THE SEVEN OFT -REPEATED VERSES
By Sheikh Salman b. Fahd al-Awdah
General Supervisor for the IslamToday Website
INTRODUCTION
1. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
2. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds;
3. The Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
5. You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help.
6. Guide us to the straight way,
7. The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your grace, not the
way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most
Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. And may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon His servant and Messenger – our Prophet
Muhammad – and upon all of his family and Companions.
A Muslim reads this magnificent chapter of the Qur’ân many times
throughout the day with every unit of prayer that he or she
performs. This is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“There is no prayer without the opening chapter of the Book.” 1 The
commentators of this hadîth explain to us that this chapter must be
read in every unit of the formal prayers. This shows just how
important and esteemed this chapter is. All Muslims – not to
mention the students of knowledge among them – should
contemplate the meanings found within it, because Allah chose it
1 Bukhârî (714) and Muslim (595).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 2 -
from among all the chapters and verses of the Qur’ân for us to repeat
in our prayers, and He did so from His divine wisdom.
THE MANY TITLES OF THIS CHAPTER
This chapter has numerous titles, which is another indication of how
important it is.
It is called The Opening (al-Fâtihah).2 The Prophet (peace be upon
him) called it “The Opening of the Book.” The reason for this is that it is
the first chapter that one reads when one opens the Qur’ân, though it
was not the first chapter to be revealed.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also called it The Mother of the
Qur’ân (Umm al-Qur’ân).3 The reason for this – and Allah knows best
– is that it contains within it the general meaning of the Qur’ân. It
embraces all the principles and major themes that the Qur’ân
addresses.
It is called The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses (al-Sab` al-Mathânî), because
its seven verses are read over and over. Another way that these
verses are repeated is through the repetition of their general
meanings throughout the Qur’ân.
2 ibid.
3 Bukhârî (4335): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The Mother of
the Book: they are the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Glorious
Recital.”
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 3 -
It is called The Glorious Recital (al-Qur’ân al-`Azîm). The Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “They are the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses
and the Glorious Recital that I have been given.” 4
It is The Chapter of Praise (Sûrah al-Hamd), because it begins by
praising Allah: “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds.”
Allah even refers to it as The Prayer (al-Salâh). This comes in a hadîth
qudsî (a hadîth where the Prophet relates the words of his Lord)
where Allah says:
“I have split The Prayer into two parts, one for me and one for My
servant, and My servant will have what he asks for. When the
servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds, I say: ‘My
servant has praised Me.’ When he says: The Most Gracious, Most
Merciful, I say: ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says Master of
the Day of Judgment, I say: ‘My servant has glorified Me’ or ‘My
servant has deferred to Me.’ When he says: You alone we worship and
from You alone we seek help, I say: ‘This is between Me and My
servant, and my servant will have what he asks for.’ When he says:
Guide us to the straight way, The way of those on whom you have bestowed
Your grace, not the way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go
astray, I say: ‘This is for My servant, and My servant will have what
he asks for.”5
4 Bukhârî (4114).
5 Muslim (598).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 4 -
Allah calls it The Prayer. One reason for this is that the chapter is part
remembrance and part supplication. It contains a supplication in
utmost devotion for the greatest thing that can be asked for – divine
guidance. This is contained in the verse: “Guide us to the straight
way.” In this manner, the chapter is named for part of what it
contains, since supplication is called prayer in the Arabic language.
Allah, elsewhere in the Qur’ân, says: “Verily your prayers are a
source of security for them.” [sûrah al-Tawbah: 103] He is here
referring to supplications for them.
This usage is also found in the following verses of classical poetry
penned by al-A`shâ:
My daughter says when I am about to depart,
“O Lord, keep away from my father all hardships and ailments.”
May you have all that you have prayed for me,
And sleep…for truly this man is lying down on his side.
The verse: ‘May you have all that you have prayed for me’ means ‘you
have from my supplications the same as you have offered for me in
yours.’ The word prayer was used in the verse to mean supplication.
There is another possible reason why this chapter of the Qur’ân is
called The Prayer, and that is that the formal prescribed prayers are
not valid unless it is recited within them. As mentioned before,
reciting this chapter is a fundamental part of the prescribed prayer.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 5 -
This chapter of the Qur’ân has other titles as well, all of which
indicate its lofty status and the esteem in which it is held. These
names also show how important it is to reflect upon this chapter and
to give it ample consideration. A clear indication of it status is the
fact that there is scarcely a Muslim in the world who has not
committed it to memory. Even when a person first accepts Islam and
gives the testimony of faith, the first thing that he or she memorizes
is this opening chapter - the Fâtihah. This is so he or she can perform
the prescribed prayers. If a person recites only this chapter in prayer,
it is sufficient for the prayer to be valid. Reciting more is an optional
act; it is preferred, but it is not obligatory.
