Surah Al-Fatihah

There is a difference of opinion regarding it. The majority hold that it is Makki, indeed, one of the earliest parts of the Quran to be revealed, according to one opinion—this is what is narrated from Ali, Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and the majority of the Companions. According to Mujahid, it is Madani, and he is unique in this view, to the extent that it is considered a slip on his part. It is said that it was revealed in Makkah when prayer was made obligatory, and in Madinah when the Qiblah was changed, so that it would be known that it is in the prayer as it previously was. It is also said that some of it is Makki and some of it is Madani, but its weakness is not hidden.

People have been zealous in deducing its Makkiness from the verse in Surah Al-Hijr: "And We have certainly given you seven of the often-repeated (al-mathani) and the great Quran," which is Makki by the consensus of scholars and the narration from Ibn Abbas, and it carries the status of a marfu (attributed to the Prophet) statement. It is not because what precedes and follows it pertains to the people of Makkah, as has been said, because that is based on the premise that "Makki" refers to what was revealed regarding the people of Makkah, while the famous view is the opposite. The strongest argument is the reliance on the transmission from the Companions who witnessed the revelation, because the former depends, firstly, on interpreting the "seven mathani" as Al-Fatihah. Although this is authentic and established in the Hadiths, it has also been authentically narrated from Ibn Abbas and others that it is interpreted as the seven long chapters (al-suwar al-tiwal). Secondly, it depends on the impossibility of conferring a favor before giving the object of the favor, even though Allah, the Exalted, favored the Prophet, may Allah bless him, with matters before giving them to him, such as His saying: "Indeed, We have given you a clear conquest," which was years before the conquest; the use of the past tense is for the certainty of its occurrence. Although this is contrary to the apparent meaning—especially with the inclusion of the lam and the particle qad, and its occurrence in the context of a favor (where the norm is that the occurrence precedes the favor), and its conjunction with "Do not extend your eyes toward that which We have given..."—the evidence has nonetheless been weakened.

It cannot be said that this and that only indicate its revelation in Makkah, and not that it was not revealed in Madinah as well, because we say: Negation is the default state, and the burden of proof lies upon the claimant of affirmation—and where is the evidence for that? What they said in response to the objection—that revelation is a manifestation from the World of the Unseen to the World of the Seen, and such a manifestation does not accept repetition because the manifestation of the manifest is clearly invalid, like the acquisition of the acquired—and the claim that it was [revealed] twice for a benefit, or that it was once on one dialect and another time on another due to the arrival of the words Malik and Milk, or with the Basmala at one time and without it at another (and by this, schools and narrations are reconciled), is a justification for its occurrence, not a necessity for it, as is not hidden.

The word Surah (chapter) is hamzah-laden (surah) or without hamzah by substitution (surah), if it is from al-suwar (remnants), meaning the remainder, for the remainder of everything is a part of it. Without it, if it is from aswār al-binā’ (walls of a building), meaning the enclosure, because it encompasses its verses; or from al-tasawwur (climbing), meaning loftiness and height, due to its elevation as the speech of Allah. It is also applied to high status, as in the saying of Al-Nabighah: "Do you not see that Allah has given you a status (surah) / such that you see every king around it wavering?" It is a unit of the Quran comprising a beginning and an end. It is also said to be an independent collection—to exclude the Verse of the Throne—labeled by divine instruction. The names of all [chapters] have been proven through Hadiths and reports. Whoever says it is disliked to say "Surah such-and-such," but rather "the Surah in which such-and-such is mentioned," based on what is narrated from Anas and Ibn Abdullah forbidding that, is not to be heeded, as the Hadith of Anas is weak or fabricated, and the Hadith of Ibn Umar is stopped at him, even if narrated via a sound chain.

