Surah Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha (“The Opening”) is the first surah of the Quran. Though very short — 7 verses — it is recited in every unit (rak'ah) of the five daily prayers, making it the most repeated passage in the Quran. It takes the form of a prayer to Allah, structured as praise followed by a request for guidance.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Alrrahmani alrraheemi
مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Master of the Day of Judgment.
Maliki yawmi alddeeni
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
Iyyaka naAAbudu waiyyaka nastaAAeenu
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us on the straight path,
Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.
Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
Islamobile brings together all 114 surahs in Arabic, translation, transliteration and downloadable audio recitation, with tafsir for every verse and a memorisation planner. Free on iPhone.
Download on theApp StoreFrequently asked questions
Why is Al-Fatiha recited in every prayer?
Reciting it is a condition for the validity of every rak'ah (prayer unit) — it's the only Quranic passage whose recitation is obligatory in prayer, making it the most repeated text among Muslims.
What does “Al-Fatiha” mean?
“The Opening”: it opens the Quran and serves as an introduction to reading it, much like a preface.
Is Al-Fatiha a Meccan or Medinan surah?
Meccan: according to authentic traditions, it is among the very first complete surahs revealed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Can Al-Fatiha's recitation be listened to offline?
Yes, as with the whole Quran in Islamobile: the text is available offline right after installation, and audio recitation needs to be downloaded first. Download Islamobile