01 / Look
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The Arabic reads right to left. Tap a word to see its transliteration and meaning under the line.
Learn Surah Al-Fatiha word by word.
Tap any Arabic word to see how it is said and what it means. Play each ayah, repeat it as many times as you need, and follow the highlighted word as it is recited.
Surah Al-Fatiha · Ayah 2 of 7
al-ḥamdu
All praise
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How it works
Three steps, one ayah at a time.
02 / Listen
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03 / Recite
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Guide
How to learn Al-Fatiha, and why it matters.
Surah Al-Fatiha, "the Opening", is the first surah of the Quran and the one every Muslim recites in every unit of every prayer. It has seven ayat and 25 words after the Basmalah. That makes it short enough to learn in a few days, and important enough to learn properly.
A plan for one week
- Days 1 and 2: ayat 1 to 3. Play each ayah 5 times with the transliteration on, then say it with the audio.
- Days 3 and 4: ayat 4 to 6. Start each session by reciting the earlier ayat from memory.
- Day 5: ayah 7, the longest, with 9 words. Learn it in two halves: up to ʿalayhim, then the rest.
- Days 6 and 7: turn off the transliteration and recite the whole surah from the Arabic, with Go on to the next ayah switched on.
Why it matters
The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book."1 In a hadith qudsi, Allah describes the prayer as divided between Him and His servant, and answers each ayah of Al-Fatiha as it is recited.2
Hanafi position
Reciting Al-Fatiha in each rakʿah is wajib (necessary), not fard. Leaving it by mistake is made up with the prostration of forgetfulness. Leaving it on purpose makes the prayer deficient and it should be repeated. Behind an imam, the follower stays silent and does not recite it.3
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- A pillar (rukn) of the prayer. Without it the rakʿah does not count. The follower recites it behind the imam too.
- Maliki
- A pillar for the imam and for someone praying alone. Behind an imam, recommended in the silent prayers and not recited in the loud ones.
- Hanbali
- A pillar for the imam and for someone praying alone. The imam's recitation counts for the follower, who is recommended to recite it in the silent prayers.
Reading the transliteration
| Letter | Sound | Example in Al-Fatiha |
|---|---|---|
| ā, ī, ū | Long vowels, held for two beats | ar-Raḥīm, māliki |
| ḥ | A breathy h from the throat | al-ḥamdu |
| ʿ | The letter ʿayn, a catch deep in the throat | naʿbudu, al-ʿālamīn |
| ṣ, ḍ, ṭ | Heavy versions of s, d and t | aṣ-ṣirāṭa, aḍ-ḍāllīn |
| dh | Like th in "this" | alladhīna |
| gh | A soft gargled g | ghayri |
Transliteration helps you start, but it cannot show every sound. Listen closely to the recitation and, when you can, read to a teacher.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 756; Sahih Muslim 394.
- Sahih Muslim 395.
- Al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah, Kitab al-Salah. The other madhhabs' positions are summarised from their standard manuals.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.
Questions
Good to know.
Is the Basmalah an ayah of Al-Fatiha?
In the common Hafs numbering used here, the Basmalah is ayah 1 of Al-Fatiha. The Hanafi school counts it as an ayah of the Quran placed between surahs rather than the first ayah of Al-Fatiha, and recites it quietly before the surah in prayer.
Who is the reciter?
Sheikh Mishary Rashid Alafasy. The audio and the word timings come from Quran.com.
Can I learn Al-Fatiha from transliteration alone?
It is a good start, but some Arabic sounds have no English match. Use the audio for every ayah, and read to someone who knows tajwid when you can.
How long does it take to memorise?
Most people learn it in a week with 15 minutes a day, using the plan above. Children and new Muslims often take two.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The words wrap to fit the screen, and the audio plays in any modern browser.
Do I say Amin after Al-Fatiha?
Yes, saying Amin after it is sunnah. In the Hanafi school it is said quietly, including in the loud prayers.