Regarding the Divine Names in Surah al-Fatihah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi (q.s.), in his Tafsir, wrote regarding the Divine Names in Surah al-Fatihah. 

Allah (s.w.t.) has Mentioned five of His Names in the Fatihah: “Allah” is a Name, “Rabb” is a Name, “ar-Rahman” is a Name, “ar-Rahim” is a Name and “Maaliki Yawm ad-Din” is a Name.  These are the origin of the five pillars of Islam.  Islam has been built on five pillars.  The shahadah, that there is no deity other than Allah; the meaning of “Laa ilaha illa Allah” is the Name, “Allah”. 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ … (٤٣) 

And establish the swalah ... (Surah al-Baqarah:43) 

The “Rabb” is used to mean “the One Who Corrects”, as well as, “the One Who Nurtures”.  The swalat of the servant nurtures his Islam and corrects it.  “ar-Rahman” is equivalent to the pillar of fasting.  It is an exaggerated form of expression for the word mercy.  The mercy of the affluent servant towards the destitute reaches such a level that it makes his ego taste the hunger that the destitute suffers from so that he may thereby offer him charity; this is the pillar of fasting. 

“ar-Rahim” represents the pillar of zakat, tithing.  He has mercy on the destitute and as a result, sets aside a portion of his wealth for his sake.  “Maaliki Yawm ad-Din”, “The Master of the Day of Judgement”, represents the pillar of haj.  Just as people will be Resurrected on the Field of Resurrection, coming from all directions to one place, the haj is similar in that respect.



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