Due to its importance, we shall investigate and study the verses of
the Fâtihah, breaking our study into five sections. We shall explain
the meanings of these verses and we ask Allah to grant us success in
doing so.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 6 -
PART ONE
INVESTIGATING ALLAH’S STATEMENT:
“In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”
Scholars differ as to whether or not these words count as a verse of
the Fâtihah or even if they are a verse of the Qur’ân, while some
scholars consider them to be a verse of every chapter of the Qur’ân. I
will not go into this issue here –it is a point of Islamic Law – but I
will deal with it as part of my lessons on the book Bulûgh al-Marâm,
Allah willing.
What is important to note is that every chapter of the Qur’an begins
with the words: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.”
In the Fâtihah, moreover, they are followed by: “Praise be to Allah, the
Lord of All the Worlds; The Most Gracious, Most Merciful”, so the two
lofty attributes of Allah get repeated. In the Fâtihah, five of Allah’s
names are mentioned. They are: Allah, al-Rabb (the Lord), al-
Rahmân (the Most Gracious), al-Rahîm (the Most Merciful) and al-
Mâlik (the Master).
Allah
This is Allah’s greatest name.6 All of his other names come after it.
No one or nothing else shares this name with Him. No one else has
ever been called by this name.
6 This is the opinion of one group of scholars.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 7 -
One meaning implicit in the name Allah is that the hearts of
humanity deify and worship Him – they yearn for and desire
meeting Him and seeing Him. They take comfort in remembering
Him. He is Allah to Whom all hearts turn in reverent devotion and
longing, to the extent that a Muslim – expressing the words of
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) – calls out to Allah saying: “I
ask you the pleasure of gazing upon Your noble face out of longing
to meet with You…”
Another meaning implied by the noble name Allah is that He is
beyond human comprehension. Human knowledge can never
comprehend Him. Nothing of His nature or of His essence can be
known except what He reveals to us in His Book or on the tongue of
His Messenger (peace be upon him). The mind can never know how
His essence truly is. The mind will always fail to comprehend it and
fall into bewilderment. The rational faculties of mankind get
befuddled when contemplating some of what He has created within
the heavens and in the land and sea. So how can they ever hope to
comprehend Allah? The mind, from absolute exhaustion, must
abandon any attempt of grasping His essence. This is why Allah
says: “They will never comprehend Him with their knowledge.”
[sûrah TâHâ: 110]
In the hadîth where Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) describes
the intercession that Allah will grant him on the Day of Resurrection,
he says: “I will seek permission from my Lord and he will grant it to
me. Then He will inspire me with words of praise that I now have no
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 8 -
knowledge of and I will praise Him with them and fall down before
Him prostrate.”
In this hadîth, the Prophet (peace be upon him) informs us that Allah
will teach him words of praise that he did not know before that time.
This means that Allah will grant him knowledge of Himself that he
had never possessed before.
Another meaning implicit in the name Allah is the concept that He is
the deity Who has the exclusive right to be worshipped. This is why
the name Allah is the only one mentioned in the testimony of faith. A
believer must testify: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah”
and cannot say instead: “I bear witness that there is no God but the
Gracious” or “the Merciful”, though “the Gracious” and “the
Merciful” are definitely among His names. He must only use the
proper name Allah that is the ultimate source for all the other names.
When he says: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah” he
professes that there is no true object of worship in existence except
for Allah. There are many other things that people take as objects of
worship, but they are all false. Allah says: “This is because Allah is
the Truth and what they call on besides Him is falsehood.” [sûrah al-
Hajj: 62]
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 9 -
al-Rabb (The Lord)
He is the Lord of All the Worlds, the Lord of everything in existence.
