Holy are You
The difference between Tasbih (saying Subhanallah) and Tahmid (saying Alhamdulillah) is that in Tasbih we say that Allah is free of all imperfections and in Tahmid we say that Allah has all perfections. In one we negate, and in the other we affirm.
“Sabbahallah means, he declared God to be free from all defects and weaknesses; he glorified God (Aqrab). The word is used about God and conveys the sense of glorifying Him and declaring Him to be free from all defects- anything that may detract from, and adversely affect, His attributes of Oneness, Knowledge, Power, Purity, etc. (Taj & Mufradat).” (The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 90)
In concept, Tasbih may seem redundant. After all, if we believe in Allah, then we already believe that He is free of all defects. The definition of the word Allah is “the name of the Supreme Being Who is the sole possessor of all perfect attributes and is free from all defects.” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 28) If we already believe in Allah and know that He is free of all imperfections, then why emphasize that He is free of imperfections?
The reason for this emphasis is that there is a difference in believing in something in concept and believing in something in practice. There are many imperfections that we unknowingly attribute to Allah Almighty. Doing Tasbih means we identify these and correct them. For example, in concept, we believe that Allah Almighty is near. However, we may not have experienced His nearness as a reality in a long time, or ever. As a result, if we look within ourselves, we will find that we feel that Allah is distant. This feeling of distance naturally results in weakness in our prayers. When we feel that Allah is distant, then we feel that He doesn’t really hear us. As a result, our prayers lack certainty and our words lack gravity. When we feel Allah is distant, then we feel that He doesn’t really see us. As a result, our stance and facial expression in Salat reflect carelessness. When we feel that Allah is distant, we feel that he doesn’t really speak. As a result, we don’t seek an answer, and our relationship dies. If we feel that Allah is distant, then we feel that He doesn’t really know everything. As a result, our mind easily wanders into one embarrassing thought or another. If the person next to us knew what we were thinking when we daydream in Salat and why we were thinking it, it would be awkward.
If we do not recite “holy are You” with attention, our concepts will contradict with our practices. Our belief, in concept, will tell us that Allah is supposed to be near, but our belief in practice will tell us that He is distant. Our prayer will be spent in frustration because we are trying to act on beliefs that contradict each other.
When we say “holy are You,” we find these imperfections in our practice and then realize that they attribute imperfections to our concept of Allah Almighty.
Subhanahu means, “I declare God to be far removed or free from every imperfection, defect, impurity, and I magnify, celebrate, glorify, and praise Him.” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 376)
If we recite “holy are You” with attention, then we begin prayer with our beliefs being consistent and in harmony with one another. Just realizing our wrong beliefs will make those feelings of distance from Allah Almighty start disappearing on their own. An awareness of Allah Almighty’s presence comes over us that we did not feel the moment before we said “holy are You.” We suddenly realize that He is not deaf, rather He has heard everything we have said. We realize that He is not blind, rather He sees us in this very place. We realize that He is not mute, rather He can answer us at this very moment. When we say “holy are You,” we should ask ourselves, ‘Do I really believe that Allah has the power to accept my prayer right now?’
The Promised Messiah(as) said,
“Never miss Salat. Observe it repeatedly and with this thought that I am standing in front of a Being of such power that if He wills, He can accept my prayer now, in this very state, in fact, in this very moment, in fact, in this very second.” (Malfuzat (10 vol. edition), vol. 4, pp. 401)
We must also remember that our lower-self has a vested interest in attributing imperfections to Allah Almighty. For example, when Muslim scholars lost their righteousness and no longer received the favor of revelation, they had two choices. They could either admit that they had become misguided and were no longer worthy of receiving revelation from Allah, or they could hide their misguidance by claiming that Allah no longer speaks to anyone. They chose to conceal their misguidance and attribute imperfections to Allah instead. This created a vicious cycle; their weaknesses changed their concept of God, and then their wrong concept of God led to greater weaknesses. When they stopped believing that Allah would speak to them, they stopped seeking interaction with Allah Almighty, and as a result, they ceased being spoken to.
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Awwal(ra) used to relate about one of his teachers that he saw a dream when he was in Bhopal that he was standing near a bridge in the outskirts of the town. There he found a leper whose whole body had been infested with worms. Flies were resting on his body. He asked him who he was. He replied that he was God, his Lord. The teacher said that he had read so many praiseworthy things about God in the Holy Quran; that He is so beautiful and there is none who is comparable to Him. What has become of His condition? God replied to him, ‘My appearance that you are seeing is not the one I possess in reality. This is how I look through the eyes of the people of Bhopal.’”
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) advised,
“Examine yourselves closely, and analyze your actions, words, sayings, your movements and your rest. Examine how you see God as compared to the things that you love in this world, lest your view of God be the same as the people of Bhopal, or similar to it. Remember well that God is entirely free and pure of all ugliness, vice, and disfigurement.” (Anwarul ‘Ulum, vol. 2, pp. 236-237, Barakate Khilafat)
If our prayers are not being accepted, then the uncomfortable truth is that we are doing something wrong. The difficult path is to change ourselves so that we become worthy of the acceptance of prayers. However, it is much easier to change our concept of Allah rather than changing ourselves. It is easier to attribute imperfection to Allah and believe that He no longer accepts prayers. With this excuse, we can say that we tried our best but it’s not our fault that our worship produced no results. This creates a vicious cycle because when we convince ourselves that Allah does not accept prayers, then we have little reason to pray, and we gradually cease to pray at all.
If we don’t practically believe that Allah can accept our prayers, then we start to disbelieve in the attribute of The Responder. That attribute ceases to exist for us and we cease to seek blessings from that attribute. If we believe in practice that Allah Almighty does not hear, or see, or speak, then we will slowly stop praying to Him and obeying Him and expecting a response from Him. The lack of correct doctrines will result in a lack of action on our part. The lack of action will result in a lack of response from Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty says,
“I am to my slave as he thinks of Me” (Bukhari, Book 97, Chapter 35).
