Translation)Saffarzadeh

Fatiha

­ 1?( The Opening Surah­ 2? of the Holy Book )Revealed at Makkah 7 Words of Revelation­ 3?( ayat )

 

سورةُ الفَاتِحَة

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیمِ (1)

In the Name of Allah The Merciful Beneficent

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1. This Surah is known as Ummul-Qur"an i. e., the

foundation of the Holy Qur"an, since it comprises the Divine Attributes which are the essential links between the Creator and the created ones:" The Creator and Nurturer"," the Merciful Beneficent" and" the Absolute Sovereign of the Judgement Day".

It also contains the most vital pray and invocation of the worshippers; and the prescribed prayers cannot be complete without reciting this Surah.

2. Surah is a Qur"anic section which contains at

least three `Ayats; the Holy Qur"an includes one hundred and fourteen Surahs; as the word" Surah" means" the wall of a fortress" or" a city of refuge", this metaphorical allusion finds convincing proof that Allah"s Words of Revelation( `Ayat )are enclosed within the strong walls of 114 Surahs. The longest Surah of the Holy Qur"an

( Al-Baqarah )contains 286 `Ayats and the shortest( Al-Kauthar )contains three `Ayats.

3. Word of Revelation, in this translation replaces

verse since by Quranic standard, verse is not a correct equivalent for `Ayat i. e., Divine Revelation.

Verse has been defined in various English dictionaries as follows:

Verse: 1 )one of the lines of a poem. 2 )a particular type of

metrical line. 3 )a poem, or piece of poetry. 4 )a short division

of a chapter in the Bible, usually consisting of one sentence or part of a long sentence. 5 )Music, that part of a

song following the introduction and preceding the chorus.

I believe the reason that a division of a chapter in the Bible has been called verse is because the Psalms of Dawud( David )are written in the song form and also there has not been any Divine Forbidding, whereas the Holy Qur"an rejects the idea of having any connection with poetry by stating:" We have not taught him,[ the Messenger ]poetry, nor it is suitable for him; this Book is but a Reminder and a Divine qur"an[ religious text ], in order to warn him who is alive[ in spiritual sense ]and also the charge may be proved against the disbelievers[ who are spiritually regarded dead ]"( 36: 69 - - 70 ). The very reason that the enemies of the

Holy Messenger, called him a poet and regarded the Holy Qur"an, a collection of poems, can be traced in the fascination which recitation of the Words of Allah had created among the community of Arabia and had stirred people enter into the realm of the religion. Surely the rhyming sound which was

used by the Holy Messenger mostly in the Makkan Surahs, had been wrongly taken for the Divine effect of the revolutionary meanings of Allah"s Words and therefore had some share in providing accusations which were spread by the ringleaders of the disbelief in order to hinder people from around the Holy Messenger who by Allah"s Command had brought the Truth.( 37: 37 )whereas

poetry, mostly deals with imaginary and obscure descriptions partly known to the poet himself as personal experience. So by Allah"s Permission, in

place of verse which is used almost in all English translations of the Holy Qur"an, I have chosen Word of Revelation for `Ayat and Words of Revelation for `ayat, respectively, when the Divine Message is implied. But `Ayat also means: Miracle, Divine Sign,

token, proof, decree and admonishing lesson.

Translation(Saffarzadeh), Page: 3

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمینَ (2)

The worshippers" thanksgiving and Adoration is due only to Allah: The Creator and Nurturer­ 4? of the worlds[ And their inhabitants ];

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4. Creator and Nurturer, replaces Lord since it is not

the right equivalent for Ar-rabb, which in the Holy Qur"an has been defined by Allah as the Creator:

and those before you."( 2: 21 )And also Allah

introduces Ar-Rabb by stating:" O, Mussa, I am Allah, the Rabb of the worlds."( 28: 30 )furthermore by the

tongue of Ibrahim( Abraham )Ar-Rabb is defined as the Creator and then he adds other positions of Ar-Rabb which function in the life of mankind after the Divine Act of Creation respectively: The Guide, the Nourisher, the Guardian, the Cherisher and the Merciful Sovereign of the Day of Judgement.

( 26: 78 - - 82 )Nurturer is the only word that I have found equivalent for most of those positions excluding" the Creator"; the word" nurture" signifies:

fostering, training, educating and nourishing.

Therefore Creator and Nurturer can collectively convey Ibrahim"s description of the Divine functions of Ar-Rabb. But Ar-Rabb is not only the Creator of

mankind but also the Creator of the Mighty Throne,( 9: 129 ), the Creator of the Seven Heavens( 23: 86 ), the Creator of the heavens and the earth and what is between them( 19: 65 )and the Creator of the Dawn( 113: 1 )as well; thus Ar-Rabb is the most comprehensive substitute for Allah among at least 99 Allah"s Names of Outstanding Excellence which a worshipper is enjoined to invoke to Allah through these divinities.( 7: 180 )So, for brevity sake we can

say" the Creator" but never the Sustainer" or" the Cherisher" since each one is only one of the positions of the Creator. Also Ar-Rabb cannot be

recognized as a correct equivalent due to its dissimilarity with the word Lord which various dictionaries have agreed upon its meanings as follows:

Lord:

1 )a person who has dominion over others; a master, chief, or ruler. 2 )a person who exercises authority from property rights;

an owner or possessor of land, houses, etc. 3 )a person who

is a leader or has great influence in his chosen profession:

the Lords of the theatrical world; one of the great Lords of banking. 4 )a titled nobleman or peer; a person whose

ordinary appellation contains by courtesy the title Lord or some higher title. 5 )Lords, the Lords spiritual and Lords

Temporal comprising the House of Lords. 6 )Brit. a: the title of

certain high officials( used with some other title or the like ):

Lord Mayor of London. b: the title informally substituted for

marquis, earl, viscount, etc., as in the use of Lord kitchener

for Earl kitchener. 7 )the supreme Being; God; Jehovah. 8 )the

saviour, Jesus Christ.

The above mentioned diverse meanings can only through misunderstanding stand as an equivalent for Ar-Rabb. So in translation of the Holy Qur"an

which should necessarily be contextual-cultural, we can only rely on the Qur"an"s inner dictionary which lies within the context, created by Allah the Almighty, the Creator of all things including men and meanings.

الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیمِ (3)

The Merciful Beneficent;

Translation(Saffarzadeh), Page: 5

 

مالِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّینِ (4)

[ And ]The Absolute Sovereign of The Day of Judgement.

إِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَ إِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعینُ (5)

[ O, our Creator and Nurturer! ]You alone Do we worship, and Your Aid alone do We seek;

اهْدِنَا الصِّراطَ الْمُسْتَقیمَ (6)

Please do guide us to the Straight Path:

صِراطَ الَّذینَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْهِمْ غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لاَ الضَّالِّینَ (7)

The path of those upon whom you Bestowed the blessing­ 5?[ of salvation ], not[ The path ]of those[ who due to their Denial of the Truth ]were inflicted by Your Wrath­ 6?, nor those gone astray.­ 7?

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5. The Divine believers, the righteous, the guided

ones and those who strive in Allah"s Path:( 2: 5 ),( 47: 17 ),( 29: 69 ).

6. Those who raised Allah"s Wrath and therefore

were inflicted by it:( 2: 61, 65, 90 )

7. Those who chose the disbelief over the Divine

Faith( 2: 108 )( The Cow )Revealed at Madinah 286 Words of Revelation( ayat )