Soo-ra-tool-Faa-tay-ha سُوۡرَةُ الفَاتِحَة Chapter # 001
Verses of the Holy Qor-aan are quoted on this site with a 6-digit number; the first three digits tell of Soorah (Chapter) and the last three tell of verse. Numbering includes بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ as verse #1 in every Soorah except Soorah #9. The phonetic transliteration in English is based upon words commonly pronounced like bat, cat, sat → fate, gate, hate → bait, trait → bay, nay, say → be, he, she → pet, pet, wet → bit, fit, sit → cot, dot, rot → boot, hoot, root → bout, rout → but, cut, hut, rut. An Arabic word with the vowel Fatah is best shown with a ‘u’ as in cut, rut, hut, but letter ‘a’ is often placed before ‘u’ to make it doubly sure that it is read as in cause, pause and clause and not with the sound of ‘oo’ as in hoot, root, shoot or put. All Arabic words are translated in American English and are followed by alternates which other translators have used.
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:001
○بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِمِ
Bay iss-may il-laa-hay ir-rah-maa-nay ir-ra-hee-m
(= Bis-mil laa-hir rah-maa-nir ra-hee-m)
With the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful I begin.
(Beginning, commencing, starting)
- بِ — Bay … (is) — With (= This Arabic word literally means ‘with’ but some contexts may warrant its translation as ‘in’)
- سۡمِ — Iss-may … (il) — The name of (= The way to be addressed or called)
- اللهِ — Laa-hay … (ir) — Allah (= The Almighty God; the One Only worthy of worship)
- الرَّحۡمٰنِ — Rah-maa-nay … (ir) — The Most Beneficent (= adj., Compassionate. Gracious. None more than Him benefits. As n: The One Who fully, totally and wholly benefits all, to the maximum without any condition, limitation or restriction. The Greatest and Highest Benefactor Who wills goodness and mercy to all His creation See Note 001:001)
- الرَّحِيۡمِ — Ra-hee-m — The Most Merciful (= adj., Superlative form indicates the Greatest Merciful. Merciful Forever. The word floodlights that none more than Him shows kindness and mercy, continually, incessantly, like perpetually coming waves from oceans)
** Note: 001:001. This verse was revealed 114 times. It is the First (1st) in 113 of the 114 Chapters (Soorah) of the Holy Qor-aan. It’s not the 1st verse of Chapter 9 but has appeared twice in Chapter 27 — once as its 1st and again as its 31st (027:031).
This verse is numbered 1st (#001) of a Soorah on this site like many translators have done. Our numbering of verses differs from those who have ignored numbering the aforesaid as the 1st.
A Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet s.a.w) lists 99 Names of Allah originated from the Holy Qor-aan and any Name not shown there but on the list is deduced from a verb or noun used there.
This verse names two Attributes of the Almighty God (059:025). This site provides the principal characteristics of Attributes concisely, but others may have verbalized them differently.
Translators have magnified the ordinary meanings of a word of an Attribute by using its superlative form and often adding prefixes like All, Ever, Forever, Most, Very, Well, etc.
For example, an Attribute in verse 004:111 has been translated as follows.
- ‘Merciful’ by 5 authors: Maulana Muhammad Ali, Maulawi Sher Ali, Malik Ghulam Farid, Marmaduke Pickthall and N J Dawood.
- ‘Most Merciful’ by 3 authors: Abdulla Yusuf Ali, M Muhsin Khan and Taqi-ud-Din.
- ‘Ever Merciful’ by 2 authors: Muhammad Zafrulla Khan and Amatul Rahman Omar.
- ‘All-compassionate’ by 1 author: John Arberry.
- ‘All-Merciful’ by 1 author: Dr Ahmad Zidan.
Our Translation when compared with other works – printed, published and sold in the market — shows minor to major differences like the above in verses including 004:105.
Our Commentaries like Translations with Additions or Subtractions, Translations with Author’s Whims, Translations with Different Words, Translations With Inaccuracies, and others furnish analytical, factual, grammatical and other intriguing critiques on some contents
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:002
اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ
Aul-haum-do lay il-laa-hay raub-bay il-aa-la-meen
All real thanks are due to Allah, the Lord Provident to the Universe.