To us, He will become a deaf, blind, and mute God. It does not matter how much religious knowledge we have or how much of a scholar we are. If we do not have a correct belief in Allah Almighty in practice, we can never have a living relationship with Him.
In Tasbih, we recognize that our lower-self has a vested interest in attributing imperfections to Allah Almighty. We realize that if there is any weakness, it is not a weakness in Allah; subhanallah, it is in fact a weakness in us. When we say “holy are You,” we reflect on the being of Allah with emphasis on negating imperfections we attribute to Him.
O Allah
Any name is meaningless to us if we don’t know someone with that name. For example, if you don’t know anybody named Zaid, Zaid is a meaningless word to you. However, if someone close to you is named Zaid, then the person comes to your mind when you hear their name. You picture his face along with who he is. Think of the name of someone very close to you. The mention of that word brings with it an immediate recognition and a flow of thoughts and emotions. It brings to mind the person you know.
With the word Allah, we are addressing Allah Almighty personally.
“In the Arabic language, this word is never used for any other being or thing. No other language has a distinctive name for the Supreme Being. The names found in other languages are attributive or descriptive. Allah is always used in the singular.” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 28)
The name Allah can only be meaningful to us if we know Him. When we say Allah, we think of the Being we know. The degree to which we are familiar with Allah is the degree to which this name will carry meaning for us.
There is, however, a distinction between how we recognize people and how we recognize Allah Almighty.
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) said,
“We see people’s beauty first, and then we see their characteristics after. The beauty of a person is visible and his characteristics are hidden. For this reason, character is higher than beauty. However, with the Being of Allah Almighty, we see the characteristics of Allah first and His beauty after. The beauty of Allah is more hidden than the characteristics of Allah.” (Ta‘luq Billah, pp. 79)
When we hear the name of someone we are barely acquainted with, then only their face comes to mind, but when we hear the name of someone we are close to, then their characteristics come to mind. In the initial stages of spirituality, when Allah is only an acquaintance, hearing His name brings to mind the attributes we know or have interacted with. As we experience His favors more and more, we start to understand the Being behind those favors. The more we get to know Allah Almighty through understanding and experiencing His attributes, the more we see His beauty. Eventually, when we hear the name of Allah, it is His beauty that now comes to mind.
When we say “O Allah,” we can ask ourselves how familiar we are with Allah Almighty. The word should bring with it a spontaneous recognition and a flow of thoughts and emotions. It brings to mind a Being who we know. When we have a presence of mind on who we are addressing, then the words “O Allah” carry a feeling of intimacy.
“True believers are only those whose hearts tremble when the name of Allah is mentioned” (8:3)
and all praise is Yours
Tasbih (saying Subhanallah) is a foundation for Tahmid (saying Alhamdulillah). It is important to remove any imperfections from our minds before we can reflect on the perfections of Allah Almighty. That is why the words “holy are You” come before the words “and all praise is Yours.”
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) said,
“In extolling the holiness God, only being free from imperfection is mentioned. However, explaining the attributes of God only up to this point is not sufficient for a person who is at a higher stage of reflection. For a complete mind, it is necessary to express the attributes that affirm His qualities.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 1, pg. 284)
“The reality is that a complete connection with Allah Almighty cannot be achieved without reflecting on and benefitting from the affirming attributes of God. A person who simply extols the holiness of God, he only says that God Almighty is a superior being. However, a person who praises God, he demonstrates Him to be a living God. He benefits from the attributes of God, and he causes their benefit to reach others.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 1, pp. 286)
Let’s use the example of distance and nearness. When we say “holy are You,” we remove the misconception that Allah is distant. The emphasis here is not on how near Allah Almighty is, but on how He is not distant. When we say “and all praise is Yours,” the emphasis here is on how near He is. We say that Allah Almighty is praiseworthy and is closer to us than we can imagine.
We don’t just say that Allah is not deaf, but we reflect on His praiseworthy attribute of being the All-Hearing; “It is He Who hears all things, and is ever-near.” (34:51) We don’t just say that he is not blind, but we reflect on His praiseworthy attribute of being the All-Seeing; “And He is with you wheresoever you may be. And Allah sees all that you do.” (57:5) We don’t just say that he is not mute, but we reflect on His praiseworthy attribute of being the Answerer of Prayers; “And when My servants ask you about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me.” (2:187) We don’t just say that Allah is not oblivious, but we reflect on His praiseworthy attribute of being the All-Knowing; “We know what his self whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.” (50:17)
When we do Tasbih (saying Subhanallah), we look inwards and find all of the imperfections that we ourselves attribute to Allah Almighty. When we do Tahmid (saying Alhamdulillah), we look outwards and observe all of the perfections of Allah Almighty. The emphasis of Tasbih is not to affirm a reality that exists; it is to negate a falsehood that does not exist. This is why there are very few ways of doing Tasbih, but there are a hundred ways of doing Tahmid. In almost all the places that we do Tasbih, we express it with only one word, which is Subhan. We don’t need a vast vocabulary to negate the imperfections we invented ourselves, but we do need a vast vocabulary to describe the countless beauties of Allah Almighty. When we do Tahmid, then we can say “Holy is my Lord, the Most Great,” or “Holy is my Lord, the Most High,” or “Holy is Allah, Lord of the Throne,” or “Holy is Allah, Lord of all the worlds,” or “Holy is Allah, and all praise is His.” When we say “and all praise is Yours” in Thana’, we look outward and observe all of the different ways that Allah Almighty is praiseworthy.
Mean?1. “and praise be to You”
One meaning of 
is, “praise be to You.” This makes 
into two separate statements. Its translation would be, “Holy are You, O Allah, and praise be to You.” The 
is here interpreted as “and,” referring to consecutive action” or by 
is meant 
praise be to Thee:” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
)
When we recite with this interpretation in mind, we first reflect on how Allah Almighty is free of all weaknesses, we pause, and then we reflect on how He possesses all perfect attributes.
