The Spiritual Cure An Explanation of Surah al-Fatihah

Surah al-Fatihah is the greatest chapter of the Qur'an, its like is not found in the rest of the Qur'an or the previous scriptures. It is a light that was granted to Prophet Muhammad, which had not granted to any other Prophet or Messenger before him; indeed, some of our predecessors stated that when this chapter was revealed, Shaytan let out a great cry of lament. It holds a position in the daily prayer and hence the daily life of the Muslim.

The underlying theme of al-Fatihah is one of contemplation and serenity; pondering the Names and Attributes of Allah, pondering the creation, and acknowledging that He alone deserves praise and worship, that He alone should be asked for help, that He alone should be feared and hoped in, that He alone should be invoked, that there is indeed a Day of Judgement and that guidance has come to us and we are required to follow it.

 It calls us to scrutinise our relationship with our Lord carefully: are we living according to the dictates of 'none has the right to be worshipped save Allah' or not? This opening chapter, despite its brevity, calls man to fulfill the rights of Tawhid, the right that Allah has over us to worship Him alone without any partners, in thirty places. This chapter summarises succinctly the message of the whole Qur'an.

The Spiritual Cure is a summary of numerous classical commentaries of the Qur'an, such as at-Tabari, al-Baghawi, az-Zamakhshari, Ibn Atiyyah, ibn al-Jawzi, al-Qurtubi, ibn al-Qayyim, ibn Kathir, as-Suyuti, al-Alusi, ash-Shawkani, as-Sadi, ash-Shanqiti and many others.