Surah Al Fatihah (Virtues and Themes)

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ۙ(۱) الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ ۙ(۲)مٰلِکِ یَوۡمِ الدِّیۡنِ ؕ(۳)

Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: All praise is due to Allah, the Owner of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Owner of the Day of Recompense.^{^[1]}

The true Lord is deserving of all praise. He is free from every deficiency and defect, possesses all perfection, and He is the Creator of everything that exists. He grants sustenance to the smallest of insects as well as large animals like elephants. He is the Lord of the worlds. He is the Infinitely Gracious, the Most Merciful, and He is the Master of the Day of Judgement. This is the recognition of the true Lord.

Recognition of One’s self

The second thing which is necessary for murāqabah is the recognition of one’s self. If a person does not recognise himself, he remains engrossed in his whims. Therefore, for as long as a person does not comprehend himself, he cannot direct his attention towards Allah Almighty. What does it mean to recognise ourself? It is to acknowledge that we are weak and dependent. We feel hunger, so we are reliant on food. We feel thirst, so we are dependent upon water. We need our eyes in order to see, and our ears for hearing. We need our hands to hold things, a tongue in order to speak, and a brain in order to think. Thus, we are needy and dependent in our very nature.

When this is acknowledged by a person, and he recognises that Allah Almighty is the Lord of the worlds, only then can he submit to his Creator and humbly declare:

[1] Al-Quran, 1: 1 - 3

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