2. “while praising You”
Another meaning of 
is, “praising You.” This makes the phrase 
into one statement rather than two statements. It’s translation would be, “I declare Your holiness, O Allah, while praising You.” The 
is here interpreted as “while,” referring to simultaneous action.
“Authors differ respecting the 
in the saying, 
... ome saying that it denotes concomitance, and that 
is prefixed to the objective complement, so that the meaning is, 
[Declare thou his (thy Lord's) freedom from everything derogatory from his glory, praising Him], i. e. declare thou his freedom from that which is not suitable to Him, and ascribe to Him that which is suitable to Him;” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root:
- Entry: 
)
Also, 
that by 
is meant 
”(Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
)
When we recite with this interpretation in mind, we reflect on how every weakness that we falsely attribute to Allah Almighty is connected to a true attribute of His that refutes it. For example, when we remind ourselves that Allah Almighty is not oblivious to what we do, we are simultaneously reminded that He is All-Knowing and He sees everything we do. Tasbih and Tahmid can be done separately or, as in this case, simultaneously.
3. “and with Your praise”
Another meaning of 
is, “with Your praise.” In this interpretation, there would be an implied verb before or after this phrase. This implied verb is also found in the use of 
(with) in 
(with the name of Allah).
“The compound word 
therefore would mean 'with the name of.' According to the Arab usage, the words iqra’ or aqra’u or naqra’u or ishra’ or ashra‘u or nashra‘u would be taken to be understood before 
The expression 
would thus mean 'begin with the name of Allah' or 'recite with the name of Allah,' or 'I or we begin with the name of Allah.' or 'I or we recite with the name of Allah.'” (The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 5)
The words “with the name of Allah” are left open-ended so that we can use them in every situation. If a person is going to go for a walk, he can add this verb and say, “I walk with the name of Allah.” If a person is going to cook, he can add this verb and say, “I cook with the name of Allah.” Any verb can be used to fit every situation in our daily lives. The meanings of the words “with the name of Allah” are vast because they can have so many verbs implied with it. Similarly, the words “with Your praise” can also have many verbs implied with it. The following are some possible verbs:
a. “And I begin with praising You”
Since we are beginning our prayer, the act of “beginning” can be the implied verb. Thus, we mean to say, “Holy are You, O Allah, and I begin with praising You.”
“and I begin with praising Thee; 
being understood” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
).
When we recite with this interpretation, we bring to mind the entire Salat we are about to observe, and then we make the intention of beginning that Salat with the praise of Allah.
b. “and with Your praise I declare Your Holiness”
Since we are declaring the holiness of Allah, the implied verb can continue this subject of “holiness.” Thus, we mean to say, “Holy are You, O Allah, and by praising You I declare Your holiness.”
“and by praising Thee I extol thy remoteness, or freedom, from every impurity ... 
being understood” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
).
“One says also, 
meaning 
[i. e. I glorify Thee by enumerating all thy benefits, and by the praising of Thee I glorify Thee].” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
)
There are so many small weaknesses that we falsely attribute to Allah Almighty without noticing. Were it not for the countless ways of praise that have been revealed to correct our concept of God, we would have fallen into all types of shirk. When we say, “Holy are You, O Allah, and by praising You I declare Your holiness,” it is a statement of humility. We say that we can only do true Tasbih because of the Tahmid that we have been taught. It is by means of the praise Allah Almighty taught us that we are able to do something so basic as declaring His holiness.
Also, in some cases, the 
can be interpreted to add emphasis to the phrase that follows.
“or, accord. to Aboo-ʼAmr Ibn-El-ʼAlà, the 
is corroborative, as in the phrase, 
for 
”(Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
)
and blessed is Your name
The names of Allah Almighty are a source of blessings for us because they are the only way we have of knowing Him. For example, Allah Almighty is described as An-Nur (The Light). Our eyes cannot see light, they can only see how light reflects off of objects. We could be floating in outer space and be surrounded by intense light, but if there were nothing for it to reflect on, we would be unaware of it. Space seems dark because of its emptiness, not necessarily because of an absence of light. When we see an object reflecting light, that is a sign for us that there is light present. In the world of our eyesight, we live in a world of reflections. We are surrounded by light and can never see it; we spend our lives observing its reflections. Similarly, the reality is that we cannot see the Being of Allah.
Hazrat Abu Dharr(ra), narrated, “I asked the Messenger of Allah(sa): “Did you see your Lord?” He said: “(He is) Light; how could I see Him?” (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Chapter 78)
It is only the reflection of the Light of Allah that we see; we live in a world of reflections. Each name of Allah is a sign for a different beauty of the Being of Allah. An Ism is “The name of a thing; a sign conveying knowledge of a thing;” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 413) The names of Allah are signs that convey knowledge of the Being of Allah. They are the only way we have of knowing His reality. For example, it is through the attribute of The Merciful that we interact with Allah Almighty. That interaction is an object that His light reflects off of. If it weren’t for that interaction, we would never know that the Being of Allah was present. The Being of Allah surrounds us, but we can never see Him. “Eyes cannot reach Him but He reaches the eyes. And He is the Imperceptible, the All-Aware” (6:104). The names of Allah are a source of blessings for us because they are how His Beauty reaches our eyes.
The names of Allah are always reflective of a greater reality behind them. However, the names of people are often meaningless or misleading. There is usually little use in reflecting on people’s names because they do not provide much insight into the reality of that person.
The Promised Messiah(as) said,
“The ism (name) of a thing is generally understood by people as that by which it is recognized.” (Tafsir Hazrat Masih Mau'ud, vol. 1, pp. 47, 1:1)
For example, the name Bakr does not have much significance in its meaning. If we know someone named Bakr, the word just reminds us of the person because of word association. It is not descriptive of who they are. Also, the names we give to people can be the opposite of who they turn out to be. Someone could be named Sadiq but we may find him to be a liar. However, the names given by Allah are never meaningless and always give true insight into His Being.
