When God’s Messenger once asked Ubayy b. Ka'b how he recited in the course of the prayer and he recited Umm al- Qur’ān (Al-Qur’ān 1) , he said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, nothing like it has been sent down in the Torah, the Injīl, the Zabūr, or the Qur’ān, and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses and the mighty Qur’ān (Qur’ān, 15:87) which I have been given.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, and Dārimī transmitted from “nothing like it has been sent down,” but he did not mention Ubayy b. Ka‘b. Tirmidhī said this is a hasan sahīh tradition.
The Excellence of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah
This narration from Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) demonstrates the unparalleled status of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah in the divine scriptures. The Prophet's (peace be upon him) solemn oath "By Him in whose hand my soul is" emphasizes the absolute certainty of this truth.
Comparative Excellence Among Revelations
The Prophet specifically mentions that no chapter comparable to al-Fātiḥah exists in the previous divine books: the Torah (revealed to Moses), the Injīl (Gospel revealed to Jesus), the Zabūr (Psalms revealed to David), or even elsewhere in the Qur'ān itself.
This establishes al-Fātiḥah's unique position as containing the essence of all divine messages while being unparalleled in its comprehensive nature and spiritual potency.
The Seven Oft-Repeated Verses
The identification of al-Fātiḥah as "the seven oft-repeated verses" (as-sab' al-mathānī) refers to its seven verses being constantly recited in every rak'ah of every prayer. Scholars explain this repetition signifies its fundamental importance in Islamic worship and spiritual development.
Imam al-Qurṭubī notes that these verses contain praise of Allah, affirmation of His lordship, worship, seeking guidance, and distinction between those who receive divine favor and those who earn wrath.
The Mighty Qur'ān
When the Prophet describes al-Fātiḥah as "the mighty Qur'ān" he indicates that this sūrah encapsulates the entire message of the Qur'ān. Ibn Kathīr explains that al-Fātiḥah contains the principles of tawḥīd (divine unity), worship, and the spiritual path in condensed form.
This comprehensive nature makes it both an introduction to and essence of the entire Qur'ānic revelation, earning it the title "Umm al-Qur'ān" (Mother of the Qur'ān).
Authentication and Transmission
Imam al-Tirmidhī's classification of this tradition as "ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ" indicates its strong authenticity with reliable chains of transmission. The variant transmission recorded by Imam Dārimī further corroborates the core meaning while showing slight differences in wording common in ḥadīth literature.
This careful authentication process reflects the scholarly diligence in preserving the Prophet's teachings about the Qur'ān's excellence.