The Meaning of Al-Fatihah and its Various Name This Surah is called Al-Fatihah, that is, the Opener

of the Book, the Surah with which prayers are begun. It is also called, Umm Al-Kitab (the Mother of the Book), according to the majority of the scholars. In an authentic Hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-` Alamin is the Mother of the Quran, the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Quran. ) It is also called Al-Hamd and As-Salah, because the Prophet said that his Lord said, (` The prayer (i.e. , Al-Fatihah) is divided into two halves between Me and My servants. When the servant says, ` All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of existence, Allah says, My servant has praised Me. ) Al-Fatihah was called the Salah, because reciting it is a condition for the correctness of Salah - the prayer. Al-Fatihah was also called Ash-Shifa (the Cure). It is also called Ar-Ruqyah (remedy), since in the Sahih, there is the narrat ion of Abu Sa` id telling the the story of the Companion who used Al-Fatihah as a remedy for the tribal chief who was poisoned. Later, the Messenger of Allah said to a Companion, (How did you know that it is a Ruqyah) Al-Fatihah was revealed in Makkah as Ibn ` Abbas, Qatadah and Abu Al-` Aliyah stated. Allah said, (And indeed, We have bestowed upon you the seven Mathani) (seven repeatedly recited verses), (i.e. Surah Al-Fatihah) (15:87). Allah knows best