He created everything and has absolute power over it. Nothing can
escape from His Lordship, and everyone in the heavens and on Earth
is His servant. They are in His grasp and under His authority.
al-Rahmân (the Most Gracious) and al-Rahîm (the Most Merciful)
The name al-Rahmân, like the name Allah, is used only for Allah. No
one else may be called by this name. Allah and al-Rahmân are His
exclusive names. This is why Allah says: “Call upon Allah or call
upon al-Rahmân; by whichever name you call upon Him, to Him
belong the most excellent names.” [sûrah al-Isrâ’: 110]
Allah’s other names can be used as words to describe others: words
like rahîm (merciful), samî` (hearing), and basîr (seeing). About the
Prophet (peace be upon him) Allah says: “With the believers he is
gentle and merciful (rahîm).” [sûrah al-Tawbah: 128]
Allah says: “Verily We created the human being from a drop of
mingled sperm and made him hearing (samî`) and seeing (basîr)”
[sûrah al-Insân: 2]
These are different than Allah and al-Rahmân, names that can only
be used for Allah.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 10 -
Both the names al-Rahmân and al-Rahîm are derived from the
Arabic word rahmah, meaning mercy. It has been advanced by some7
that al-Rahmân denotes “general mercy for all of creation” while al-
Rahîm denotes “specific mercy for the believers alone.” Allah says:
“And he is merciful (rahîm) to the believers.” [sûrah al-Ahzâb: 43]
Another opinion is that the difference between them is that al-
Rahmân denotes the presence of the attribute of mercy, while al-
Rahîm refers to the expression of Allah’s Mercy and its affects on
Creation. This is the opinion of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have
mercy on him).8 Based on this opinion, Allah is al-Rahmân and al-
Rahîm with respect to both this world and the next.
We should take note of a subtle point regarding the repetition of
these two names – al-Rahmân and al-Rahîm. A person who wishes
to enter a room or depart from it, says: “In the name of Allah.” A
person begins to eat with the same words. If a person wants to speak
or address someone, he or she begins by saying: “In the name of
Allah.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Any matter of
importance that does not start with Allah’s name is bereft of
blessings. (In one narration of the hadîth it reads: “…with Allah’s
praise” instead of “…with Allah’s name…”)9
7 Abû `Alî al-Fârisî, al-Warmî, and others are of this opinion. Refer to the
tafsîrs (Qur’anic commentaries) of al-Tabarî, al-Qurtubî, and Ibn Kathîr.
8 Ibn al-Qayyim, Madârik al-Sâlikîn 1/7 and thereafter.
9 Ahmad (8300), Abû Dawûd (4840), Ibn Mâjah (1894). The same hadîth is
related with a sound mursal chain from Zuhrî and with connected, but weak
chains, from others. This is discussed in detail in the introduction of Subkî’s
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 11 -
Nevertheless, it is well known that the wording used is: “In the name
of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful” (Bismillâh al-Rahmân al-
Rahîm). No one has ever said: “In the name of Allah, the Severe in
Punishment, the All Compelling” or “In the name of Allah, the
Powerful, the Wise”, though these are all truly names of Allah. This
is indicative of the meaning expressed in the following hadîth qudsî
that is related by al-Bukhârî where Allah says: “Verily my mercy
supercedes my punishment.” 10
In another authentic hadîth, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)
says: “Allah’s mercy has one hundred shares, only one of which He
sent down to be shared by human beings, jinn, and all forms of
animals. With this share of mercy, they are able to show affection
and mercy to one another, and with it, a wild beast is able to show
affection to its young. Allah has reserved the other ninety-nine
shares for His servants on the Day of Resurrection.” 11 This shows
just how great His mercy is and how it comes before his anger.
This is why a person should never despair of Allah’s mercy, no
matter how great his sins may be. Allah says: “Say: O my servants
who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of Allah’s
mercy, for Allah forgives all sins, and he is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.” [sûrah al-Zumar: 53]
Tabaqât al-Shâfi`iyyah al-Kubrâ. Refer also to the introduction of Irwâ’ al-
`Alîl.
10 Bukhârî (6872, 6899, 6999) and Muslim (4939, 4941).
11 Muslim (4944).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 12 -
Allah says: “And who despairs of his Lord’s mercy save those who
have gone astray?” {Sûrah al-Hijr: 56]
And He says: “No one despairs of Allah’s mercy except those who
are unbelievers.” [sûrah Yûsuf: 87]
For this reason, despairing of Allah’s mercy and feeling secure from
Allah’s plan are among the characteristics of the hypocrites. This is
also why a person should constantly and tenaciously ask for Allah’s
mercy. Moreover, he or she should instruct others about how to be
confident about the mercy of their Lord.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to always teach his
Companions to place their hopes in what is with Allah and to have
more confidence in Allah and in His mercy than they have in their
own good deeds. The reason for this is that their deeds might not be
accepted. A person’s good deeds might be tainted by the tendency to
show off or by pride. They might be not be in accordance with the
manner prescribed by Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and
for this reason be rejected. Instead, a servant must rely on Allah’s
mercy. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “No one’s good deeds
gets them into Paradise – not even my own, unless Allah covers me
with His mercy.”12
12 Bukhârî (5637) and Muslim (2861) on the authority of Abû Hurayrah.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 13 -
Therefore, all people – especially the sinners – should be invited to
Allah by reminding them of His mercy as well as of His punishment.
