The meaning

More explanation

^{^[1]} 1. In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.^a

^{^[2]} 2. Praise is due to God, the Lord of nations and worlds. ^b

^{^[3]} 3. Most Gracious ^c, Most Merciful ^d.

^{^[4]} 4. Master^e of the Day of Judgment ^f.

^{^[5]} 5. You [alone] we worship; and You [alone] we ask for help. ^g

^{^[6]} 6. Show us the standard way. ^h

^{^[7]} 7. The way [followed] by those [monotheists: Paradise people] on whom You have been Gracious and Bounteousⁱ, neither [the way] of those [Jews] with whom You have been angry^j, nor [the way] of those [Christians] who have gone astray!^k

^{1 a} It means: We start the admonition of the Quran (in the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.)

^{2
b} This is an instruction to us to thank God for His bounties, and to say always: (Praise be to God, the Lord of nations and worlds.)

^{3
c} i.e. He shows mercy to both believers and unbelievers in the life of this World.

^{3
d} His mercy, in the Next Life, involves only believers and does not involve unbelievers.

So the word (Most Gracious) is general, and the word (Most Merciful) is special.

^{4
e} It means: He is my Master Who owns me on the Day of Judgment; He disposes in myself as He pleases, and none apart from Him disposes in my affairs on that day; this is indicated by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 82: 19 which means:

([The Day of Requital or Judgment will be] the day when no soul can control any [intercession] for any soul; for on that day the authority will [absolutely] be God's [authority.])

^{4
f} It is the Day of Judgment or Requital.

In a parable: "In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" i.e. you will be rewarded according to your work.

^{5
g}And it is not allowed to seek the help of anyone other than God.

^{6
h} It means: Lead us along the way of "the exclusive devotion to God alone": the way which will lead us to Paradise in the Next Life.

^{7 i It} means: the way followed by your prophets and those devoted to You: those to whom You have been Gracious by admitting them into Paradise in Heaven.

It is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 4: 69 which means:

(They [will] be with those to whom God has shown favor [by admitting them into Paradise]: prophets, true believers, martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!)

The guidance is of two sorts:

The first is in the life of the World: it is the guidance to "the exclusive devotion to God alone" and the righteousness;

and the second, is in the Next Life, which is the guidance to the way to Paradise.

This is indicated by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 10: 9 which means:

(Surely, those who believe and work the righteous [work]; their Lord will guide them [to the way to Paradise] because of their faith [in God and in His messenger]; rivers will flow below their [trees] in the Gardens of prosperity.)

^{7
j} It means: neither the way of Jews who associated with God and worshipped the calf; therefore, You became wrathful with them.

^{7
k} It means: nor the way of Christians who missed the way of the truth: because they said God is one of three in Trinity.

The meaning: Don't lead us to the way followed by stubborn disbelievers who recognized the truth but turned away from it according to their pride and stubbornness; so You became wrathful with them because of their disbelief and association.

This is indicated by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 4: 168-169 which means:

(Surely, those who disbelieve [in that revealed to you, Mohammed], and oppress [the believers] – God would not forgive them [their sins] neither will He guide them to any road [to Paradise] – save the road to Hell)

The meaning of the aya 7

Let us be of those whose acts are good so they will go to Paradise; and don't let us be of those whose acts are bad so they will go to Hell.

By God's help, the interpretation of the soora 1 of the Quran is completed;

So (praise be to God: Lord of the worlds.)

[1] 1. بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

[2] 2 الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

[3] 3 الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

[4] 4 مَـالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

[5] 5 إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

[6] 6 اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ

[7] 7 صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