- اَلۡ — Aul — The (= The Arabic word ‘ul’ expresses two distinct meanings. 1.The Particular one. 2 – All in a category; real; total. Combined together they convey only the best, the tops)
- حَمۡدُ — Haum-do — Thanks (= Appreciation; gratitude; praise)
- لِ — Lay … (il) — For (= Concerning; regarding; relative to; with intent, reason regard to; for the attention, benefit, object, purpose or reason of)
- اللّٰهِ — Laa-hay — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
- رَبِّ — Raub-bay … (il) — GOD / LORD (= The Almighty Allah who fills all needs of all His creatures. Cherisher. Creator;. Guardian. Lord Provident. Master. The Only One Who provides all that sustains life. Ultimate Provider of air, water, food and whatever we and all other creatures need to live and subsist)
- الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ — Aa-la-meen — The universe (= n., pl., As an attribute of God Almighty the word implies no limits. It means the Universe, all His creations, all that exists in whole Universe, all that has life, and Mankind. See Note 001:002)
** Note 001:002:
The Holy Qor-aan repeatedly shows God Almighty as رَب , the Provider of the Universe.
This verse is in 001:002, 006:046, 039:076 and 040:066; also, its last 3 words in 007:055, 059:017.
As an attribute of God Almighty the word الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ implies no-limits. It means The Universe, all His creations, all that exists in whole Universe, all that has life, and Mankind. Examples include verses 001:002, 002:132, 006:163, 026:017, 026:023, 026:048, 026:078, 026:099, 026:110, 026:146, 026:165, 026:181, 026:193, 006:072, 039:076, 040:066, 040:067, 059:017 and 081:030.
In relation to man the word الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ implies being limited to time and place. It means The worlds, the whole wide world of the Age, nations of the time, contemporaries in towns or territory of a known period, and people in given cities or countries. Examples besides 005:116, 006:087 and 006:091 are the following various translations of this word in verse 003:034: — M Zafrullah Khan narrowed it down to mean only the “people of their times.” — Allama Nooruddin verbalized it for “all people of time.” — Dr Al-Hilali and Dr Khan extended it to mean the entire “mankind and jinn of their times.” — N J Dawood expanded it further by saying “all His creatures.”
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:003
الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِۙ ؕ
Aur-rah-maa-nay ir-ra-heem
The most Beneficent, the most Merciful
- الرَّحۡمٰنِ — Aur-rah-maa-nay … (ir) — The Most Beneficent (= The One who fully, totally and wholly benefits all, to the maximum with no condition, limitation or restriction. Compassionate. Gracious)
- الرَّحِيۡمِ — Aur-ra-heem — The Most Merciful (= The One who fully, totally and wholly showers mercy to the maximum, again and again, continually, indefinitely and perpetually like the incoming waves from the oceans)
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:004
مٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ الدِّيۡنِؕ
Maa-lay-kay yao-may id-dee-n
Master of the Day of Judgment
- مٰلِكِ — Maa-lay-kay — Master (= Absolute Authority; Controller; King; Monarch; Owner)
- يَوۡمِ — Yao-may … (id) — Of the Day (= Hour; time; period; phase)
- الدِّيۡنِ — Dee-n — Of Judgment (= Accounting; recompense; reckoning; requital; resurrection)
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:005
اِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَاِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِيۡنُؕ
Ee-yaa ka nau-bo-do wa ee-yaa ka naus-ta-een
Only You we worship. And only You we beseech
- اِيَّا — Ee-yaa — Only (= Alone; excluding any and all others)
- كَ — Ka — You * (= You, a single male. Ref is to the Almighty God)
- نَعۡبُدُ — Nau-bo-do — We worship (= v., pres., pl., 1st person. Including the worshipper’s parents, children, family, friends and others, we serve, supplicate, like to be cloned and take on the color)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally)
- اِيَّا — Ee-yaa — Only (= Alone; excluding any and all others)
- كَ — Ka — You (= You, a single male. Ref is to the Almighty God)
