The Fatiha (Opening) is the first sura (chapter) of the Qur’an, and most common prayer of Islam. If you’re a pious Muslim who prays the five requisite daily prayers of Islam, you will recite the Fatiha seventeen times in the course of those prayers.
According to an Islamic tradition, the Muslim prophet Muhammad said that the Fatiha surpassed anything revealed by Allah in the Torah, the Gospel, or the rest of the Qur’an. And indeed, it efficiently and eloquently encapsulates many of the principal themes of the Qur’an and Islam in general: Allah as the “Lord of the worlds,” who alone is to be worshiped and asked for help, the merciful judge of every soul on the Last Day.
In Islamic theology, Allah is the speaker of every word of the Qur’an. Some have found it strange that Allah would say something like “Praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds,” but Islamic tradition holds that Allah revealed this prayer to Muhammad early in his career as a prophet (which began in the year 610 AD, when he received his first revelation from Allah through the angel Gabriel — a revelation that is now contained in the Qur’an’s 96th chapter), so that the Muslims would know how to pray.
It is for its last two verses that the Fatiha is of most concern to non-Muslims.
The final two verses of the Fatiha ask Allah:
Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
The traditional Islamic understanding of this is that the “straight path” is Islam — cf. Islamic apologist John Esposito’s book Islam: The Straight Path — while the path “of those who have evoked Allah’s anger” are the Jews, and those who have gone “astray” are the Christians.
The classic Qur’anic commentator Ibn Kathir explains that “the two paths He described here are both misguided,” and that those “two paths are the paths of the Christians and Jews, a fact that the believer should beware of so that he avoids them. The path of the believers is knowledge of the truth and abiding by it. In comparison, the Jews abandoned practicing the religion, while the Christians lost the true knowledge. This is why ‘anger’ descended upon the Jews, while being described as ‘led astray’ is more appropriate of the Christians.”
Ibn Kathir’s understanding of this passage is not a lone “extremist” interpretation. In fact, most Muslim commentators believe that the Jews are those who have earned Allah’s wrath and the Christians are those who have gone astray.
This is the view of Tabari, Zamakhshari, the Tafsir al-Jalalayn, the Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Arabi, as well as Ibn Kathir. One contrasting, but not majority view, is that of Nisaburi, who says that “those who have incurred Allah’s wrath are the people of negligence, and those who have gone astray are the people of immoderation.”
Wahhabis drew criticism a few years back for adding “such as the Jews” and “such as the Christians” into parenthetical glosses on this passage in Qur’ans printed in Saudi Arabia.
Some Western commentators imagined that the Saudis originated this interpretation, and indeed the whole idea of Qur’anic hostility toward Jews and Christians. They found it inconceivable that Muslims all over the world would learn as a matter of course that the central prayer of their faith anathematizes Jews and Christians.
But unfortunately, this interpretation is venerable and mainstream in Islamic theology. The printing of the interpretation in parenthetical glosses into a translation would be unlikely to affect Muslim attitudes, since the Arabic text is always and everywhere normative in any case, and since so many mainstream commentaries contain the idea that the Jews and Christians are being criticized here.
Seventeen times a day, by the pious.
Original video:
MEMRI excerpt:
Here is a corrected transcript of what he says:
The Islamic civilization, the civilization which all the orientalists, all the scholars, the researchers, they have been talking about it, even the Jewish, the Christians, Germans, Americans, the British, Romans, Persians, they have all witnessed, they have all bowed down to the greatest of the civilization. The Islamic nation is a great nation. You know, Jewish are, are people of scripture. Yes, I know, and they were sacred. Allah subbanah wa’tala invited us to be good to them as long as they are good to us. And by the way, whenever someone is talking to me about what is happening to them, I say, ‘Habibi, you shouldn’t feel very [unintelligible]. You know why? They have lowered their standards. They have lowered their standards. They used to kill prophets. For God’s sakes, they used to kill prophets, not a human. But now they are just killing human. You see how merciful they are? They have failed to gain the mercy of Allah, and they have successfully gained the anger of Allah. That is what they are doing.