Allah says: “Tell my servants that I am indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful and that my punishment is indeed painful.” [sûrah al-Hijr:
49-50]
People are in constant need of being reminded about Allah’s mercy,
especially since many people – including some students of
knowledge and those who invite others to Islam – dwell so much on
the threatening and fearful matters that their effect is the opposite of
what they intended. The sinners consequently despair of Allah’s
mercy, and instead of reforming themselves, lose hope and
persevere in their disobedience, falling ever deeper into sin.
On the other hand, inspiring hope in the hearts of the people is an
important approach employed by the Qur’ân. We first encounter it at
the very beginning of the Qur’ân, where it instructs us to begin in the
name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Even if a person
wishes to speak about the fire of Hell, he must begin his speech by
saying these words. Likewise, a person who wishes to speak about
the causes of apostasy must do the same. If a person wishes to talk
about Allah’s prescribed punishments, he still begins by saying: “In
the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.”
Therefore, these words should be given proper consideration when
talking to the people. They should be reminded about how they
should always remain connected with Allah, the Most Gracious and
Most Merciful.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 14 -
The names that form the basis for all of Allah’s beautiful names are
mentioned in this chapter: Allah – al-Rabb – and al-Rahmân. The
name Allah implies all the attributes of His being the One True God;
the name al-Rabb (the Lord) implies all the qualities of His Lordship,
while the name al-Rahmân implies all of the qualities of His
generosity, kindness, and beneficence towards humanity.
Allah’s Lordship is from Him to His servants. His worship is from
his servants to Him. And His mercy is the connection between them
and their Lord. On account of His mercy, He sent His Messengers to
humanity and revealed to them His books. Due to His providence,
pardon, and the blessings He bestowed on them, they have every
reason to worship Him, and between them exists the reason for
mercy.13
al-Mâlik (the Master)
This comes in His statement: “Master of the Day of Judgment.” This is
the day that people will be recompensed for their deeds. They will
be requited for the good or the evil that they have done.
When reading this chapter of the Qur’ân, the servant first gives
recognition to Allah, saying: “Praise be to Allah.” Then he emphasizes
and adds weight to this recognition by extolling Him with His
13 Introduction to Madârij al-Salikîn.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 15 -
names and attributes, saying: “, the Lord of All the Worlds; The Most
Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment.”
Note: In one of the valid approaches to reciting the Qur’ân, the name
al-Mâlik is read as al-Malik (with a short a as opposed to one which
is drawn out in pronunciation). Both are equally acceptable
recitations for use in the prescribed prayers.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 16 -
PART TWO
INVESTIGATING ALLAH’S STATEMENT:
“Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds; The Most Gracious,
Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment.”
The chapter begins with praise, with the words: “Praise be to Allah,
the Lord of All the Worlds.” This is why this chapter is sometimes
called The Chapter of Praise.
Praise is the act of commending the praiseworthy on account of his
or her graciousness and acts of kindness. It is different than the act of
extolling someone (madh in Arabic), since extolment is always done
by mentioning the virtues, good characteristics, and beauty of the
one being extolled.
Therefore, praising Allah entails lauding Him for the great blessings
that he has bestowed upon you and the good that He has given you.
The sentence “So-and-so has praised so-and-so” means that some
person has thanked someone else on account of some good thing
that he or she has done for that person. On the other hand, the
sentence: “He extolled him” does not imply that the one being
extolled did anything good to the one who extolled him. He could be
extolled on account of his eloquence, beauty, or strength.
Extolment (madh) is more general than the Arabic notion of praise
(hamd), because it encompasses all types of good qualities. Praise, on
the other hand, implies thanks and admission to someone else’s
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 17 -
beautiful conduct. Ibn al-Qayyim has observed another difference
between the two. He says: “When one mentions the good qualities of
another, this mention might be accompanied by love and affection
for the one being talked about, or it might not be accompanied by
such feelings. When it is not accompanied by the feelings of love and
affection, it is extolment, and when it is accompanied by these
feelings, and by a sense of aggrandizement and reverence, it is
praise.”