The Promised Messiah(as) goes on to explain,
“In the view of people who are learned, the ism (name) of a thing is a reflection of its reality. There is no doubt that the names given by Allah to things signify their properties.” (Tafsir Hazrat Masih Mau'ud, vol. 1, pp. 47, 1:1)
The names of Allah signify His reality. The more we understand those names, the more we will be able to see His beauties. That is why they are tabarak, which means “blessed” and “abundant in good” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
Entry: 
). Each name of Allah conveys knowledge of a beauty of Allah Almighty. When we say “blessed is Your name,” we say that each name of Allah is an abundant and everlasting good that always continues increasing. We remind ourselves that the names of Allah are the only way we can know Him, and the more we understand them, the more of His beauty we will be able to see.
Tabaraka also means that “one looks for a blessing by means of [uttering] his name” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
Entry: 
).
When we pray to Allah Almighty by looking for blessings through the name of Allah that is relevant to that prayer, then the prayer becomes filled with blessings.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran,
“Say, ‘Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman; by whichever name you call Him, His are the most beautiful names.’” (17:110)
In commentary, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) explained that every objective has a relevant name of Allah Almighty which we should pray by means of. When we need something related to the attribute of the grace of Allah Almighty, then we should pray by means of the attribute of The Gracious. When we are in need of mercy, or provisions, or bestowal, we should pray by means of that attribute. All beautiful names belong to Allah, and we should pray using the name that is according to the situation. (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 4, pp. 401)
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) said,
“When we ask of Allah by means of the name that is relevant to our purpose, then the prayer is more blessed. … If someone does not have children, and he prays, “O Creator, grant me a child,” this is a proper way to pray.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 9, pp. 269)
This approach to prayer is taught to us right from the beginning of the Holy Quran. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) explained that in Suratul Fatihah, each prayer has a corresponding attribute. “All praise belongs to Allah” correlates to “You alone do we worship.” When man comes to know that all beauties are in Allah Almighty, he spontaneously says that he worships Him alone. The name “Lord of all the worlds” correlates to the prayer, “You alone do we implore for help”. When man comes to know that Allah Almighty is the creator and benefactor of everyone and every particle, he says that he only seeks help from Him. The name “The Gracious” correlates to the prayer “guide us on the right path”. When he sees that Allah Almighty has provided for all of man’s necessities without any effort on his part, then he spontaneously says that his greatest need is finding Allah, his spiritual necessity, and he begs to be provided with the means to achieve it. The name “The Merciful” correlates to the prayer “The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your blessings”. The mercy of Allah does not allow any effort of man to go to waste, and man prays to be guided along the right path until he reaches the rewards that previous people have received. The name “Master of the Day of Judgement” correlates to the prayer, “those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray.” When man knows that he will be accountable for his actions, then the fear of failure arises in his heart and he prays to be saved from the displeasure of Allah Almighty. (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 1, pp. 47)
One wisdom of this approach is that when we reflect on the attribute relevant to our prayer, we will think of all of the ways Allah Almighty has manifested His glory through that attribute.
When the Holy Prophet(sa) would visit someone who was sick, he would pray,
“O Allah! The Lord of the people, the Remover of trouble! (Please) cure (this patient), for You are the Healer. None brings about healing but You; a healing that will leave behind no ailment.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Chapter 38)
When we are praying to be healed and appeal to Allah by means of His attribute of The Healer, we will also think of how Allah Almighty has healed countless people before from far worse illnesses. If there were any doubt in our mind about Allah’s power to heal us, it would be removed. The power of Allah to accept our prayer would be present in our mind with more clarity, and our prayer would be filled with greater certainty.
If we are praying to be pardoned, then we appeal to Allah by means of His attribute of The Pardoner.
The Holy Prophet(sa) taught that if we find Lailatul Qadr (the night of decree), we should pray,
“O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me.” (Tirmidhi, Book 48, Chapter 84)
This approach fills our prayers with hope that motivates us to never give up on that prayer until it is accepted. If the thought arises in our mind that we may be too sinful to be pardoned and this prayer is pointless, then reminding ourselves that Allah Almighty is the Pardoner who loves to pardon will motivate us to keep striving towards the door of repentance.
When we say “blessed is Your name,” we are reminded to seek blessings through the names of Allah for the acceptance of our prayers.
“God being the source of all goodness, even the invoking of His name proves a blessing. Says the Quran (55:79), ‘Blessed be the name of thy Lord, the Owner of Majesty and Honour.’” (The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 8-9, 1:1)
and exalted is Your majesty
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Rabi‘(rh) said,
“Wa ta‘ala jadduka - this is that Being Who is exalted above every other being. No other being can compare with Him.” (Tadris Namaz, pp. 2)
When “exalted is Your majesty” is read in juxtaposition with “blessed is Your name,” then the emphasis in “exalted is Your Majesty” is on the Being of Allah. In contrast, the emphasis in “blessed is Your name” is on the attributes of Allah.
The Being of Allah Almighty is far more vast than the names we know describe to us. We only know a finite number of the names of Allah according to our finite capacities. For example, our eyes are capable of seeing only a limited number of colors in the spectrum of light. What exists outside of that spectrum is beyond our capacity, so we do not need to name those colors. All of the words we have for different colors only describe what exists within the very limited spectrum of light that we are able to see. Similarly, the names of Allah that we are taught represent only the limited knowledge that we are capable of understanding.
The Holy Prophet(sa) prayed,
“I ask of You by every name with which You have described Yourself, or which You have taught to any of Your creation, or which You have revealed in Your book, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the unseen with You,” (Musnad Ahmad, narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, 3704)
There are countless names of Allah that we are unaware of. The Being of Allah is not confined to the number of names our species is capable of understanding. The reality of Allah is infinitely more vast than the finite spectrum of Allah that we are capable of perceiving. When we say “blessed is Your name”, we remind ourselves that the names we have been taught describe every color and beauty within the spectrum of our sight. However, when we say “exalted is Your majesty,” we remind ourselves that the Majesty of the Being of Allah is far more broad than our spectrum of sight and far loftier than what any name can do true justice to.
