How to Say Al-Fatihah (“The Opening”), The First Chapter of the Holy Qur’an
Below are the seven verses of “Surah: Al-Fatihah” (pronounced Su-rah Al Fa-ti-hah) which means “Chapter: The Opening”. This is the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an, and it is read a certain number of times in the five daily prayers(salat). Please read the translation carefully and think about the meaning.
Perhaps many non-Muslims have never seen Surah Al-Fatihah before and may not know what it sounds like, so I have tried to write it phonetically so that it will be easier to pronounce. If you would like to hear what Muslims around the world say every day in their prayers, just read out Al-Fatihah (The Opening) aloud as if you are trying to read a poem in a foreign language.
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
[Click play to listen to Al-Fatihah]
(Approximate transliteration of Al-Fatihah from Arabic):
1. Bis-mil-la hir-rah-maa nir-ra-hiim.
2. Al-ham-du lil-la hi-rab-bil aa-la-miin.
3. Ar-rah-maa nir-ra-hiim.
4. Maa-li-ki yaw-mid-diin.
5. Iy-yaa-ka na-bu-du wa-iy-yaa-ka nas-ta-iin.
6. Ih-di-nas si-raa-tal mus-ta-qiim.
7. Si-ra-tal la-thii-na an-am-ta a-lay-him, ghai-ril magh-duu-bi a-lay-him, wa-lad-dhaal-liin. (A-miin).
And this is the translation of Al-Fatihah:
1. In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
2. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds –
3. The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
4. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
5. It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
6. Guide us to the straight path –
7. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (Amen).
(Al-Qur’an, Al-Fatihah 1:1-7)
Now you know what more than one billion Muslims all over the world say every day in their prayers, five times per day. These exact same words were dictated to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH over 1,400 years ago. He received these words from Allah, also known as Almighty God, The Lord of the Heavens and Earth, The Creator of All Things, The All-Powerful, The All-Seeing, The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing, and The Most Merciful. And God is the Guardian of these holy words to make sure that no human being can corrupt them or make them disappear.