“Friday Sermon at New Haven, CT Mosque: All Other Civilizations Bow Down to Islam; The Jews Have Lowered Their Standards – They Used to Kill Prophets, Now They Are Killing Ordinary Humans,” MEMRI, November 3, 2023:
In a November 3, 2023 Friday sermon at the Islamic Center of New Haven, Connecticut which streamed live the mosque’s Facebook page, the imam said that Islam is the greatest civilization and that all other civilizations should “bow down” to it. He also said that the Jews have “lowered their standards” since they used to kill prophets, but are killing “only” ordinary humans. He also said that Muslims recite the first chapter of the Quran 17 times every day in order to be reminded Allah’s anger towards the Jews.
Imam: “The Islamic civilization, the civilization which all the orientalists, all the scholars, all the researchers have been talking about… Even the Jews, the Christians, Germans, Americans, British, Romans, and Persians – they have all witnessed, they have all bowed down to the greatest of civilizations. The Islamic nation is a great nation.
[…]
“You know that the Jews are the People of the Scripture. Yes, I know, and they were scared. Allah invited us [Muslims] to be good to them as long as they are good to us.
[…]
“By the way, whenever someone is talking to me about what is happening to them, I say: ‘My friend, you shouldn’t feel very [unintelligible]…’ You know why? They have lowered their standards. They have lowered their standards. They used to kill prophets.
“For God’s sake, they used to kill prophets, not [ordinary] humans, but now they are just killing humans, you see how merciful they are?
[…]
“They have failed to gain the mercy of Allah, and they have successfully gained the anger of Allah. That is what they are doing.”
somehistory says
An ugly…inside and out…creepy, hideous, arrogant, lying snake. He could have been taken right out of central casting for a movie about the mass-murdering, raper of children, slave-trading, thieving, lying son of satan the devil, feculent sack of maggot castoffs.
I speak for myself: I have not “bowed down” to islam, the great (as in huge, gigantic) uncivilized pit of vipers, children of satan the devil, “doing the desires of their father,” and I will never do so.
No matter how often, or how loud this slug says it.
Wellington says
In the Middle East for this hateful Islamic rot is bad enough but in Connecticut?
The Islamic cancer is definitely spreading.
Damn.
RobTheGray1 says
I can appreciate your concern, Wellington. And it’s spreading because our leaders have let them in. Our latter-day leaders in the West seem to lack care for our Way of Life, and their ignorance of the Islamic Way has endangered every Westerner, making life that much worse and more difficult for Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhist – followers of any religion or no religion at all – i.e., ALL Non-Muslims are subject to abuse, enslavement and/or torture of every kind imaginable, death, or to be sold. The catch is there are several sects of Islam, and they each consider the others sacrilege and therefore to be killed. After the killing of all “others” is done, they will continue turning against one another for not being religious enough,and fight it out to be top dog. But after all these ‘differences’ are settled, it is the ‘peaceful religion’ they speak of. The only problem is that their religion is all based on hatred and ridding the world of non-Muslims, so what is to keep them together now? There’s no one left to hate but each other, which they already do anyway. So I guess they’ll watch their slaves grow and prepare their foods for them, and kill them off when they misbehave. A lovely, civilized society.
somehistory says
OT
“Iranian Diplomat’s UN Visit Stirs US Angst After Israel Attack”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iranian-diplomat-s-un-visit-stirs-us-angst-after-israel-attack/ar-BB1lJJcd?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=46cf3b44445d47a48b33e906088132a8&ei=20
gravenimage says
Thanks for that link, Somehistory.
deze MN bee says
So, the “Truth”, the actual Word of God, is a matter for interpretation?
And there’s nothing electrical about thunder and lightning -that’s actually Grumpy God
getting annoyed at this week’s burnt offerings.