- نَسۡتَعِيۡنُ — Naus-ta-een — We beseech (= Ask, beg, entreat, implore, pray or request for help, assistance, guidance and succor always in all places)
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:006
اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَۙ
Aeh-day naa us-say-raa-ta ul-moos-ta-qee-ma
Please God! Guide us on the right road
- اِهۡدِ — Aeh-day — Guide (= v., Coddle on correct course; direct or take accurately towards the best way; give the best direction; lead on linier lines; put on proper path; show the right road)
- نَا — Naa … (us) — Us (= pro., pl., m & f., 1st person. Us all)
- الصِّرَاطَ — Say-raa-ta … (ul) — Road (= n., Course; direction; lines; path; route; way)
- الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَ — Moos-ta-qee-ma — Right (= adj., Acceptable; appropriate; accurate; best; correct; exact; precise; proper; right; straight; suitable; truthful. The shortest distance between two specific points (of GOD Almighty Who created and His creation man) is always the straight line, perfect path and right road by which man can reach his Creator)
** Note 001:006. The words صِّرَاطَ and مُسۡتَقِيۡمَ used in the verse 001:006 are man’s prayer to be put on the correct cause, linear lines, proper path or right road. These words (some without the ال before them and some with other variations) are repeated in several verses including 002:143, 002:214, 003:052, 003:102, 004:069, 004:176, 005:017, 006:040, 006:088, 006:127, 006:154, 006:162, 007:017, 036:005, 036:062, 043:044, 043:065, 067:023, etc. They demonstrate God’s gift to anyone He chooses by setting him up on such line, path, road or way.
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The Holy Qor-aan 001:007
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صِرَاطَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ۙ غَيۡرِ الۡمَغۡضُوۡبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيۡنَ
Say-raa-ta ul-la-ze-na aun-aum-ta alai him Ghai-ray il-maugh-dzoo-bay aa-lai him wa laa udz-dzaal-leen
The way of those on whom You conferred blessings Not of those who incurred wrath, and not of those who go astray.
- صِرَاطَ — Say-raat … (ul) — Way (= Course; direction; lines; path; road; route)
- ٱلَّذِينَ — La-zee-na — Those who (= pl., m., 3rd person. All folks, groups, generations, nations and people in the world)
- اَنۡعَمۡتَ — Aun-aum-ta — You conferred (= v., past., s., 2n person. Awarded, bestowed, blessed. gave, gifted, granted or landed blessings, favors, good things, honors or rewards. The word refers to the Almighty God)
- عَلَيۡ — Alai — On (= Above; for; over; to; upon)
- هِمۡ— Him — Whom (= pro., pl, m., 3rd person. Refers to persons blessed)
- غَيۡرِ — Ghai-ray … (il) — Not of those (= Besides; other than)
- الۡمَغۡضُوۡبِ — Maugh-dzoo-bay –Incurred wrath (= Got, punished, inflicted, received, struck or subjected to anger, displeasure, fury, chastisement or torment)
- عَلَيۡ— Alai — On (= Above; for; over; to; upon)
- هِمُ — Him — Them / Those (= pro., pl, m., 3rd person. Those who incurred wrath)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally)
- َلَا — La … (udz) — Not (= Never; not at all; total and absolute denial)
- الضَّآلِّيۡنَ — Dzaal-leen — Gone astray (= n., pl., Astray; erring; in error; misguided. Those who had gone astray, lost the way, or took the wrong path, road or turn or went off the track)
Note 001:007: Most of the verb-words are a combination of two parts. Its main operating part is for the 3rd person. Its second part is for a pronoun for 1st, 2nd or 3rd person which converts the main operating part from being for a 3rd person to that of a 1st, 2nd or 3rd person.
The pronoun part may come before the main operating part of the word. For example the word عبد is for a 3rd person in the past tense and means He worshipped. But a نَ before it converted it to نَعۡبُدُ (nau-bodo) which is for the plural 1st person and means We worshipped.
The pronoun part may come after the main operating part of the word. For example the word انعم nis for a 3rd person in the past tense and means He blessed. But a تَ after it converted it to اَنۡعَمۡتَ (aun-aum-ta) which is for the single 2nd person and means You blessed.