The chapter begins with the recognition of a great meaning – the
servant’s confession of his utter helplessness, dependency, and need,
while recognizing the perfection, graciousness, and kindness of
Allah. This is one of the greatest qualities of true worship, because a
person might engage in worship in a misguided manner by
becoming conceited on account of his own acts of devotion. Such
worship will be rejected and come to naught due to conceit, which is
contradictory to the recognition of Allah and humility before Him.
A servant cannot approach his Lord through a wider door than the
door of humility. This is the very meaning exemplified by the words:
“You alone we worship.”
When the Arabs want to say: “The road is well worn by the feet
passing over it”, they use the word mu`abbad to describe it, a word
implying submission and humility that comes from the same
entomological root as the Arabic word for worship (`ibâdah). Thus,
humility before Allah is one of the most important concepts to be
understood from the meaning of worship.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 18 -
This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) would often admit his
deficiency, weakness, and iniquity before Allah. He used to say –
and he instructed Abû Bakr to do the same – “O Allah, I have greatly
wronged my own soul, and no one forgives sins except for You, so
grant me Your forgiveness and have mercy upon me. Verily you are
the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
He also used to say: “O Allah, you are my Lord. There is no God but
You. You created me and I am your servant, and I abide by Your
covenant and promise as much as I am able. I seek refuge with You
from the evil that I do. I come back to You from Your grace upon me,
and I come back to you with my sins. So forgive me, because none
forgives sins except for You.”
Even the phrase: “O Allah, forgive me” contains an admission of a
person’s sins and deficiency and recognition of the fact that Allah is
Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.
The chapter begins with the words “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All
the Worlds” that contain within them recognition of Allah’s great
blessings. Without doubt, the opposite of such recognition is denial
and ingratitude. The sin that turned Satan into an unbeliever was
none other than this, since Satan knows who his Lord is and calls on
Him by His name. He even swears by Allah, as can be seen in the
following verse where Allah says about him: “He (Satan) said: ‘Then
– (I swear) by Your power – I will seduce them all’.” [sûrah Sâd: 82]
Satan also petitions Allah and believes in the Day of Resurrection.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 19 -
The Qur’ân makes this clear: “(Satan) said: ‘O my Lord! Grant me
respite until the day that the dead are raised’.” [sûrah Sâd: 79] His
sin, then, is his obstinate denial and his pride that keeps him away
from obeying Allah and worshipping Him. Allah says the same
thing about Pharaoh and his people: “And they rejected those signs
in iniquity and arrogance, though their souls were convinced
thereof.” [sûrah al-Naml: 14]
When a servant says: “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds”, he
absolves himself of all of this. It is as if he is saying: “I recognize that
I am a servant in need. I am dependant, humble, and deficient, and
you are Allah, my gracious and beneficent Lord”. This encompasses
the meaning of praise, because the servant praises his Lord on
account of the gracious blessings that He has bestowed upon him in
his faith and his worldly life.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 20 -
PART THREE
INVESTIGATING ALLAH’S STATEMENT:
“You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help.”
This verse expresses one of the greatest concepts in existence. It is
recognition of subservience to Allah and that Allah is the focus of all
worship. This is the foundation of monotheism. The Messengers
were sent for no other reason but to convey this idea. Allah says that
the message of the Prophets was: “…that you worship none but
Allah.” [sûrah Hûd: 26]
Polytheism in worship is one of the most serious manifestations of
polytheism. It is the bane of all nations. It has even found its way
into Muslim societies, so much so that many Muslims can be found
offering worship to other than Allah. This is why this form of
polytheism is the most dangerous. The concept of Allah’s absolute
Lordship is part of a person’s natural disposition. It is recognized
instinctively by the human soul. Consequently, it does not need to be
overemphasized. Some deviance does exist in understanding Allah’s
names and attributes, but it is nothing compared to the deviance that
exists in offering worship to other than Allah. For this reason, calling
people to the worship of Allah alone is of paramount importance.
This concept is the foundation of the faith and the basis of
monotheism.
Allah says: “You alone we worship.” In this statement, the object of the
verb precedes the verb. In Arabic, this conveys the meaning of
exclusivity.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 21 -
The statement: “…and from You alone we seek help” asserts that Allah
is the only one Whose help should be sought. It is like saying: “We
seek none other than Your assistance. We seek the help of no one
else, we can never be independent of Your grace.”
