65/1.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4474 — Surah Al-Fatiha Is the Greatest Surah
What has been said about Fãtihat al-Kitab (i.e., the Opening of the Book)
وَسُمِّيَتْ أُمَّ الْكِتَابِ أَنَّهُ يُبْدَأُ بِكِتَابَتِهَا فِي الْمَصَاحِفِ، وَيُبْدَأُ بِقِرَاءَتِهَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ. وَالدِّينُ الْجَزَاءُ فِي الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ، كَمَا تَدِينُ تُدَانُ. وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: بِالدِّينِ بِالْحِسَابِ. {مَدِينِينَ} مُحَاسَبِينَ.(1) Surat al-Fatiha (The Opening) (1) سورة الْفَاتِحَةِ It is also called Umm-ul-Kitab (i.e., the Mother of the Book), because it is the first Surah that has been written in the copies of the Quran, and it is also the first Surah to be recited in Salat (prayer).
Hadith About Surah Al-Fatiha, the Greatest Surah
Sahih Bukhari : 4474
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4474
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي خُبَيْبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى، قَالَ كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ أُجِبْهُ، فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي. فَقَالَ " أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ {اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ} ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي لأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ سُورَةً هِيَ أَعْظَمُ السُّوَرِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ ". ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِي، فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَلَمْ تَقُلْ " لأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ سُورَةً هِيَ أَعْظَمُ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ". قَالَ " {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ ".
Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu'alla Narrated from:
While I was praying in the Mosque, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called me but I did not respond to him. Later I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I was praying."He said, "Didn't Allah say'--"Give your response to Allah (by obeying Him) and to His Apostle when he calls you." (8.24)He then said to me, "I will teach you a Sura which is the greatest Sura in the Qur'an, before you leave the Mosque." Then he got hold of my hand, and when he intended to leave (the Mosque), I said to him, "Didn't you say to me, 'I will teach you a Sura which is the greatest Sura in the Qur'an?' He said, "Al-Hamdu-Li l-lah Rabbi-l-`alamin (i.e. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds) which is Al-Sab'a Al-Mathani (i.e. seven repeatedly recited Verses) and the Grand Qur'an which has been given to me."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4474In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 1
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4474
This hadith teaches the special status of Surah Al-Fatiha. Abu Sa’id bin Al-Mu’alla was praying in the mosque when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم called him, but he did not respond because he was praying. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reminded him of Allah’s command to respond to Allah and His Messenger when called. Then he promised to teach him the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before he left the mosque. Before leaving, Abu Sa’id reminded him, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم identified “Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil Alamin” as Al-Sab’a Al-Mathani and the Grand Qur’an given to him. This is a key hadith about Surah Fatiha and its rank.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught that responding to him is tied to obedience to Allah’s command.
- Surah Al-Fatiha is identified here as the greatest Surah in the Qur’an.
- The hadith names Al-Fatiha as Al-Sab’a Al-Mathani and the Grand Qur’an.
