A simple annotation of the first chapter in the Quran.

1. The Opening

2. In the name of Allah ,
the Entirely Merciful, the
Especially Merciful
It is always good to
start reading with the
name of Allah
This mercy encompasses
EVERYBODY: believers or
non-believers
And ONLY
Allah
deserves to
be called soFor BELIEVERS
only
Other than Allah can
have this quality

3. [All] praise is [due] to Allah,
Lord of the worlds
We Praise Allah with
tongue for qualities HE
owns, or for benefits HE
gave us
The possessor, the
nourisher
All creatures
including the
Mankind or
Jinn and
everything we
can see, or we
can not see

4. Repeating one more time,
So, you are now convinced why HE
should be praised
The Entirely Merciful, the
Especially Merciful,

5. The King and Owner
Sovereign of the Day of
Recompense

6. Observe the difference between
“we worship you” and
“you we worship”
Yes: it is exclusiveness
It is You we worship and
You we ask for help
Isn’t it interesting to change the
address from HE to YOU. As if when
you praised HIM, HE became
present in front of you
Collective rather than
single, alluding to the
collective prayer of
Muslims
The essence of worship
involves extreme submission
with extreme love

7. Guide us to the
straight path -
i.e., the Islam

8. The path of those upon whom You have
bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked
[Your] anger or of those who are astray.
e.g., Prophets, Angels, true faithful, martyrs,
family and companions of Prophet Muhammad.
Also, include Jews and Christians before altering
the teachings of Moses or Jesus.
Who knew the truth yet
denied it, like the Jews
Who are in darkness of
ignorance, like the Christians

9. REFERENCES
Arabic Images
http://www.answering-
christianity.com/noble_
quran_png_files
English Translations
Sahih
International
available @
Quran.com
Annotations
Mostly from “Jame’ al-
Bayan” tafsir book by
Al-Eiji and available at
alwaqfiya online library
IDEA & DESIGN: Abdul-Baqi @ textminingthequran.com