Al-Fatihah (The Opening) is, in origin, an adjective applied either to the beginning of a thing because it is a medium for opening the whole, with the ta for transfer or intensification. It has no exclusivity to the pattern of a marker or a verbal noun; it is applied to the first, naming the object with the source to indicate its originality, as if it were the opening itself, since the connection to it happens first, and then through it, it connects to the whole, as it is a part of it. The same is said for Al-Khatimah (The Conclusion), for reaching the last exposes the last first, and the whole is through its mediation. This is not like the first due to the rarity of fa'ilah in verbal nouns, though it is more appropriate than it being for an instrument or a motive, for these are entangled with the action and accompany it, and generally, an instrument is not described [by the action] and a motive does not accompany it. Furthermore, the instrument here is not suitable, as it suggests that the rest might not be intended. They allowed it to be for attribution, meaning: possessing an opening while there is a hoped-for end. Al-Kitab (The Book) is the personal totality, and the opening of the Fatihah is in relation to it, not to the commonality shared between it and its parts; it is realized in knowledge, or the Preserved Tablet, or the Bayt al-Izzah, so there is no harm in the Surah being famous by this name among the earliest.

The first genitive construction is the addition of the name to the named, which is famous. The second is in the sense of the lam (belonging to), as in "a part of the thing," not in the sense of min (partitive), as in "a silver ring," because the genitive is a partial. This was stated by Shaykh al-Islam and is the position of some regarding all things. Ibn Kaysan, Al-Sirafi, and a group consider the genitive of the part to be in the sense of min (partitive). Indeed, in Al-Luma and its commentary, it is [stated] that the implied min in genitive constructions is absolute, without difference between part and partial. Some made the genitive in the partial purely descriptive, while others restricted it to general-specific categorical relationships, as in the example, and considered it in the absolute case—like "the city of Baghdad"—to be lami (possessive). Fame does not support the latter.

This noble Surah has names, which some have brought to over twenty.

First: Fatihat al-Kitab (The Opening of the Book), because it is its beginning according to the established order, not because it is used to open [lessons] in teaching or in recitation during prayer, as Imam Al-Suyuti claimed, nor because it is the first Surah revealed, as has been said. As for the first and third, the "beginning-ness" in terms of teaching or revelation demands observing the order of the rest of the Book's parts from those two perspectives, and there is no doubt that the pedagogical and revelational orders are not like the established order. As for the second, you have learned that the intended meaning of "the Book" is not the common capacity applicable to what is recited in prayer, such that its "beginning-ness" to it would be considered in the naming. Al-Mursi recounted that it was named this because it is the first Surah written on the Tablet. This requires transmission, and even if we affirm that the order of the Quran that is in our Mus-hafs is as it is on the Tablet, then perhaps the subsequent was written, then the preceded was written; the dominance of conjecture is another matter.

Second: Fatihat al-Quran (The Opening of the Quran), as we have presented, exactly matching.

Third and Fourth: Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book) and Umm al-Quran (Mother of the Quran). The Hadith, "Let none of you say 'Umm al-Kitab,' but let him say 'Fatihat al-Kitab'," has no foundation. Rather, it has been established in the Sahih collections that it is named as such, as is not hidden to the researcher. It is named so because the beginning—whether in writing, recitation, revelation, or prayer—is with it, and what follows it is subsequent to it. It is like the mother from whom the child originates. It is also said of a banner that it is a "mother" because of its precedence and the army’s following of it—from this comes Umm al-Qura (Mother of Cities). Or [it is named so] for its encompassing, as the learned scholar said, of the intended meanings within the Quran: praise of Allah, worship through command and prohibition, and warning. As for praise, it is clear. As for worship, it is [derived] from Al-Hamdulillah, because it is for instruction, so an implied command is estimated that entails it; and an affirmative command necessitates the prohibition of the opposite, in general. We see no harm in this. Or it is from Ihdina al-sirat al-mustaqim (Guide us to the straight path), if the religion of Islam is intended, or from the estimation of saying "In the name of Allah" and delaying its object. As for Iyyaka na'budu (You alone we worship), it is an informing of His exclusivity in worship, which is the realization of servitude by performing what the Master ordered or prohibited, thus indicating in general that they are worshipers. The objection of the Mu'tazila—that there is no preceding command or prohibition—is not valid, and it is answered on our side, after conceding the lack of absolute primacy, that the head of worship is monotheism, and in the beginning [of the Surah] there is that which guides to it, especially since the Prophet's task of monotheism and the delivery of the Surah preceded it; that is sufficient. As for promise and warning, it is from His saying, “Those whom You have favored, other than those who earned Your anger,” or from Maliki yawm al-din (Master of the Day of Judgment), meaning the requital and the requited. As for what brings joy or harm, those are reward and punishment.