The Being of Allah Almighty is far greater than what any name can express. However great a name of Allah may be, it is only a sign for a greater reality behind it. The Majesty of Allah is far above what any name can describe. For example, the name 
(king) can apply to a person who is a king, and this word can encompass in its meaning the full extent of his attributes as a king. However, the name 
(The King) has also been revealed as an attribute of Allah Almighty. The difference between a person being 
(king) and Allah being 
(The King) is only in the word al (
). The “al” signifies perfection, but that “al” can never do justice to the infinite difference between a man being 
(king) and Allah Almighty being 
(The King). The word Al-Malik cannot encompass in its meaning the full extent of His attribute as The King. In fact, no words can express or encompass any revelation of Allah. This is why revelation from Allah, in general, is referred to with the word wahi, which means “to convey one’s intention or wish by means of quick signs” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 820).
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) said,
“In my opinion, the word ‘wahi’ was chosen for referring to ‘revelation from God’ because spiritual realities cannot be fully expressed in words, they can only be indicated to. Thus, in the word ‘wahi’ is an indication of how lofty revelation is.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 3, pp. 14)
While every name of Allah is filled with eternal truths and blessings, but the reality of Allah behind that name is infinitely greater. The Majesty of Allah and the greatness of His being are supremely exalted and far beyond what any word or name can signify.
Jadd refers to the “Greatness, or majesty;” of God. It also refers to His “freedom from all wants or the like; syn. ghina” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
Entry: 
). It refers to a Majesty that is independent of us. No matter how great the majesty of an ordinary king is, he is not free of want. It is only the Majesty of Allah that includes the absence, or non‐existence, of wants. The Majesty of Allah is free of needing anything from us. His Majesty is independent of our existence.
Ta‘ala means, “Exalted, or supremely exalted, is He] in his essence and his attributes, above the created beings.” (Lane’s Lexicon, Root: 
- Entry: 
). When we say “exalted is Your majesty,” we should remember that no matter how much we advance in the knowledge of the attributes of Allah Almighty, the Majesty of His Being is supremely exalted beyond our comprehension.
and there is none worthy of worship except You
In Kalimah, we say “there is none worthy of worship except Allah” and refer to Allah in the third person. However, here we say “there is none worthy of worship except you” and refer to Him in the second person. In Thana’, we address Allah Almighty five times with the word “you,” as if He is in front of us. The purpose is to create the state of ihsan, which is a prerequisite for true Salat.
The Holy Prophet(sa) was asked about ihsan, he(sa) said it is,
“To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion, then you must consider that He is looking at you.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book 2, Chapter 37)
Allah Almighty has taught us to address Him directly to make these words more personal. When our mind says the word “you”, our heart will only say it along with us. Each time we say the word “you” in Thana’, it carries a personal feeling of closeness and of seeing Allah Almighty.
The purpose of Thana’ is to ensure that we start our prayer in the state of ihsan. We address Allah Almighty in the second person tense because Thana’ is an interaction with God. There is one moment when we realize that Allah Almighty is not distant, rather He is present in the same room as we are. There is another moment when we realize that we are not speaking to ourselves, but we are speaking directly to Allah Almighty. Allah ceases to be a distant concept; He becomes a living God who is present. By the time we finish Thana’, we are in that state of ihsan which is necessary for proper Salat.
If we cannot achieve the state of seeing Allah, then the repeated use of the word “you” should at least remind us that Allah Almighty is looking at us, that He is present. Whether we can see Him or not, He is still there and we should worship as if we are aware that He is seeing us. This is also ihsan, and a Salat that meets this minimum prerequisite will surely be fruitful.
The meaning of la ilaha illa-llah is,
“I have no desire, and I have no beloved, and I have none I worship, and I have none I obey, and I have no purpose except Allah.” (Ruhani Khazain, vol. 9, pp. 419 / vol. 15, pp. 618)
When we do not see the beauties of Allah in front of us, we may struggle to sincerely say that, “in this moment, I have no desire except Allah.” Although we believe in the Kalimah in concept, our practical reality may conflict with it. However, after having observed Thana’, we have now reached the state of ihsan and we can see Allah in front of us. Having reflected on His names, we now see reflections of Him around us. Having seen His beauty, now hearing the name “Allah” brings a familiar Being to mind. Now, our heart no longer hesitates to reaffirm that, ‘there is none I worship and obey except Allah.’ When we say that, ‘in this moment, I have no desire, no beloved, and no purpose except for Allah,’ our heart is also saying these words because we are seeing Allah. When we say, “there is none worthy of worship except you,” it is now a statement of the obvious. When we have seen the beauty of Allah Almighty, the beauty of everything else becomes meaningless.
The level of clarity we have in Salat is hard to maintain afterward, so what do we do when we go back into the world? Our priorities can again become conflicted, but that is why we observe Salat daily. It is through repeated reminders that we develop clarity in our priorities. That clarity gradually becomes a part of our lives in between prayers.
(Since word by word commentaries of Surah al-Fatihah are available in the English language, it will not be covered in this book. The reader is encouraged to study the Promised Messiah’s (as) commentary on Surah al-Fatihah, titled Commentary on the Holy Quran, Vol.I—Surah Fatihah, and Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud’s (ra) commentary on Surah al-Fatihah, available in At-Tafsir-ul-Kabir: The Grand Exegesis. A brief introduction to Surah al-Fatihah is provided below.)
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, The Gracious, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path — The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray.
Explaining the qualities of Surah al-Fatihah, the Promised Messiah(as) said,
“It should be clear that if a discourse fully resembles something from among the things that have proceeded from God and are the handiwork of His power of creation—that is to say, it combines in it the external and internal wonders in the same way that they exist in something that has been created by God—it can then be said that such a discourse possesses the rank that is beyond the human capabilities to produce its like. For, if it is admitted and approved by all and sundry—without any disagreement or controversy—that something is incomparable and has proceeded from God, then anything that is proven to fully share its criteria of incomparability would also be considered incomparable. For instance, if one object conforms in all aspects to another object which measures ten yards, then it would be established, with absolute certainty and beyond any doubt, that it also measures ten yards.
