Names of Al-Faatihah and its importance
19-2-2007 | IslamWeb
Question:
assalamualaikum brother please help me how to answwer these questions:,how many names of sourah fa'tihat?why it is named?what are importance of sourah fa'tihat? what is the reason behind why it is revealed?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Al-Faatihah (i.e. the opening chapter of the Quran) is the greatest chapter of the Quran [Al-Bukhari], but the scholars 
did not mention a specific reason for its revelation.
As regards the names of Al-Faatihah, Al-Qurtubi 
mentioned 12 names for it in his interpretation of the Quran and he clarified why each name is given to it. Its names are as follows:
1- Al-Faatihah (i.e. the opening chapter of the Quran): There is no difference of opinion among the scholars about this name, and it is called so because the (oral) recitation of the Quran starts with it, and the written text of the Quran starts with it as well, and it is with this chapter that we start the prayer.
2- As-Salat (i.e. The Prayer): A Qudsi narration reads: "Allaah Says: ''I divided The Prayer between Me and My Slave into two parts,…and Al-Faatihah chapter is mentioned."
3- Al-Hamd (All Praises) chapter: It includes praising Allaah.
4- Umm Al-Kitaab (The mother of the Book): There is a difference of opinion among the scholars about this name. Al-Hasan said: 'Umm Al-Kitaab refers to what is lawful and what is forbidden.'
5- Umm Al-Quran (The mother of the Quran): There is a difference of opinion among the scholars about this name as well. The Prophet 
said: ''Al-Hamdu Lillaah (i.e. Al-Faatihah) is Umm Al-Quran, Umm Al-Kitaab, and the seven most repeated verses." [At-Tirmithi] Al-Bukhari said: 'It is named this because it is the first chapter of the Book and it contains the entire sciences which are mentioned in the Quran.'
6- Al-Mathaani (the most repeated verses): It is called so because it is repeated in every Rak'ah.
7- Al-Quran Al-'Atheem (The Great Quran): It is named as such because it contains the entire sciences of the Quran.
8- As-Shifaa' (i.e. The Cure): The Prophet said: "Al-Faatihah (the opening chapter of the Book) is a cure for every poison." [Ad-Daarimi]
9- The Ruqyah: The Prophet told the man who performed Ruqyah (by reciting Al-Faatihah) on the leader of the town: "How did you know it is a Ruqyah."
10- Al-Asaas (i.e. The Foundation): A man complained about pain in his waist to Ash-Sha'bi then the latter said to him: 'You should cure yourself by reciting Al-Asaas, which is Al-Faatihah.'
11- Al-Waafiyah (i.e. The Complete): Sufyaan Ibn 'Uyaynah said: 'It is called so because it cannot be halved (i.e. to recite half of it only) and it cannot be recited partly (i.e. to recite a part of it only), whereas if one recites only half of any other chapter in one Rak'ah, it will be sufficient, but if Al-Faatihah is halved into two Rak'ahs, it will not be sufficient and his prayer is not acceptable.'
12-Al-Kaafiyah (i.e. The Sufficient): Yahyaa Ibn Abu Katheer said: 'It is named as such because (during prayer) it suffices all other chapters (i.e. if one only recites Al-Faatihah, it is sufficient), but if one recites any other chapter, it is not sufficient.'