These purposes are such because the sending of messengers and the revealing of books is a mercy to the servants and a guidance to what benefits them in their worldly and afterlife affairs. This is through knowing the One who is capable of bringing about blessings in creation and sustenance, then reaching Him through what binds the future and brings more in action and belief, and stripping oneself of what leads to the return of the acquired and prevents the acquisition, in hearts and bodies. Praise is a branch of knowing the One praised, along with entitlement. Knowledge of the attributes of majesty and beauty enters into this, including those from which come the sending [of messengers] and the revealing [of books], and the difference between the obedient and the sinner. Thus, faith in Allah, His attributes, prophethood, and the afterlife is entered into summarily. Through worship, one becomes able to reach [Him] and strip [oneself of sins]. In this, faith in prophethood and what relates to it—the Book and the angels—is entered from one aspect, since command and prohibition are a branch of establishing that in general. Promise and warning entail faith in the afterlife and prompt worship. People are like a hundred camels; you will not find a riding camel among them. The majority are driven by desire and dread, the middle group by hope and fear, and the special few—and how rare they are—by intimacy and awe. Thus, with these three, guidance to the interests of the worldly and afterlife is completed. I do not limit the way of limitation to this, for the mind’s path has vastness, and you may reduce the three to two by including praise under worship, since there is no verdict of the intellect [regarding praise]. Perhaps he [the author] made it a category distinct from it as an allusion to the fact that thanking the Bestower is rationally obligatory, in observance of the Mu'tazili school; Al-Baydawi did not care about that and expressed it in the words he used. Or [it is because of] its encompassing of the totality of its meanings from theoretical wisdom and practical rulings, which is walking the straight path, and the observation of the ranks of the happy and the stations of the miserable. The former is derived from the beginning of the Surah to His saying: "The Day of Judgment," and the second is from His saying: "You alone we worship" and what follows it, the walking of the straight path, [referencing] His saying: "Guide us," and the observation [of ranks] is from His saying: "Those whom You have favored," etc. It contains promise and warning, so they enter into it. Parables and stories have the purpose of admonition, as do supplication and praise. These are the sum of the Quranic meanings in summary, by correspondence and implication.

More simply, it can be said that it contains four types of knowledge that are the foundation of religion: (1) The science of principles and its nodes: knowledge of Allah and His attributes, alluded to by: "Lord of the Worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," knowledge of prophethood, intended by: "Those whom You have favored," and the afterlife, alluded to by: "Master of the Day of Judgment." (2) The science of branches, whose foundation is acts of worship, intended by: "You alone we worship." These are bodily and financial, and both are in need of worldly matters regarding transactions and marriage, which require governance; thus, the branches were founded upon the principles. (3) The science of that by which perfection is attained, which is the science of ethics, the greatest of which is reaching the Eternal Presence and walking the path of uprightness in the stations of those high ranks, alluded to by: "You alone we ask for help, guide us to the straight path." (4) The science of stories and reports about past nations, the happy and the miserable, and what relates to them regarding promise and warning, intended by His saying: "Those whom You have favored, other than those who earned Your anger and those who are astray."

