Allah Almighty said: 'I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for

Chapter: It Is Obligatory To Recite Al-Fatihah In Every Rak'ah; If A Person Cannot Recite Al-Fatihah Or Cannot Learn It, Then He Should Recite Whatever Else He Can Manage

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Hadith qudsi Sahih Muslim 395a

Narrator:Abu Hurayrah

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهْىَ خِدَاجٌ - ثَلاَثًا - غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّا نَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى

قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ ‏‏{‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏}‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ ‏‏{‏ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏}‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي ‏.‏ وَإِذَا قَالَ ‏‏{‏ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ‏}‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي - وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَوَّضَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي - فَإِذَا قَالَ ‏‏{‏ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ‏}‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ‏.‏ فَإِذَا قَالَ ‏‏{‏ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ‏}‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say:

"Allah Almighty said: 'I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.' When the servant says, '{All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}', Allah Almighty says: 'My servant has praised Me.' And when he says, '{The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}', Allah Almighty says: 'My servant has extolled Me.' And when he says, '{Master of the Day of Judgment}', Allah Almighty says: 'My servant has glorified Me' - And He also says: 'My servant entrusted his affairs to Me' - And when he says, '{You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help}', He says: 'This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says, '{Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom You have blessed; not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray}', He says: 'This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.'"

Reported by Muslim (No. 395a), Abu Dawud (No. 821), At-Tirmidhi (No. 2953), An-Nasa’i (No. 909), Ibn Majah (No. 838, 3784), Malik (No. 188) and Ahmad (No. 6990, 7099, 7502, 7560, 9519, 9552, 9808, 9928).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty, in a Qudsi Hadīth, said: I have divided Surat al-Fātihah in prayer between Myself and My servant in two halves; a half for Myself and a half for him.

In the first half: praise, exaltation, and glorification of Allah, for which I give him the best reward.

And in the second half: entreaty and supplication, to which I respond and give him what he has asked for.

When the praying person says, {All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, Allah says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says, {The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful}, Allah says: My servant has extolled Me, praised Me, and acknowledged My general favor upon My servants. And when he says, {Master of the Day of Judgment}, Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and that is a great honor.

And when he says, {You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help}', Allah says: This is between Me and My servant.

The first part of this verse, namely {You alone we worship), is an acknowledgment of the divinity of Allah and responding to Him with worship, and with it the half which is for Allah comes to an end.

The second part of the verse, namely {and You alone we ask for help}, contains the quest for help from Allah and His promise of help.

And when he says, {Guide us to the straight path*, the path of those whom You have blessed; not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray}, Allah says: This is entreaty and supplication from My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for, and I have answered his supplication.

Lessons

It shows how Surat al-Fātihah is so important that Allah Almighty called it 'prayer'.
Allah Almighty is kind to His servant, as He commends him for praising, extolling, and glorifying Him and promises that He will give him what he asks for.
This noble Surah contains praise of Allah, mention of the Day of Judgment, supplication to Allah, sincere devotion of worship to Him, asking for guidance to the straight path, and warning of the wrong paths.
If a praying person recalls this Hadīth - when he recites Al-Fātihah - his humility and focus will increase in prayer.

Explanation in Arabic

أَخْبَرَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنَّ الله تعالى قال في الحديث القدسي: قسمت سورة الفاتحة في الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين، لي نصفُها، وله نصفُها.

فنصفُها الأول: حمدٌ وثناءٌ وتمجيدٌ لله، أجزيه عليه خير الجزاء.

ونصفُها الثاني: تَضَرُّعٌ ودعاء، أستجيب له وأعطيه ما سأل.

فإذا قال المصلي: {الحمد لله رب العالمين}، قال الله: حمدني عبدي، وإذا قال: {الرحمن الرحيم}، قال الله: أثنى عليَّ عبدي فمدحني واعتراف لي بعموم الإنعام على خَلْقي، وإذا قال: {مالك يوم الدين}، قال الله: مَجَّدني عبدي، وهو الشرف الواسع.

فإذا قال: {إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين}، قال الله: هذا بيني وبين عبدي.

فالنصف الأول من هذه الآية لله وهو: (إياك نعبد) وهو اعتراف بالألوهية لله، والاستجابة بالعبادة، وبه ينتهي النصف الذي لله.

والنصف الثاني من الآية وهو للعبد: (إياك نستعين) طلب العون من الله، ووعده بالإعانة.

فإذا قال: {اهدنا الصراط المستقيم * صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين}، قال الله: هذا تضرُّع ودعاء من عبدي، ولعبدي ما سأل، وقد أجبتُ دعاءه.