Now, out of the things created by Allah, I shall, for purpose of comparison, select one lovely creation—namely, the rose—and describe the external and internal wonders which make it admittedly of such excellent quality that human capacities fall utterly short of reproducing its like. I shall then prove that the wonders and excellences of Surah al-Fatihah are in all respects of the same measure—and indeed, far superior—as the wonders and excellences of the rose.
The reason for selecting this illustration is that on one occasion, in a state of vision, my humble self saw that I was holding in my hand Surah al-Fatihah inscribed on a leaf and it was so beautiful and attractive that it appeared as if the paper on which Surah al-Fatihah was written was laden with soft red rose petals to the extent that it was beyond count. As my humble self recited any verse of this surah many of these roses flew upwards, producing a sweet sound. The flowers were very delicate, large, beautiful, fresh, and full of fragrance. As they ascended, my heart and mind were perfumed with their fragrance and they created such a state of intoxication that, due to the attraction of their incomparable pleasure, they created a strong aversion from the world and all that is in it.
This vision indicates that the rose has a spiritual affinity with Surah al-Fatihah. Due to this affinity, I chose it for the purpose of illustration. Therefore, it seems pertinent to delineate first, for illustration, the external and internal wonders found in the rose and then set out the external and internal wonders of Surah al-Fatihah, so that the honest readers should know that the external and internal beauties of the rose, which put reproduction of its like beyond human reach, are present in Surah al-Fatihah in the same way—indeed, with much greater beauty. And also [I chose it] so that, through this illustration, what was signified in the vision is carried out.
Therefore, bear in mind that every sensible person would readily consider it to be a proven fact beyond any doubt that a rose, like other creations of God, has such excellent beauties within it, the like of which man is unable to reproduce. These beauties are of two types. First, those that are found in its external form, namely, its colour is beautiful and lovely, its fragrance is delightful and pleasing, and in its visible form, it is characterized by extreme delicacy, freshness, softness, tenderness, and purity. Second, there are beauties that the All-Wise God has granted it internally; namely, the qualities which are hidden within its essence, and these are that it is refreshing, strengthens the heart, alleviates the bile, and invigorates all faculties and spirits. It is a laxative for yellow bile and watery phlegm. Similarly, it strengthens the stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines, womb, and lungs. Moreover, it is very beneficial for severe palpitation, fainting, and weakness of the heart. Similarly, it is beneficial for a variety of other ailments of the body. On account of these two types of qualities, it is believed that it is at such a level of perfection that it is utterly impossible for any human being to produce such a flower by himself which is attractive in colour, lovely in fragrance, and fresh, soft, delicate, and clear like the rose in its texture, and, in addition, possesses internally all of those qualities that are possessed by the rose.
If it is asked why it is believed about the rose that human powers are unable to create its match and why it is impermissible for any man to be able to produce its like and create, in an artificial flower, all of the external and internal qualities that are found in the rose, then the answer to this question is: The possibility of producing such a flower has been refuted in practice, and until today no physician or philosopher has been able to discover through the use of any device, any kinds of medicines, which, by their mixing or compounding, result in producing, externally and internally, the like of the rose in appearance and essence.
It must be realized that the same aspects of incomparability are not only found in Surah al-Fatihah, but also in every brief passage of the Noble Quran, even one comprising less than four verses. First, observe its external form to see the perfect manifestation of elegance of diction, beautiful exposition, excellent choice of words, perfectly smooth style, softness and fluidity, glamour, loveliness, and other qualities that are essential for a good composition—a manifestation that cannot possibly be exceeded and which is entirely secure and free from every kind of crude expression and complicated composition. Every phrase is the utmost in lucidity and eloquence, every form of expression is employed at its proper place, and everything that is necessary to enhance the beauty and bring out the loveliness of its composition is found in it. The highest grade of eloquence and beauty of articulation that can be imagined is found and seen in perfection and all of the beauty of expression that is needed to make its meaning clear and pleasing is available and present therein. With all of the qualities of clarity of expression and conformity with the perfect beauty of diction, it is filled with the fragrance of truth and rectitude. In it there is no exaggeration having the slightest adulteration of falsehood, nor is there any figurative expression which, like that of the poets, is aided by the filth of falsehood, vain talk, or idle boasts. Whereas the composition of poets is laden with the stench of falsehood, idle boasts, and vain verbiage, this composition is full of the delicate fragrance of truth and rectitude. Furthermore, this fragrance is accompanied by a beauty of exposition, propriety of diction, figurativeness, and clarity of expression; and, as in the rose, its fragrance is accompanied by the beauty of its colour and purity. These are its external qualities.
As for internal properties, it—that is, Surah al-Fatihah—has the following qualities. It encompasses remedies for grave spiritual ailments and it contains a vast provision for the perfection of the faculties for theoretical and practical activities. It sets straight many serious disorders. It sets forth vistas of wisdom, deep subtleties, and fine points which remained hidden from the eyes of sages and philosophers. Its perusal fortifies the power of conviction in the heart of a spiritual pilgrim, and heals the ailment of doubts, misgivings, and misguidance. Its blessed text is replete with countless supreme truths and very subtle verities which are essential for the perfect development of the human being. Obviously, these excellences are such that—like the perfect qualities of the rose—it is impossible for them to be combined in the composition of any human being. This impossibility is not mere speculation, but an established fact, because God Almighty has expounded the subtleties and splendid points of wisdom in His eloquent and lucid Word precisely in the hour of their true need, displaying perfection in both external and internal qualities, and, thus achieved perfection with profound fine details in both external and internal aspects.