There are some people who seek help from other than Allah, and
others who seek help from Allah and from others at the same time.
Still, there are others who simply do not seek Allah’s help at all.
None of these people fulfill the requirements of the words: “…and
from You alone we seek help.”
This is why Allah says about this verse (as we have already seen in
the hadîth qudsî): “This is between Me and My servant.” 14 The
statement “You alone we worship” shows the right of Allah over His
servant. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah’s right over
His servants is that they worship Him and do not associate any
partners with Him.” 15 As for the statement: “…and from You alone we
seek help”, it shows the servants reliance upon Allah, since the
servant has not even the ability to believe in Allah alone or to
accomplish anything else, except with the help of Allah. For this
reason, Allah has said: “The shall say: ‘Praise be to Allah who has
guided us to this, and we could never have been guided were it not
for the guidance of Allah.” [sûrah al-A`râf: 43]
14 Muslim (598) as previously referred to.
15 Bukhârî (2644, 5510, 5796) and Muslim (43, 45).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 22 -
PART FOUR
INVESTIGATING ALLAH’S STATEMENT:
“Guide us to the straight way.”
Our request for guidance has many meanings, among which are the
following:
The first meaning: We are asking to be made steadfast on the
straight way, so we will not deviate or stray from it. This is because
it is possible for a person to be guided one day and become deviant
on the next. Therefore, our request is immediately followed by the
words: “…The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your grace, not
the way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray.” We are,
then, asking Allah to make us steadfast on the path of those who
receive His grace.
The second meaning: We are asking Allah to strengthen our level of
guidance. Guidance has various degrees, and those who are guided
are on different levels. Some reach the level of true piety (alsiddîqiyyah
in Arabic) while others attain lower levels. The status a
person will have in Paradise will be based on the level of that
person’s guidance in this world.
There are actually two “straight ways”: one in this world, and one in
the Hereafter. The one in the Hereafter is a bridge that must be
traversed, and a person’s success in crossing this bridge will be
contingent on the how well that person adhered to the straight way
during his or her life on Earth.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 23 -
The worldly straight way is the way of Allah. It entails obeying His
commandments and avoiding what He has prohibited. Allah says:
“The way of Allah to whom belongs all things in the heavens and on
Earth” [sûrah al-Shûrâ: 53] and “So Allah may forgive you the faults
of the past and those to follow, fulfill His favor to you, and guide
you on the straight way.” [sûrah al-Fath: 2]
The servant will move across the bridge in the Hereafter in the same
manner that he moved along the straight way in his worldly life.
This bridge in the Hereafter is suspended over the Hellfire, and it is
an untenable, slippery bridge. People will cross it according to their
worldly deeds. Some will cross it at lightning speed. Some will move
across it like the wind. Some will cross it at the speed of a good
steed. Some will cross it as if on horseback. Some will go walking,
and others will take faltering steps. Still others will be worse off.
So “Guide us to the straight way” means: “Strengthen us in guidance
and increase our faith.”
Allah instructs us, saying: “Say: ‘My Lord, increase me in
knowledge’.” [sûrah TâHâ: 114] Knowledge is from faith, and
whenever our adherence to the straight way increases, our
knowledge increases. Allah says: “As for those who believe, their
faith is increased and they rejoice.” [sûrah al-Tawbah: 124] This
increase in faith is in fact an increase in the adherence to the straight
way. Allah makes it clear when he says: “And those who receive
guidance, He increases in guidance.” [sûrah Muhammad: 17] Allah
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 24 -
describes the inhabitants of the cave, saying: “Verily, they were
youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in faith.”
[sûrah al-Kahf: 13]
It is possible for a person to be rightly guided, yet still increase in
insight, knowledge, and understanding. Such a person will
consequently attain a higher level of devotion, patience, and other
good qualities and then call others to the truth with greater vigor. All
of this is implied in the statement: “ Guide us to the straight way.”