هذا الحديث مما يرويه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن ربه، ويسمى بالحديث القدسي أو الإلهي، وهو الذي لفظه ومعناه من الله، غير أنه ليست فيه خصائص القرآن التي امتاز بها عما سواه، من التعبد بتلاوته والطهارة له والتحدي والإعجاز وغير ذلك.
عظم شأن الفاتحة فقد سماها الله تعالى (الصلاة).
بيان عناية الله تعالى بعبده، حيث مَدَحَه بسبب حَمْدِه وثنائِه وتمجيدِه، ووَعدَه أنْ يُعطيَه ما سأل.
اشتملت هذه السورة الكريمة، على حمد الله، وذكر المعاد، ودعاء الله، وإخلاص العبادة له، وسؤال الهداية إلى الصراط المستقيم، والتحذير من مسالك الباطل.
استشعار المصلي هذا الحديث -اذا قرأ الفاتحة- يَزيدُ مِن خشوعِه في الصلاة.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله ( فَالْخِدَاج ) بِكَسْرِ الْخَاء الْمُعْجَمَة قَالَ الْخَلِيل بْن أَحْمَد وَالْأَصْمَعِيّ وَأَبُو حَاتِم السِّجِسْتَانِيّ وَالْهَرَوِيّ وَآخَرُونَ : الْخِدَاج النُّقْصَان , يُقَال : خَدَجَتْ النَّاقَة إِذَا أَلْقَتْ وَلَدهَا قَبْل أَوَان النِّتَاج , وَإِنْ كَانَ تَامّ الْخَلْق , وَأَخْدَجَتْهُ إِذَا وَلَدَتْهُ نَاقِصًا وَإِنْ كَانَ لِتَمَامِ الْوِلَادَة , وَمِنْهُ قِيلَ لِذِي الْيَدَيْنِ : مُخْدِج الْيَد أَيْ نَاقِصهَا. قَالُوا فَقَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " خِدَاج " أَيْ ذَات خِدَاج. وَقَالَ جَمَاعَة مِنْ أَهْل اللُّغَة : خَدَجَتْ وَأُخْدِجَتْ إِذَا وَلَدَتْ لِغَيْرِ تَمَام. وَأُمّ الْقُرْآن اِسْم الْفَاتِحَة وَسُمِّيَتْ أُمّ الْقُرْآن لِأَنَّهَا فَاتِحَته كَمَا سُمِّي…

Scholar	Grade	Applies to	Work
Muslimd. 261 AH	Authenticصحيح	The hadith	صحيح مسلم No. 395

Grades of other versions (8)

AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الجامع (4326)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (22/351)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (8/75)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (14/7)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (35/370)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — العقيدة الأصفهانية (69)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (2/455)
AuthenticIbn Taymiyyah صحيح — مجموع الفتاوى (11/524)

Other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 821

If anyone observes a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an, it is incomplete, it is incomplete, it is incomplete, and deficient. (The narrator said) I said: Abu Hurairah, sometime I pray behind the imam(then what should I do)? Pressing my hand he replied: O Persian, recite it inwardly…

مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2953

from his father, from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever performs a Salat in which he does not recite Umm Al-Qur'an in it, then it is aborted, it is aborted, not complete." He Said: "I said: 'O Abu Hurairah! Sometimes I am behind an Imam.' He said: 'O Ibn Al-Farisi! Then…

قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ فَنِصْفُهَا لِي وَنِصْفُهَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ يَقُومُ الْعَبْدُ فَيَقْرَأُ ‏:‏ ‏‏(‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ‏)‏ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Hadith qudsi Sunan an-Nasa'i 909

"I heard Abu Hurairah say: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever offers a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al Fatihah), it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, incomplete." I (Abu As-Sa'ib) said: 'O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam.' He poked me in the…

"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ إِنِّي أَحْيَانًا أَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ ‏.‏ فَغَمَزَ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Sunan Ibn Majah 838

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite Ummul Qur’an (the Mother of the Qur’an, i.e., Al- Fatihah), it is deficient; not complete.’” I said: ‘O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam. He pressed my forearm and said: ‘O Persian! Recite it to…

"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ فَإِنِّي أَكُونُ أَحْيَانًا وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ ‏.‏ فَغَمَزَ ذِرَاعِي وَقَالَ يَا…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Hadith qudsi Sunan Ibn Majah 3784

"Allah said: 'I have divided the prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'When the slave says: 'Al-hamdulillah i rabbil Alameen (All the praise is to Allah, the Lord of all that exists),' Allah says:'My slave has praised Me, and My slave…

"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي شَطْرَيْنِ فَنِصْفُهَا لِي وَنِصْفُهَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏"‏…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Hadith qudsi Muwatta Malik 188

Yahya related to me from Malik from al-Ala ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ya'qub that he heard Abu's-Sa'ib, the mawla of Hisham ibn Zuhra, say he had heard Abu Hurayra say, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Whoever prays a prayer without reciting the umm…

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا السَّائِبِ، مَوْلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ زُهْرَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

See all 16 versions

Not graded Hadith qudsi Musnad Ahmad 6990