When your mind expands, you will bring forth something simpler than this. These two aspects require interpreting "The Book" as meanings or estimating them in the genitive construction; the first aspect does not necessitate this, and from this, some preferred it, even if it is more precise and sweeter. It is not that it is problematic to say that Al-Fatihah is equivalent to two-thirds of the Quran, for it is seen for him [the Prophet] if it is established that the summary is not equal to the detailed, so the increase of its words is placed in the position of another third of the reward, said Al-Shihab. Then he said: "It is strange what is said here, that this is because of its containing the indication of implication and necessity, and they are two-thirds of the meanings." I say: More amazing than this is his justification, may Allah have mercy on him, along with what Al-Daylami narrated in Al-Firdaws from Abu al-Darda: "The Opening of the Book is equivalent to what nothing else of the Quran is equivalent to. If the Opening of the Book were placed on one scale and the Quran on the other, the Opening would outweigh the Quran seven times." It does not occur to one that this means anything but reward, so its apparent meaning contradicts that report according to his justification, and according to the justification of the author of the previous statement, there is no contradiction. Yes, it is remote, and it is possible to reconcile the two reports—thereby the problem is removed—by saying the first was early and the reward doubled later, and there is no restriction on the vast mercy; or that the difference in speech is due to the difference in circumstances; or that what is equivalent to the whole is equivalent to two-thirds; or that the Quran in one of the reports—or both—is in the sense of the prayer, like in His saying: "And the recitation of dawn; indeed, the recitation of dawn is witnessed." That varies according to people's levels in their recitation and prayers; let it be pondered. In any case, they are not measured by what was said in the way of naming it such because it is the best of the Surahs, or because its sanctity is like the sanctity of the whole Quran, or because it is the refuge of the people of faith, or because it is Muhkam (decisive), and the Muhkam are the Mother of the Book. I do not object to the others due to a lack of consistency, because the reason for naming does not have to be consistent, but I entrust the matter to you, and may the peace of Allah be upon you.

Do not say: If Al-Fatihah is a gathering of the Book's meanings, why are seven letters missing from it—the tha, jim, kha, zay, shin, za, and fa? We say: Perhaps that is an indication that moral perfection does not necessitate formal perfection, and its deficiency does not diminish it. "Indeed, Allah does not look at your forms." It was seven, corresponding to the number of verses, containing many secrets, and they were from the "dark" letters that were not found in the similar ones at the beginning of the Surah. Collecting them, after removing duplicates, gives Siratun Haqqin Namsikuhu (A path of truth we hold fast to). They are the "luminous" letters, all of which are contained in Al-Fatihah, to indicate the dominance of beauty over majesty, felt by the repetition of what indicates mercy in the Fatihah. These seven were not dropped from this type to keep the luminous pure, so that it may be known that the matter is mingled. "And none feels secure from the plan of Allah except the people who are the losers." In His saying: "Inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful, and that My punishment is the painful punishment," there is an indication—what an indication—of that for those who contemplate the state of the two sentences. Given that the luminous [letters]—which are fourteen—are mentioned in their entirety, and seven of the dark ones are mentioned, if the individuals are matched, a luminous one results alongside a dark one, and a purely luminous one. This is an indication of the two categories of believers: a believer whose light of faith has not been tainted by the darkness of his sins, and a believer whose [light] has been tainted by that. There is a symbol here that there is no contradiction between faith and sin; its darkness does not extinguish its light, and "the fornicator does not fornicate while he is a believer" is carried to mean perfection—this is not the place for this discussion. When the dropped [letters] are observed—which is the purely dark one, pointing to the purely oppressive one who has fallen from the degree of consideration—and the mentioned [letters] are the purely luminous (pointing to the purely believing one) and the tainted luminous (pointing to the tainted believer), the secret of the tripartite division in "Then among them is one who wrongs himself, and among them is one who is moderate, and among them is one who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That is the great bounty" appears.

Why were these seven specifically dropped from the fourteen, and not reversed—so the confirmed would be dropped and the dropped confirmed, or seven dropped from both—is a secret whose knowledge belongs to Him, and the ignorance of it belongs to those who are ignorant. Yes, in the fact that the dropped [letters] are only the dotted ones, there is an indication that the ghayn is in the ayn, and the rayn (rust) is in between; because of this, the veil occurred and doubt was attained. This is what appears to the likes of us from the secrets of the Book of Allah. Where is this compared to what appears to the knowers, drowned in its seas, satiated from the water of its Zamzam of secrets?