The third meaning: The straight way entails that the servant knows
and does everything that Allah has commanded him to do at any
given time while avoiding what Allah has prohibited. This requires
constant awareness and action at all times, so that an ardent desire
can be nurtured in the heart to do what Allah has commanded and a
hatred can be fostered in the heart against doing what Allah has
prohibited. This detailed knowledge and stron g desire has to be
maintained by Allah in the heart of the servant at all times, so that
He or she can be guided to the straight way.16
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “The servant is
in constant need of guidance to deal with everything that comes his
way: There are some matters that he has embarked upon without
guidance, so he needs to repent from them. There are other matters
where he possesses general guidance, but needs to be guided in the
details. Then there are matters in which he has partial guidance
16 Majmû` al-Fatâwâ: 14/37.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 25 -
wherein he needs to be guided completely. There are those matters
that he had been guided about in the past, but will need similar
guidance for them in the future. Still, there are those matters about
which he possesses no belief whatsoever, so he needs to be guided
about them from the start. There are deeds that he has not yet
performed, so he needs to be guided to carry them out. There are
those matters about which he already possesses proper beliefs and
engages in correct actions, so he needs guidance so he may remain
steadfast upon them. Beyond all of this, these are many other forms
of guidance. Since the servant is in need of all of this, Allah has made
it incumbent upon him to ask for guidance in his best circumstances,
numerous times throughout morning and night.”17
The nature of guidance:
The following are needed for the realization of guidance:
1. The ruling on the matter must be known; that is: what does
Allah and His Messenger want from the servant on this
matter?
2. The ruling must then be acted upon on the basis of strong
faith in the heart that inspires the servant to act.
So, when the servant says: “Guide us to the straight way”, he is calling
out to his Lord, saying: “Our Lord, direct us to what you love and to
what pleases you in everything that will confront us in our lives.
17 Ibn al-Qayyim, Kitâb al-Salâh.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 26 -
Then strengthen us and assist us to act in accordance with what we
have come to know because You have directed us to it and taught
us.”
All misguidance stems from one of two things: an absence of
knowledge or the failure to act upon it.
The opposite of knowledge is ignorance. A person may have the
desire to perform righteous deeds, but be ignorant of the Islamically
correct way to go about it. He then follows a path of innovation on
which he strives without benefit. How many are the Muslims who
have fallen into all sorts of innovation and deviance while believing
that they are conducting themselves in the best manner. The reason
for this is lack of knowledge. So, when the servant says: “Guide us to
the straight way”, he is asking his Lord to instruct him and direct him
so that he will not remain in misguided ignorance, stumbling about
blindly.
Besides ignorance, there are vain desires. Knowledge may remove
ignorance, but the person possessing knowledge may have no
inclination to act according to it. He could purposely neglect his
obligations or fall into forbidden acts, though he knows what the
rulings are, because of his weak faith, his overriding passions, and
his desire for immediate, worldly enjoyment.
So the servant must recite “Guide us to the straight way” in every unit
of prayer. This shows us that the need for guidance is constant and
enduring.
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 27 -
PART FIVE
INVESTIGATING ALLAH’S STATEMENT:
“The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your grace, not the
way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray.”
This verse emphasizes and adds detail to the meaning of the
previous verse. Allah repeats that meaning here, because the Qur’ân
employs a style of repetition. Allah says: “Allah has revealed the
most beautiful speech; a book, consistent with itself, repeating its
teachings” [sûrah al-Zumar: 23]
Allah’s statement: “The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your
grace” refers to those who have attained complete guidance, by
Allah’s grace: from among the Prophets, the most pious who have
earned the epithet of siddîq, the martyrs, and the righteous. These
people are truly the best company.
He then says: “… not the way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those
who go astray.”
Those who earn Allah’s anger
These are the people who know the truth but abandon it, including
the Jews and others. Allah says: “Should I inform you of what is
worse than that as a recompense from Allah? – Those who incurred
the curse of Allah and His anger and of whom He made some into
apes and swine, and the devotees of false gods. These are the worst
in rank and the farthest astray.” [sûrah al-Mâ’idah: 60]
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 28 -
The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “The Jews are the ones
who have earned Allah’s anger and the Christians are the ones who
are astray.” 18
This does not mean that Allah’s anger is limited to the Jews, for
Allah says: “If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is
Hell, to abide therein, and the anger and curse of Allah are upon
him.” [sûrah al-Nisâ’: 93]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When someone who seizes
the wealth of a Muslim by swearing a false oath meets Allah, Allah
will be angry with him.” 19
In the story the Prophet (peace be upon him) related about the three
people from the Children of Israel – the leper, the bald, and the
blind: he said: “Verily Allah is pleased with you and angry with
your two companions.”20
This shows that Allah’s anger is for the Jews as well as others. It is
for those who were not guided to the straight way, not because of a
lack of knowledge, but because of their vain desires. The Jews
possess knowledge, but they did not act upon it.
