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Surah Al-Fatiha
Today, I discuss the first surah in the Quran: Al-Fatiha, also known as “Al-Hamd” (The Praise).
Surah Al-Fatiha, also referred to as “The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses” and “The Mother of the Book”, is considered the greatest surah in the Quran. It is the most recited and well-known surah among Muslims worldwide. It is recited in every unit (rak’ah) of the five daily prayers, meaning it is repeated at least 17 times a day.
This surah consists of six verses, plus the introductory phrase “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem” (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), which is counted as a verse only in Al-Fatiha and in verse 27 of Surah An-Naml.
Aside from these two exceptions, the Basmala appears at the beginning of every surah without being considered a verse, and it is notably absent from Surah At-Tawbah (Repentance).
Who is the Speaker in Surah Al-Fatiha?
Upon reading Al-Fatiha, it becomes evident that the speaker is not God. The surah begins with the phrase “Alhamdulillah” (Praise be to Allah).
If God were the one speaking, He would have said: “Praise be to Me, the Lord of the Worlds.”
This indicates that the speaker is someone else reciting the surah, possibly Muhammad himself or Gabriel.
Throughout the Quran, this pattern frequently occurs, where the text shifts from praising God to speaking in His name, as if multiple individuals are taking turns in delivering the message. Sometimes, it is spoken in singular form, and at other times, in plural form, but always in the masculine.
Is This “Miraculous” or Just Multiple Speakers?
Muslim scholars claim that these linguistic shifts are part of the Quran’s miraculous nature.
However, the logical explanation is that the Quran did not have a single speaker, which is why we see shifts between pronouns and grammatical forms.
As a result, the Quran uses confusing structures such as:
- “It is I, and I am He, and He is the Other, and We are He, and We are You, and You are Us, and You are Me, and I am Us, and We are Them, and They are Us…”
This reflects the multiplicity of speakers, making it difficult to determine who is actually speaking in certain passages.
Is God a Human Invention?
At this point, we begin to see that the concept of God may be a human invention, created by humans, for humans.
If we replace the word “Allah” in Surah Al-Fatiha with “Human”, the meaning becomes more realistic and rational.
I invite you to re-read Al-Fatiha with this change and observe the difference in impact. In fact, this method can be applied to the entire Quran, and you will notice that everything attributed to God can easily be done by humans.
Humanity… The True Sacred Entity?
God is merely a human dream, which will one day become a reality.
Applying this perspective allows us to see “God” everywhere, because He is nothing more than a reflection of ourselves.
Take a moment to consider this:
- It is humans who help humans.
- It is humans who deserve gratitude and recognition.
Shouldn’t humanity be considered sacred instead of God?
Were Religions Meant to Glorify Humans?
Isn’t this the true message that religions and prophets were trying to convey?
Does a person need blind obedience to a religion in order to be moral?
Isn’t a human being capable of respecting human values and striving for self-improvement without relying on a God?
Isn’t a human being responsible enough to accept the consequences of their actions without needing the promise of paradise or the fear of hell?
I leave you to reflect on these questions.
Rewriting Al-Fatiha: Replacing “God” with “Humanity”
Surah Al-Fatiha (The Praise)
Surah 1 – 7 Verses
- In the name of Humanity, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
- Praise be to Humanity, the Lord of the Worlds.
- The Compassionate, the Merciful.
- Master of the Day of Judgment.
- You alone we worship, and You alone we seek help from.
- Guide us to the straight path.
- The path of those who have been blessed (the great men who served humanity), not the path of those who have incurred wrath (those who promote war and violence), nor those who have gone astray (those who were useless).
