Sūrah al-Fātiḥah to Sūrah al-Mā’idah

Introduction

This is the first chapter of the Qur’ān. It consists of five sūrahs from al-Fātiḥah to al-Mā’idah. It is evident from the subjects of these sūrahs that the first of them – al-Fātiḥah was revealed in Makkah and the rest of the four: al-Baqarah, Āl-i ‘Imrān, al-Nisā’ and al-Mā’idah were revealed in Madīnah after migration.

Like other chapters of the Qur’ān, this chapter too follows the sequence that it begins with a Makkan sūrah and ends on Madīnan sūrahs. With respect to their topic, the relationship between the Makkan sūrah and its Madīnan counterparts is that of a supplication and its response and also of brevity and detail. The concise manner in which we pray for certain positive and negative things in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah are detailed out later in the Madīnan sūrahs.

Though the Prophet (sws) is also addressed in this chapter in a secondary manner and so are the Idolaters of Madīnah, deliberation shows that the real addressee is the progeny of Abraham (sws) which the Almighty chose to communicate the truth at the global level in a conclusive manner in the very way He chooses certain personalities in the progeny of Adam (sws) as His prophets and messengers.

The theme of this chapter is conclusive communication of the truth to the Jews and Christians, to institute a new ummah in their place from another branch of Abraham’s progeny: the Ishmaelites, its tazkiyah and taṭhīr and a description of its final covenant with the Almighty.

This theme reaches its culmination in such an elegant sequence that the need of a new guidance after the Torah and the Gospel and all the phases from the institution of the Muslim ummah according to this guidance to the completion of religion for this ummah as well as completion of favours are highlighted.

In order to understand this sequence, presented below is a summary of the subjects discussed in this chapter:

al-Fātiḥah: supplication for a new guidance.

al-Baqarah: depiction of the attitude of the Jews regarding this guidance, conclusive communication of truth to them and instituting a new ummah in their place from another branch of Abraham’s progeny: the Ishmaelites and a mention of their obligations.

A%l-i ‘Imrān: conclusive communication of the truth to the Jews and Christians, and tazkiyah and taṭhīr of the Muslim ummah.

al-Nisā’: description of the foundations of a righteous society for the Muslim ummah and its tazkiyah and taṭhīr.

al-Mā’idah: delineation of completion of favours for the Muslim ummah and a description of God’s final covenant with it.