Introduction

Al-Fatiha is one of the shorter Suras in the Qur’an.

Al-Fatiha is only 7 verses. Muslims must read it in their daily prayers. It is considered the “Mother” of the whole Qur’an, one of the greatest Suras ever.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal recorded in his Musnad that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla had said:

"I was praying when the Prophet called me, so I did not answer him until I finished the prayer. I then went to him and he said, What prevented you from coming?
I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.'
He said, Didn't Allah say,
O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.
He then said,
"I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an before you leave the Masjid (Mosque)."
He held my hand and when he was about to leave the Masjid, I said, `O Messenger of Allah! You said: I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an.'
He said, Yes.
Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin,
It is the seven repeated (verses) and the Glorious Qur'an that I was given.

Here are the Sura verses:

Sahih International

In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

[All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds -

The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.

It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

Guide us to the straight path -

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.

**************************

Basically, the Sura is a reinforcement to keep on the staright path (Islam) and not go astray by following the Paths of Jews and Christians

Jews and Christians

At-Tirmidhi reports from Adi ibn Hatim who said:

"I asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) about Allah's saying about, 'Those who have earned [Your] Anger', and he said, 'It refers to the Jews.' I then asked about, 'Those who have gone astray' and he said, 'The Christians are those who have gone astray.' "70

The Christians were ignorant, not knowing the truth,

The Qur’an chastises Christians and Jews for not following the true straight path; Islam

"And do not follow the vain desires of people (i.e. the Christians) who went astray in times gone by, and misled many, and have themselves strayed from the Straight Path." [Al-Qur'an 5:77]

Analysis

This Sura is a reminder to the Muslim claim of a unique hold on truth. Others are just at fault. Muhammad made sure that this Sura, which is part of the daily Muslim prayer, will keep on hating Christians and Jews, just because Muhammad could not convince them that he was a prophet. Hating non-Muslims who are neither Jews, nor Christians, is an implied obligation on the Muslim. If Allah is angry with Jews and Christians, it goes without saying that Allah is more livid against those who were not lucky enough to be called “people of the book”.

There is no evidence supporting the Muslim claim against Christians and Jews, except in the Qur’an itself. Such Qur’anic claims cannot be proven outside the Qur’an. It is like saying: “Jews and Christians are wrong because I say so”. A silly claim like that “because I say so” may work for a father talking to his kids. It will not work for an intellectual asking for evidence. You cannot use the Qur’an to prove its truth. You need to use some other means; a tool lacking for Muslims in general.

One of the factors that influence leaving a cult is the instilled fear in the cult member. It is an irrational fear. But, nevertheless, it is very strong. Islamo-critic Mumin Salih discussed the depth of Islamic influence on a Muslim Psyche right from the moment of birth (and even before that). Such an influence cannot be under-estimated. Even for mature independent adults, it is a substantial existential struggle for a person to leave Islam. Even if Islamic claims cannot be proven outside their sacred text, it is a project of great effort to break out from the shackles of Islamic faith and fly free in the free world. Lack of evidence for Islam is not in and off of itself sufficient for the Muslim to break free. Additional factors have also to be considered.

Back to the Sura under discussion. It is clear that having such a Sura read by the Muslims in every daily prayer he performs is no more than a marketing scheme to hate and discriminate against Jews and Christians. Having lived in the Middle East for the first half of my life, I can first hand testify to the fact that Middle Eastern Arab cultures are designed to Hate the Jews to a great degree, and to innately discriminate against Jews and Christians.

Conclusion

The sum of it is that the Muslim daily prayer is a mandate to hate certain people, Jews and Christians, and non-Muslims in general, just because of who they are. This daily prayer is one of the elements that make me believe that Islam is a supremacist religion. It assumes its truths over others, without any evidence at all.

 

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