Our learned master, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, has words in this station that have not the slightest hint of verification, where he made the cause for dropping these letters that they are suggestive of punishment: the tha indicates thubur (destruction), the jim is the first letter of Jahannam (Hell), the kha suggests khizy (disgrace), the zay and shin are from zafir and shaheeq (bellowing and gasping). Also, the zay indicates zaqqum, and the shin indicates shaqa (misery), and the za is the first of zill (shade) in His saying: "Depart to the shadow of three branches," and also indicates Laza (the Blaze), and the fa [indicates] firaq (separation). Then he said: If they say: "There is no letter except that it is mentioned in the name of something that entails a type of punishment, so there remains no benefit in what you mentioned," we say: The benefit in it is that He said regarding the description of Hell: "It has seven gates; for every gate is a portion assigned." Then Allah, the Exalted, dropped seven of the letters from this Surah, which are the beginnings of words indicating punishment, as a warning that whoever reads this Surah, believes in it, and knows its realities, becomes safe from the seven levels of Hell. The [weakness] in this is not hidden, and his answer does not benefit him nor suffice him, for one could say: Let the dhal, waw, nun, ha, ayn, mim, and ghayn be dropped, since the waw is from wayl (woe), the dhal is from dhilla (humiliation), the nun from nar (fire), the ha from hamim (scalding water), the ayn from adhab (punishment), the mim from mihad (bed), and the ghayn from ghawashi (coverings). The verses are clear, and all are regarding the people of the Fire, and the benefit in dropping them would be like the benefit in dropping those, without any difference at all. Furthermore, there is other [content] in his speech, may Allah have mercy on him, and even conceding its safety from what is said or could be said, I am not pleased with it for Al-Fakhr—he who is the master who became the fortune of the nation, the proof of Islam, and the helper of its people. As for attributing it to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, may Allah honor his face, when the Caesar of Rome asked Mu'awiya about it and he did not answer, so he asked Ali and he answered—it has no origin. And upon conceding [it happened], what was the intention of the Commander in being content with this amount but to alert the questioner to what is not hidden from you of secrets? So understand that, and Allah, the Exalted, will take charge of your guidance.

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh: Al-Kanz (The Treasure), Al-Wafiyah (The Fulfiller), and Al-Kafiyah (The Sufficient), because of what has passed regarding its encompassing of treasured jewels, so it fulfills and suffices, or because it is not halved in prayer, and nothing else suffices in its place.

Eighth: Al-Asas (The Foundation), because it is the root of the Quran and the first Surah in it.

Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth: Surat al-Hamd (The Surah of Praise), Surat al-Shukr (The Surah of Gratitude), Surat al-Du'a (The Surah of Supplication), Surat Ta'lim al-Mas'ala (The Surah of Teaching the Petition), and Surat al-Su'al (The Surah of Asking). Its encompassing of praise is obvious, and likewise gratitude for those to whom Allah has favored with understanding. It is possible that the two names are like Umm al-Quran and Umm al-Kitab. As for the encompassing of the third, it is like the problem of the first, only clearer. As for teaching the petition, it is because it was begun with praise before it, and the fifth is like the third, and they are like those third and fourth, as is not hidden.

Fourteenth and Fifteenth: Surat al-Munajat (The Surah of Intimate Conversation) and Surat al-Tafwid (The Surah of Resignation), because the servant converses with his Lord by saying: "You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help," and thereby resignation is attained.

Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth: Al-Ruqyah (The Spell), Al-Shifa (The Cure), and Al-Shafiyah (The Healing), and the sound Hadiths indicate this.

Nineteenth: Surat al-Salah (The Surah of Prayer), because it is mandatory or an obligation in it; desirability is the view of some jurists and a narration from some in transmission. It is said it is named "the Prayer" because of the Hadith: "I have divided the prayer between Me and My servant into two halves," intending the Surah. The metaphorical usage is due to the relation of the whole to the part, or [due to] entailment, whether literally or in legal status, like the metaphor in omission, is possible.

Twentieth: Al-Nur (The Light), because of its appearance due to the frequency of its use, or because it illuminates the hearts due to the majesty of its status, or because of the meanings it encompasses, it is an expression for the light in the sense of the Quran.

Twenty-First: Al-Quran al-Adhim (The Great Quran), and this is clear from what we have presented.

