1
– 7 |
[Read out to them, O Prophet,]1) In the name of Allah2, Mercy abundant, Mercy eternal3. All gratitude is due only to Allah, the Lord4 of the vastness of the universe5, Who is infinitely Merciful, Whose mercy extends forever, the Owner6 of the Day of Judgment. |
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8
– 16 |
[Lord,] Only You do we worship and only You do we turn for help. Guide us in adhering to the straight path; the path of those upon whom you showered your blessings, not [the path] of those who [, due to their disobedience and transgressions,] became deserving of your wrath7 and neither of those who [, due to their own additions in Your guidance,] went astray8 |
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (٥) ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٦) صِرَٲطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (٧) |
- The construction of the sentence “بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم” (lit: ‘In the name of Allah, the Rahmaan, the Raheem‘) is such that a verb is suppressed in it. Most commentators have generally taken the suppressed verb as ‘I begin’ or one similar to it; thus implying the complete sentence to mean ‘I begin in the name of Allah, the Rahmaan, the Raheem‘. However, it seems that by placing this sentence at the beginning of every surah – except Surah Al-Tawbah – the Qur’an has referred firstly, to the authority on the basis of which the Prophet is directed to deliver and read out the message to his people, and, secondly, to the prediction about the Prophet (pbuh) in the Torah. From the first perspective, the placement of this sentence at the beginning of each of the Surahs is similar to the traditional words like ‘On the authority of the King’ or ‘In the name of the Sovereign’, which were, generally, read out before any official declarations and announcements made or any orders passed by the king. From the second perspective, this sentence is a reminder of the prophecy given in the words: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. (Deuteronomy 18: 18 – 19 [↩]
- The Arabic word ‘Allah‘ may be literally translated as ‘The God’, implying ‘The one God’. [↩]
- ‘Al-Rahmaan‘ refers to the extent while ‘Al-Raheem‘ refers to the continuation of God’s mercy. The combined implication of the two attributes, coming side by side, is that God is not only abounding in mercy but also that the abounding nature of His mercy continues forever. [↩]
- The literal meaning of the word ‘Rubb‘ is Provider. The implication of ‘Lord’ is basically a development on the meaning of ‘Provider’. [↩]
- The Arabic word ‘`aalameen‘ is the plural form of the word ‘`aalam‘ meaning ‘world’. In the Arabic language, the plural form may, if the words or the context so require, denote the vastness or the greatness or the enormity of a thing, as it denotes the plurality of number. [↩]
- i.e. the Sole Authority. [↩]
- The Qur’an tells us that the Jews (Yahood) became deserving of God’s wrath due to their disobedience and transgressions. See, for instance, Al-Baqarah 2: 61. [↩]
- The Qur’an tells us that the Nazarenes (Nasaara) lost God’s guidance and thus went astray due to their self-imposed additions to the body of God’s guidance. See, for instance, Al-Maaidah 5: 77. [↩]