In other words, it first lays down the essential, lofty divine insights, the traces of which had been lost and obliterated from earlier teachings, and no sage or philosopher had so much as hinted at them. Moreover, these divine insights have not been expounded in an unnecessary and redundant manner, but have been set forth at a time and in an age when such remedial measures were direly needed for the reformation of that time. Had they not been stated, the ruin and destruction of the age was inevitable. Again, these lofty divine insights have not been stated in a deficient and incomplete manner; rather, they are situated at the point of perfection, both quantitatively as well as qualitatively. The intellect of no wise man can alight upon a religious verity that has been left out of them, nor is there any doubt of a follower of falsehood that has not been dispelled in this Word.
To expound all of these truths and sublime verities, which nevertheless fully conform with the true needs, and to do so with such unsurpassable excellence of eloquence and elegance, is indeed a grand task—evidently beyond the reach of human capacity. But man is so inept that if he wants to describe even the insignificant and trivial affairs—that have nothing to do with sublime truths—in an elegant and eloquent composition, with strict regard to truthfulness and veracity, it would not be possible for him. This is very obvious to any wise person. For example, take the case of a storekeeper who possesses great mastery of language both in poetry and prose and wishes to maintain in his converse—which he has to make with all types of customers and clients—the highest standards of eloquence and figurative language, adapting his conversation with due regard to each occasion and situation, being brief when brevity is appropriate, and speaking in detail when argumentation is required; and if a dispute arises between him and a customer, adopting a way of speech that directs the argument towards his own benefit. Take next the case of a judge whose duty is to write most accurately the statements of both parties and witnesses and then to duly analyse and criticize each statement—limiting himself to what is really needed—with reference to the point at issue, as required for the examination of the case and appropriate for the investigation of the matters under dispute. It is expected that he should raise appropriate questions and duly record the answers and state the relevant facts. He should, as needed, cite applicable legal provision in accordance with the intent of the law. He should systematically expound the events, where needed, in their proper sequence and accuracy and then give his verdict along with supporting arguments with the utmost precision. With all this, his writings should be at such a high degree of lucidity and elegance that they are unsurpassable by any other man. Obviously, such elegance is not achievable in the above cases.
This is the state of human eloquence; they cannot even take the first step without all sorts of vain, unnecessary, and trivial words and cannot even say a word without restoring to lies and useless talk. Even when they say something, it is incomplete; if the nose is present, as it were, the ears are not and if the ears are there the eyes are gone. Strict adherence to facts impairs the elegance of expression, and concern for elegance of expression may result in piles of falsehood and irrelevance—like an onion, layer after layer of shell, but nothing inside.
In short, when sane reason clearly dictates the impossibility of stating even insignificant and unimportant matters and simple events in an elegant and eloquent composition with strict adherence to a valid need and truthfulness, then how much easier is it to understand that stating lofty points of wisdom, pertinent to [addressing] true needs, couched in exceedingly expressive and eloquent composition, which no one can even imagine surpassing in elegance and chasteness, is altogether supernormal and beyond the range of human capacity?
Just as experience demonstrates that it is outside the realm of possibility to manufacture a flower similar to the rose externally and internally, so is this impossible too. For, when authentic experience stands as a witness in even minor and trivial matters, and sane nature confirms that if a man wants to have an essential and straightforward conversation—whether it relates to some matter of buying and selling or judicial investigations—with the utmost accuracy in an appropriate manner, it becomes impossible for him to turn his discourse—needlessly and on all occasions—into an appropriate, balanced, lucid, and eloquent expression, and much less, to take it to the highest level of lucidity and eloquence. Then, how can the discourse of any man combine all these features to achieve the lucidity and unsurpassable eloquence in a composition that, in addition to truthfulness and rectitude, is filled with profound points of wisdom and lofty truths, descends to meet a true need, encompasses all divine verities, does not neglect anything in fulfilling its obligation for the reformation of the prevailing situation, perfectly completes the arguments, fully confutes the deniers, keeps in view all aspects of argumentation and debate, and includes all essential arguments, proofs, teachings, and questions and their answers—despite these intricate difficulties which far exceed the former case—in a manner that is not only incomparably eloquent, but also expresses the subject in a style that cannot possibly be more fluent?
These are the properties possessed by Surah al-Fatihah and the Holy Quran, in a manner that has complete resemblance with the incomparable properties of the rose. In addition, Surah al-Fatihah and the Holy Quran have a magnificent attribute that is unique to this Holy Word, which is that studying it with attention and sincerity purifies the heart, dispels layers of darkness, and expands the mind, and, drawing a seeker after truth towards the Holy One, invests him with such light and manifest signs that are characteristic of those who have attained nearness to the Holy One, and which cannot be acquired by man through any other device or plan. I have also furnished evidence of this spiritual effect in this book and, if there is a sincere seeker after truth, I can satisfy him in person and I am ever prepared to furnish fresh and new evidence.
Moreover, it needs to be well remembered that the incomparable and unparalleled excellence of the language of the Holy Quran is not confined to rational arguments alone. Rather, valid experience spanning over a lengthy period of time also confirms and substantiates it. For 1,300 years the Holy Quran has been presenting its excellences by beating the drum of ‘Is there a challenger?’ and proclaiming loudly to the whole world that it is incomparable and unparalleled in its external form and internal qualities, and that no man, small or great, has the ability to compete with it or counter it, yet no one has even dared to take up its challenge. Indeed, no one has been able to compete with even one surah, for example Surah al-Fatihah, in its external and internal qualities. Look! What could be a more self-evident and manifest miracle than this: Not only does intellect prove that this Holy Word transcends human capabilities, but experience extending over a lengthy period of time also bears witness to its status as a miracle?
