Al-Fatihah — The Opening : Revealed at Makkah: 7 verses

Chapter 1:  Al-Fatihah — The Opening:
Revealed at Makkah: 7 verses
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In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
 
1:1 Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
 
1:2 The Beneficent, the Merciful,
 
1:3 Master of the day of Requital.
 
1:4 Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
 
1:5 Guide us on the right path,
 
1:6 The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours,
 
1:7 Not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray.
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Surah Fatihah, as the name indicates, is the Opening Chapter of the Holy Qur-an. The "Opt repeated seven verses" (15:87) of this chapter are recited many times everyday during the Salat or daily Prayers. This chapter is also called Umm al-Kitab or the Gist of the Book, that means, it contains the sum and substance of the Holy Qur-an.
 
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COMMENTARY
I seek refuge with Allah, from the Shaitan (i.e., the Evil-one, meaning, every insolent or rebellious one from among the jinn, the men and the beasts, Raghib), the driven away (16:98).]
(We commence, 1:4) with (the assistance of) the name of Allah, (the Rahman, i.e.) most Gracious (whose love and mercy are manifested in making providence for all His creatures in the universe), (the Rahim, i.e.) most Rewarding (whose love and mercy are manifested in amply rewarding their righteous actions).
THE Hamd (i.e., all the praises and gratitude) belong to Allah, the Rabb (-the Creator, the Evolver, the Nourisher and the Maintainer) of all the worlds (like the material, spiritual and celestial worlds; to make them progress through evolution until they reach the goal of perfection; and it is due to this attribute in Allah that He brought everything into existence);
2 the Rahman (-the most Gracious, Who manifested His love and mercy to all His creatures and met all their needs, includimg the spiritual needs of mankind through Divine guidance, without their any effort to deserve it, 17:110; 25:60), the Rahim (i.e., the most Rewarding, Who manifests His love and mercy by amply rewarding the creatures for every deeds they do, 3:194);
3 Malik (-Master) of the Day (or the period, 55:29; 70:4) of Requital (which is constantly at work; His chastisement is to make people chaste by rectification, and is not the result of His wrath on man's disobedience; He, being the Master, is more than a king or a judge; and though Just, is at the same time Merciful and Forgiving to the sinners, 39:53).
4 (As we realize your mercy) You alone we do serve (O our Rabb! not merely by reciting Your glory, but by imbibing Your virtues through humble service to You), and to You alone we beseech for help (in obtaining our right place in Your kingdom).
5 Guide us on the (Middle, hence the) Right Path (90:10-18; Matt. 6:11, by protecting us from leaning to either extreme: the rejection or the exaggeration of the Guidance),-
6 the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favors (4:69, and taken into Your mercy);
7 not (the path) of those upon whom wrath is brought down (like the Jews, 2:61,90; 3:111; 5:60, who not only rejected 'Isa Masih, but also tried to kill him on the cross, 2:72; 3:53), nor of those gone-astray (from the Right Path, like the Christians, who not only exaggerated 'Isa Masih, 5:77, but also raised the human prophet to godhead, 4:171; 5:73).
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This Sura, among all Suras of the Qur'an: has an extraordinary; radiance which originates from the following merits:
 1. The Tone of the Sura:  
This Sura, The Opening, in comparison with other Suras of the Qur'an regarding its tone and melody, has a particular style which is, clearly different and extraordinary. The other Suras contain instructions from Allah, Who gives commands and admonishments to His servants, but, in this Sura, His words are uttered on behalf of the servants. In other words, in this Sura, Allah has taught His servants how to supplicate and speak to Him, simply and without a mediator.
 
2. Al-Fatihah, the Basis of the Qur'an:

 It is narrated that the holy Prophet (s) has said:
"By the One, in Whose hand is my soul, Allah has not sent down a similar Sura to this Sura (Al-Fatihah), neither in the Turah, nor in the Gospel, nor in the Psalms, nor even in the Qur'an and it is Umm-ul-Kitab"; [1] which means that it is the basis and origin of all excellence.  
In fact, besides referring to the Resurrection, this Sura presents facts concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence, Unity of Attributes, Unity of Divine Acts, and Unity of Worship. It is the essence of the whole meaning of the Qur'an.
 It is narrated from Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a) that:
 "All secrets of Allah are in Divine Books; and the contents of all those Divine Books are comprised in the Qur'an; and what is found in the Qur'an is condensed in Sura Al-Al-Fatihah, and what is in Al-Fatihah is gathered in / bismillah /, and what is in / bismillah / is concentrated in / b /, (the first letter of 'Bism-il-la ' )..." [2]
Based on the entirety of great commentators' statements, it is understood that this tradition indicates clearly the importance of both the Holy Qur'an and / bismillah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim / in which science and knowledge, from the beginning to the end, is comprised. The interpreter and elucidator of these sciences is the holy Prophet (s), and after him there are his true vicegerents including Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a). [3]

3. Al-Fatihah, Magnificent Honour of the Prophet (s):

Sura Al-Fatihah, more so than the other Suras in the Holy Qur'an, was revealed to the holy Prophet (s) as a great bounty. It stands on a par with the whole Qur'an. The seven verses in the Sura sum up the whole Qur'an: "And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'an", (Sura Al-Hijr. No.15. verse 87). This meaning is also referred to in a narration from Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a)quoting the Prophet's (s) tradition who said :"Verily, Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed (His) favours on me particularly for 'The Opening' (Al- Fatihah) and has positioned it on a par with the whole Grand Qur'an, and surely Fatihat.-ul-Kitab (the Opening of the Qur'an) is the dearest (item) in the treasures of the 'Arsh, (Throne of Heaven)". [4]

4. The Importance of its Recitation:

The recitation of this Sura, because of its extreme importance, is frequently emphasized in Islamic traditions and narrations.
As for its virtue, it is narrated from the holy Prophet (s) that: "The reward of any Muslim who recites the Sura 'Opening', is like that of a person who has recited two thirds of the Qur'an, and so much reward would he receive as if he has given every believing Muslim, man or woman, a free will offering ". [5]
 
5. The Titles of the Sura:

 There are ten titles given to this Sura, as taken from Islamic narrations and commentary books, thus: Fatihat-ul-Kitab, Umm-ul-Kitab, Umm-ul-Qur'an, Sab'-ul-Mathani, Al-Wafiyah, Al-Kafiyah, Ash-Shafiyah, Al-Asas, As-Salat, and Al-Hamd. [6]

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Notes:
[1] Majma-ul-Bayan, vol. 1, p. 17
 [2] Makhzan-ul-'Irfan, Commentary, vol. 1, p. 28 & Masabih-ul-Anwar vol. 1, p. 435
 [3] Manhajus Sadiqin, vol. 1, p. 90
[4] Al-Burhan Fi Tafsir-il-Qur'an, vol. one, p. 21; & Atyab-ul-Bayan, vol. 1, p. 83
[5] Majma'-ul-Bayan, vol. one, p. 17.
[6] Rauh-ul-Jinan, Abul-Futuh Razi; Commentary, vol. one, p. 16