recited in every rak’ah of every prayer. It praises Allah, affirms that worship and help belong to Him alone, and asks for guidance to the straight path.
Virtues and sources
- The Prophet ﷺ called it the greatest surah in the Quran, “the seven oft-repeated verses” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4474).
- A prayer without it is incomplete, and Allah answers the servant verse by verse as they recite it (Sahih Muslim 395).
- It is one of “two lights” given to the Prophet ﷺ that no prophet before him was given (Sahih Muslim 806).
Read Surah Al-Fatiha
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴿١﴾
Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
1:1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٢﴾
Al-ḥamdu lillāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn
1:2 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴿٣﴾
Ar-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
1:3 The Beneficent, the Merciful.
مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ﴿٤﴾
Māliki yawmid-dīn
1:4 Master of the Day of Judgment,
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴿٥﴾
Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn
1:5 Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾
Ihdinaṣ-ṣirāṭal-mustaqīm
1:6 Show us the straight path,
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ﴿٧﴾
Ṣirāṭal-ladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim, ghayril-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa laḍ-ḍāllīn
1:7 The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
Arabic: Uthmani script from quran.com. English: Marmaduke Pickthall’s translation (1930). Transliteration by AskUmmah, as a guide only: learn the pronunciation from a teacher or a recitation. Listen and read other translations on quran.com.
More surahs
Frequently asked questions
What is Surah Al-Fatiha about?
The opening chapter of the Quran, recited in every rak’ah of every prayer. It praises Allah, affirms that worship and help belong to Him alone, and asks for guidance to the straight path.
What are the virtues of Surah Al-Fatiha?
The Prophet ﷺ called it the greatest surah in the Quran, “the seven oft-repeated verses” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4474). A prayer without it is incomplete, and Allah answers the servant verse by verse as they recite it (Sahih Muslim 395). It is one of “two lights” given to the Prophet ﷺ that no prophet before him was given (Sahih Muslim 806).
How many verses are in Surah Al-Fatiha?
Surah Al-Fatiha has 7 verses. It is surah 1 of the Quran and was revealed in Makkah.