18 Tirmidhî (2953) on the authority of `Adî b. Hâtim. Al-Tirmidhî grades it
hasan sahîh.
19 Bukhârî (7445).
20 Bukhârî (3205) and Muslim (5265).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 29 -
Some of the pious predecessors have said: “The scholars of our
people who go astray resemble the Jews.” This is because they have
knowledge, but commit errors intentionally and persistently. We
should seek refuge with Allah from following their way and falling
into their state. Part of being guided is to have a firm intention and a
strong determination to do what is right and to abandon falsehood.
Allah mentions those who he is angry with before mentioning those
who are astray, because their situation is far more serious and their
sin far greater. A person who is astray out of ignorance can be set
right by acquiring knowledge. If, however, that person is astray on
account of his vain desires, then it is almost impossible for him to
remove himself from error.
A person of knowledge who fails to act upon that knowledge
actually possesses within himself all the proofs that could possibly
be offered to him, therefore this person turns away when these
proofs are presented to him.
For example, take a person who smokes. Because he smokes, he
becomes concerned with the issue of smoking. He reads about it, and
follows the news related to it. He learns about the serious dangers of
smoking. He learns about what is contained within the cigarette that
he smokes. He learns so much about smoking that he could actually
present a very good lecture on the subject. In spite of all this, he
continues to smoke. What can be done with this person? The issue at
hand is not lack of knowledge. It is simply that this person does not
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 30 -
want to give up smoking and has no intention of doing so. This is the
most dangerous possible situation.
For this reason, the greatest threat looms over the one who does not
act upon his knowledge. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:
“A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and cast into the
Hellfire. His haunches will be spilled into the fire and he will go
around in it as a donkey goes around a mill. The inhabitants of Hell
will gather around him and say: ‘What is your story? Didn’t you
used to enjoin upon us what is right and forbid us from doing
wrong?’ He will reply: ‘I used to enjoin upon you what is right but
not do it myself and I used to forbid you from doing wrong and then
engage in it myself.” 21 This man was knowledgeable. He knew right
from wrong. Moreover, he would enjoin what is right and forbid
what is wrong. But he did not act upon his knowledge, so he earned
the punishment that he received.
One of the greatest manifestations of the disobedience of the Jews is
that they know the truth but turn away from it and engage in
falsehood. This is why Allah mentions those who earn His anger
before mentioning those who are astray, saying: “… not the way of
those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray.”
21 Bukhârî (3027) and Muslim (5305).
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 31 -
Those who are astray
These are the people that abandon the truth out of ignorance, like the
Christians and others. The Christians are astray out of ignorance.
This does not mean that obstinacy and persistence did not
subsequently develop within them after some of them overcame
their ignorance.
The three ways
We have before us three ways of proceeding. The first of these is the
straight way, the way of those on whom Allah has bestowed His
grace from among the Prophets, the most pious who have earned the
epithet of siddîq, the martyrs, and the righteous. Their way is the way
of true knowledge accompanied by correct actions. Allah says: “It is
He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of
truth.” [sûrah al-Saff: 9] By this He means beneficial knowledge and
righteous deeds. This is the straight way.
The second way is the way of those who earn Allah’s anger. This
includes the Jews as well as others. They are the ones who know the
truth but fail to act upon it.
The third way is the way of those who are astray. These are the
people who act, but do so without knowledge. For this reason, some
of the pious predecessors have said: “The worshippers among our
people who go astray are like the Christians.” The worshippers from
among the Muslims who go astray – like the adherents of some Sufi
THE SEVEN OFT-REPEATED VERSES
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
http://www.islamtoday.net/english
- 32 -
orders who worship Allah in ignorance and in deviant ways –
resemble the Christians, because they worship Allah in a manner
that is misguided and devoid of knowledge.
This is the great meaning that is conveyed by the words: “Guide us to
the straight way, The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your
grace.” Though a Muslim has been guided to Islam, in spite of this,
he must seek more guidance, which translates into more knowledge
and more correct actions as well as divine assistance in everything
that he must face in his life. Allah repeats this meaning, saying:
“…not the way of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray.”
For the first group failed to act upon their knowledge and the second
group failed to acquire it.
CONCLUSION
I would like to finish off by asking Allah to make us among those
who are guided to the straight way and to provide us with beneficial
knowledge and bless us to perform righteous deeds. May he help us
to avoid the way of those who earn his anger and the way of those
who go astray.