Who put the pork on the barbecue?
“Not I”, said the sparrow which flew away to Miami for some fun only to find that it had landed on top of a mosque.
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
According to Islamic theology, Allah is “the Lord of the worlds”. What worlds? How many worlds are there? Are most of these worlds extra-galactic? What are the demographics of these other worlds?
Muhammad received his revelations through “the angel Gabriel”. Who are these people called “angels”? What are their demographics (population breakdown by classes and sexes, lifespan, etc.)? How is an individual angel’s name determined? Are there any angels with names like Skippy, Caspar, Sharlamain-tha-God?
abu taleb says
Allah is angry the Jews, yet he can not do anything, he needs musims’ help to do the job. What kind of Allah is that, so weak and impotent.
Allah says if you help him, then he will help you. The question is what help have you received from Allah after you help the helpless Allah who can not do anything.
47:4
Sahih International
O you who have believed, if you support Allah , He will support you and plant firmly your feet.
Muhsin Khan
O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.
Pickthall
O ye who believe! If ye help Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm.
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.
Tony Rice says
I read that Gabriel spoke to Aisha and NOT to Muhammad, who apparently was epileptic, could neither read nor write. I have always been baffled why Allah, the MOON God of the Arabs could not have found someone more suitable than Muhammad, who aged 52 fancied a girl of FOUR yrs old, got permission to marry her when she was SIX ( imagine the scene, a man aged 54 in a ceremony officially MARRYING a girl of SIX, planning his sexual penetration of her when she was either EIGHT or NINE. ) The mind BOGGLES , man 57 sex with girl 8 or 9, chosen by Allah as HIS representative on earth. What sort of guy is ALLAH and to henceforth allow in HIS faith, girls to be taken in marriage ( sex in other words ) at age 8 or 9 LEGITIMATELY. Does one really need to go any further but also don’t forget HIS requirement to kill all Jews, the people CHOSEN by GOD to bring ” light unto the nations ” via the TEN COMMANDMENTS, which do NOT include instructions to kill, but the exact opposite. WHY the abrupt change, who does ALLAH want, represent, instruct, protect as HIS , how and why ?
gravenimage says
And this barbaric savage is Is;am’s “perfect man”.
FYI says
The quran:it has something for everybody!
Christian Theologians:koran 5:116{Pickthal}Did you know allah thinks Chistians worship THREE gods muslim jesus,allah and..MARY.There is an argument in koran 5:116 between allah and muslim jesus over jesus including MARY as one of the 3 gods.muslim jesus has to apologize to allah.
{That’s not very omnoscient of allah who “knows ALL things” is it?}
Torah Scholars.allah does confirm the Torah in koran 3:3 and claims he gave the “scripture” to Musa{the muslim Moses}koran 2:87.So how did he MISS the Laws given to Moses?ALL OF THEM.
Why does allah teach the OPPOSITE of the 2nd chief commandment in koran 5:51
{is allah just pretending to be the Biblical God?Yes}
allah tells muhammed that if in doubt he should consult the BIBLE people.Funny how the Bible is banned in islamic countries..
{Isn’t that because the Bible shows the koran to be false and all the holy men of islam would lose their control over muslims if muslims figured it out?Yes}
The logician: all the errors in the koran show that allah does NOT know “all things” as he claims in koran 2:29
So how can allah be God if he is provably NOT omniscient.?
{Is allah pretending to be God?yes}
CalvinsLutheran says
Trying to get these people to understand a Triune God is like listening to hear a rock expound on a mathematical theorem. Pointless.
OLD GUY says
Islam sucks period!
gravenimage says
Connecticut imam: Muslims recite first chapter of Qur’an 17 times daily to be reminded of Allah’s anger towards Jews
…………………………………………….
More proof that Islam is little more than hatred of anyone who does not bow to ther savage supremacy. Was this thug Imam imported into our civilized nation?