Quran · Surah
Surah Al-Fatihah (الفاتحة) — The Opener
Surah 1 · 7 verses · Meccan · revealed in Makkah, in the early years of the revelation
Surah Al-Fatiha is the seven-verse opening of the Quran and the one chapter every Muslim recites in every unit of every prayer. It moves in three steps: it begins with praise of Allah as Lord of all worlds, the Most Compassionate, Master of the Day of Judgement; it then turns to direct address — "You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help"; and it closes with the single request the rest of the Quran answers: "Guide us along the Straight Path."
Read with tafsir, audio and 7 translations on MyQuran.ioAlso known as
- The Opening
- Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book)
- As-Sab' al-Mathani (The Seven Oft-Repeated)
- Al-Hamd (The Praise)
- Ash-Shifa (The Cure)
Why it is read
Al-Fatiha is recited at least seventeen times a day in the five obligatory prayers, because the prayer is not valid without it. Muslims read it as an opening supplication before any undertaking, as a prayer for the sick — one of its names, Ash-Shifa, means "the cure" — and at the start of a Quran reading. Its shape is why it is called the Mother of the Book: it condenses the whole Quran into praise, devotion and a request for guidance.
Ayah 1
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 2
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
All praise is for Allah—Lord of all worlds
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 3
ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 4
مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Master of the Day of Judgment
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 5
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 6
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us along the Straight Path
Open on MyQuran.ioAyah 7
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
the Path of those You have blessed—not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray
Open on MyQuran.io
English translation: The Clear Quran (Dr. Mustafa Khattab). Arabic: Tanzil / Uthmani text.
Questions about Surah Al-Fatihah
- Why is Surah Al-Fatiha recited in every prayer?
- Because the Prophet ﷺ taught that a prayer without Al-Fatiha is not complete. Every unit (rak'ah) of every obligatory and voluntary prayer opens with it, which for the five daily prayers works out to at least seventeen recitations a day.
- How many verses does Surah Al-Fatiha have?
- Seven. It is the shortest chapter that most Muslims memorise first, and the only chapter recited in full in every unit of prayer.
- Why is Al-Fatiha called the Mother of the Book?
- Because it summarises the entire Quran in seven verses: praise of Allah, His mercy and justice, the commitment to worship Him alone, and the request for guidance that the rest of the Quran answers.
- What does "the Straight Path" mean in Al-Fatiha?
- It is the path of those Allah has guided — the prophets and the righteous who followed them — as opposed to the path of those who earned His displeasure or went astray. The final three verses ask to be kept on it and away from the two alternatives.
- Is Surah Al-Fatiha used as a prayer for healing?
- Yes. One of its traditional names is Ash-Shifa, "the cure", and it has long been recited over the sick as a supplication. It is a prayer, not a substitute for medical treatment.