Three Themes in Seven Verses

Considered thematically, the whole of the Qur'an rests upon tawḥīd, risālah and qiyāmah: declaring and establishing the oneness of Allah; the prophecy and messengership of Muhammad (peace be upon him); and the Hereafter. These are its major themes. Others may be named besides — scholars have divided the Qur'an into various schemes of themes, and drawn up lists of them — but on these three there is something close to consensus.

And all three are found within the Fātiḥah itself. Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi rabbi al-ʿālamīn, al-raḥmāni al-raḥīm and iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn are tawḥīd. Māliki yawmi al-dīn concerns the Day of Judgement, and is therefore qiyāmah. And risālah is implied in ihdinā al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, ṣirāṭ alladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim, through to the end.

Other themes of the Qur'an are present here as well: the names of Allah (swt), or His characteristics and attributes. The concept of worship, which matters greatly to us and of which the Qur'an speaks in many places — iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn. Another major theme is istiqāmah, steadfastness: neither wavering nor going to extremes, which is expressed in ihdinā al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, the straight path.

Then there is duʿāʾ, a major theme in the life of a Muslim; and Sūrat al-Fātiḥah is itself a substantial duʿāʾ. Many who recite it do not realise, reciting it as often as they do each day, that they are making a supplication to Allah. Were they aware of it, they would make some effort to understand its meaning, and would put themselves into it in earnest.

The sūrah further points to the anbiyāʾ, the messengers, and to the ṣulaḥāʾ, in the words ṣirāṭ alladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim — the path of those upon whom You have poured out Your blessings; and these are the righteous and the prophets. Set against them are ghayri al-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim, those upon whom punishment has descended, and wa lā al-ḍāllīn, those who went astray. All of this is signified within it.