Twenty-Second: Al-Sab' al-Mathani (The Seven Oft-Repeated), because it is seven verses by consensus, and we have seen no other [Surah] sharing this with it except Ara’ayta (Surah Al-Ma'un). The statement that it is eight is like the statement that it is nine; it is an anomaly that is not to be heeded, or a hallucination of the narrator. However, some counted the naming as a verse instead of "Those whom You have favored," and some reversed it. The pivot is the narration; it does not weaken the second that the weight of the verse does not match the weight of the Surah's endings. Moreover, in Surah Al-Nasr, there is that which is of this category. It is repeated and iterated in every rak'ah and prayer with bowing, or the intended meaning is the usual majority of prayers, so the single rak'ah or funeral prayer does not contradict it. Moreover, there is disagreement regarding al-batra, and the funeral prayer is a supplication, not a prayer in reality. It is said it was described as such because it is paired with another Surah, or because it was revealed twice, or because it is in two parts: supplication and praise, or because whenever a servant recites a verse of it, Allah, the Exalted, responds to him by informing him of His action, as in the famous Hadith, and other things were said. These opinions are based on mathani being from tathniyah (doubling). It is possible it is from thana’ (praise) because of the praise of Allah it contains, or because of what has been narrated regarding the praise of one who recites it, or that it is from thunya (exception) because Allah, the Exalted, reserved it for this nation. Praise be to Allah for this blessing.

Then, the wisdom in dividing the Quran into Surahs, unlike books—contrary to Al-Zarkashi—is that it is more invigorating for the reader and more conducive to completion, like a traveler who, when he covers a mile or a farsakh, gains spirit and is invigorated for the journey. When the memorizer takes a Surah, he believes that he has taken an independent portion of the Book of Allah, so that which he memorized becomes great in his sight. Also, when a genus is divided into types and varieties, it is better than having one chapter under it. Moreover, in this, the realization that the Surah in its mere state is a miracle and one of the signs of Allah, the Exalted, is achieved. The wisdom in them being long and short is too clear to be hidden.

Al-Fatihah: (1) In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful...

In the Basmala (In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful), there are several points of inquiry:

The First Point of Inquiry: Scholars have differed as to whether it is among the specific characteristics of this Ummah (Islamic nation) or not. The scholar Abu Bakr al-Tunisi reported the consensus of scholars of every creed that Allah, the Exalted, opened every Book with it. Al-Suyuti narrated—on the authority of al-Sarmini, who bears the responsibility for it—that "In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful" is the opening of every Book. This narrator held the view that the Basmala is indeed a unique characteristic, based on the report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to write "In Your Name, O Allah" until the verse “In the name of Allah it shall sail” (Hud: 41) was revealed, at which point he ordered it to be written "In the Name of Allah." Then, the verse “Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Compassionate” (Al-Isra: 110) was revealed, and he ordered it to be written "In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate." Then, the verse of Surah al-Naml (“It is from Solomon, and it is: In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”) was revealed, and he ordered it to be written "In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

Since it is well-known that the meanings of the Books are contained within the Quran, the meanings of the Quran in Al-Fatihah, the meanings of Al-Fatihah in the Basmala, and the meanings of the Basmala in the letter Ba’ (ب), if it had existed in the ancient Books, the command to write it would have been given from the very beginning, and the meanings of the Quran would have been in every Book. But the consequent is false; therefore, the antecedent is false. However, it can be said that the command for that specific detail does not necessitate the negation of its prior existence, for it is possible that there was simply no knowledge of it at that time, and there is no harm in that. Furthermore, what is specific to the Quran is the Arabic wording in this exact order, whereas all the other heavenly Books—contrary to al-Ghayti—were non-Arabic, and whatever of them exists in the Quran is a translation. Thus, perhaps these specific words have a role in encompassing all meanings, and therefore they do not exist outside the Quran as al-Sarmini imagined, even if a Basmala did exist there. Moreover, the first of the two pieces of evidence outwardly contains proof that it is not a unique characteristic.

The Second Point of Inquiry: This is one of the fundamental issues, to the extent that a group has devoted separate treatises to it. People have differed concerning the Basmala outside of Surah al-Naml (where it is unanimously part of a verse) according to ten opinions:

1. It is not a verse of any Surah at all.
2. It is a verse of all of them, except Bara’ah (At-Tawbah).
3. It is a verse of Al-Fatihah alone, and no other.
4. It is merely part of a verse of Al-Fatihah alone.
5. It is a standalone verse revealed to denote the beginning of the Surahs for seeking blessing and for separation between them.
6. It is permissible to consider it both a verse of the Surah and not a verse, due to the repetition of its revelation under both descriptions.
7. It is part of a verse of all the Surahs.
8. It is a verse of Al-Fatihah and part of a verse in other Surahs.
9. The reverse of the above.
10. It is a standalone verse, even if revealed repeatedly.

Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Mubarak, the people of Makkah (like Ibn Kathir), the people of Kufah (like Asim and al-Kisa'i) and others besides Hamzah, and the majority of the followers of Al-Shafi'i and the Imamiyyah, hold the second opinion. Some Shafi'is, Hamzah, and (attributed to) Imam Ahmad hold the third. The people of Madinah (including Malik), the Levant (including al-Awza'i), and Basra (including Abu Amr and Ya'qub) hold the fifth, which is the famous view of our school (Hanafi). It is the duty of a person to support his school and defend it by establishing arguments for its proof and weakening the evidence of those who negate it.

Previously, I considered the Shafi'i masters my kin and did not count myself as anything but one of them. The elegance of their opinions had captivated my heart just as Layla al-Amiriyyah captivated the heart of Qays. Whenever it appeared, I had neither a predecessor nor a successor; its love came to me before I knew what love was, finding a vacant heart, and thus it took hold. Later, I became preoccupied with the opinions of the Hanafi masters, dwelling within the meadows of their Shaqa’iq al-Nu'man (poppies/anemones), and their love so overwhelmed me that I began to chant the words of the poet: “Her love erased the love of those who came before her, and she occupied a place that no one had occupied before.”

Al-Fakhr (al-Razi) wrote at length on this matter, presenting sixteen arguments to prove it is a verse of Al-Fatihah (as is the text of his words; translation is of no account). Here I am, by the success granted by Allah, refuting him—without pride—and supporting my school by the aid of Allah, for to Him belongs the support and victory.

I say: [He lists the 16 arguments and proceeds to refute them in detail, arguing that the Basmala is a standalone verse of the Quran but not part of Al-Fatihah specifically.]

...Ultimately, the belief that the Basmala is not a part of the Surah is almost innate, as is obvious to anyone whose conscience is sound. It is a standalone verse of the Quran, and no one who has studied the Hadiths should hesitate to affirm its Quranic nature or deny the obligation of reciting it, calling it a mere Sunnah. By Allah, even if the earth were filled with gold for me, I would not resort to that opinion, though I am able to justify it, by the grace of Allah. How could I, when the books of Hadith are filled with what proves the contrary? And that is what is correct according to me regarding the Imam (Abu Hanifah). The claim that he did not state anything clearly is invalid. How could he not state it until the end of his life regarding such a grave matter upon which the validity or completion of prayer revolves? It can be tied to several legal rulings and religious matters like divorce, oaths, and conditional statements. He is the Greatest Imam and the most ancient Mujtahid, may Allah be pleased with him.

As for reciting it silently during the Jahri (loud) prayers, it does not indicate that it is a Sunnah (optional). For the opinion that it is obligatory does not conflict with reciting it silently, in adherence to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)... [He continues to cite narrations from Ibn Abbas, Anas, and others supporting the silent recitation.]

The Third Point of Inquiry: On its Meaning: The letter Ba’ (ب) is either for seeking aid, companionship, adherence, or seeking loftiness, or it is redundant, or for swearing. The last four are of no weight, even if some have sought comfort in them through certain verses. Scholars have differed as to which of the first two is more likely. What the words of Al-Baydawi imply is the superiority of the first (seeking aid), supported by the idea that making it for seeking aid implies that it has a greater role in the action, as if the action cannot be performed or exist without the Name of Allah...

But in my view, seeking aid is more appropriate; rather, it is almost certain. It contains a degree of politeness, humility, and manifestation of servanthood that is not present in the claim of companionship. It also contains an allusion from the very first moment to the abandonment of Hawl (change/power) and Quwwah (strength), and the negation of the independence of the servants' ability and its effect. It is an opening to the door of mercy and the attainment of the treasure of "There is no power and no strength except with Allah." This meaning is closer to His saying, “And You alone we ask for help.”...