Should anyone reject this twofold testimony, proven by intellect and experience extending over a lengthy period of time, and take pride in his knowledge and skill, or have faith in someone’s writing ability to produce the like of the Holy Quran, I am setting out below... some of the verities and subtleties comprised in Surah al-Fatihah by way of illustration, so that such a one may put forward his own composition in an attempt to match the external and internal qualities of Surah al-Fatihah.” (Tafsir Hazrat Masih Mau'ud, vol. 1, pp. 7-12, Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya—Part IV, pp. 168-175)
Giving a summary of Surah al-Fatihah’s subject matter, the Promised Messiah(as) said,
“The recitation of Surah Fatiha in Prayer is obligatory and it is this prayer that clearly shows that true prayer is made only in the course of the Prayer service (Salat). Allah has taught this in this manner:
Before supplicating the Almighty one should praise and glorify Him, so that one's spirit may be uplifted with love and adoration. The Fatiha, therefore, begins with: All worthiness of praise belongs to Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all, Who bestows out of His pure grace, even before any action or prayer proceeds from His creatures, and then rewards righteous action in this world and in the hereafter also. He is the Master of Judgment. Every requital rests in His hands. Good and evil are in His power. One becomes a full and perfect believer in His Unity only when one accepts Allah, the Most High, as the Master of Judgment. Beware it is a sin to regard human authorities as all-powerful in their respective spheres of control or authority. This amounts to associating them with Allah. As God has invested them with authority, they should be obeyed. But do not set them up as gods. Render unto man his due and render unto God His due. The next stage is of supplication. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us along the right path - the path of those whom Thou hast favoured. That is the party of the Prophets, the Faithful Ones, the Martyrs and the Righteous. In this prayer the grace and bounty bestowed on all these groups is pleaded for. The supplication proceeds: Save us from the way of those who incurred Thy wrath and who went astray.” (Tafsir Hazrat Masih Mau'ud, vol. 1, pp. 22, Commentary on the Holy Quran, Vol.I—Surah Fatihah, pp. 22)
Giving a summary of Surah al-Fatihah’s subject matter, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud(ra) said,
“The topics mentioned in Surah al-Fatihah, as is apparent from its name, serve as an introduction to the Holy Qur’an. The subjects of the Holy Qur’an have been covered in a concise manner within this chapter. From the very outset of the Qur’an, the reader is able to understand the summary of its topics that are to be covered in the subsequent chapters. The Holy Qur’an begins with bismillah [in the name of Allah], which clearly shows that a Muslim:
Possesses firm faith in God Almighty as the words used are bismillah
Possesses firm faith that God Almighty is not only the First Cause of the universe, as is believed by some philosophers, but He is also the One through Whose command and orders the universe continues to function. It is for this reason that His help and succour is of immense benefit to man. This is also inferred by the words bismillah.
Believes that God is not merely a subconscious being; rather, He is eternal and has the everlasting name Allah. He possesses various attributes such as the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful.
Believes that Allah is the source of all progress, and He controls all means through which the world can make progress as manifested by the attribute of the Most Gracious.
Believes that Allah has created man to attain the highest stages of progress. When man correctly uses the means that Allah has created, his efforts bring about the best results, which in turn make him deserving of ever more divine bounties. This is evident from the attribute of the Ever-Merciful.
Believes that there is comprehensiveness and perfection in all the works of Allah, and that He possesses all forms of beauty. He also believes that God alone is deserving of all praise as all that exists besides Him is created by Him. This is expressed through the words, ‘All praise belongs to Allah alone, Lord of all the worlds’.
Believes that, besides Allah, everything which has been created has continuously evolved. All creation began from an inferior being and developed gradually to reach perfection. Thus, Allah the Almighty is the Creator of all things, and except Him, nothing else is self-existing. This alludes in the words, ‘Lord of all the worlds’.
Believes that the world, which is diverse, has thousands of species of varying dispositions. Hence, to understand the individual species, one must investigate that species alone as opposed to comparing different species to one another. Allah the Almighty deals with every species according to their nature. Therefore, we should not be misled if we find any difference in the dealing of Allah between His creations, as such difference is due to the diversity between species and not due to injustice and lack of attention on God’s part. This notion can be understood from the words, ‘Lord of all the worlds’.
Believes that as Allah the Almighty is the Creator of all means, He is also the creator of those that utilise these means. Thus, all things at all times, stand in need of His Help. This alludes to the attribute of ‘The Most Gracious’.
Believes that just as God Almighty is the Creator of all means, and is also the creator of all those that utilise these means, similarly, He also governs the outcome of those means that have been utilised. For example, He has created man and also created the sustenance that is necessary for his survival. Furthermore, the healthy and unhealthy blood which is produced in man’s body as a result of the sustenance is also owing to His divine command. This is expressed through God’s attribute of ‘The Ever Merciful’.
Moreover, God Almighty has also established the system of reward and punishment. A day comes when everything, in accordance with its circumstances, witnesses the full consequences of its good or evil actions. In other words, the consequences of actions are of two types: firstly, those intermediary consequences which follow all actions to some extent, and secondly, the final consequence which is the cumulative effect of them all. Hence, Allah the Almighty has not only ordained that every action should have a reaction, which God’s attribute ‘The Ever Merciful’ indicates, but He has also ordained that all actions lead to a cumulative consequence. This is why He is called ‘The Master of the Day of Judgement’.
Hence, only such a Being is worthy to be worshipped and deserving of one’s love. This is expressed in the words ‘Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help’.
Further, it is mentioned that human progress depends upon two factors: actions of the body and actions of the heart (the latter signifying contemplation, thought, belief and intention etcetera). It is necessary to reform both the actions of the body and the heart. However, this reformation cannot come to be without the guidance of Allah. Hence the words used are, ‘Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help’.
Then, it is said that God Almighty Himself desires that He should meet with His servants and reform them. The only condition is that the servant should incline towards Him, and beg to have communion with Him. This is alluded to in the words, ‘Guide us on the right path’.
Furthermore, it is said that there are many apparent paths which lead to God. However, it is not sufficient to merely have knowledge of this path. Rather, it is also necessary that firstly, the path ought to be the shortest, so that man should not perish during his struggle to find ‘the right way’ [i.e., God]. Secondly, this path should be well-known that the past servants that had tread upon this could testify that they had encountered God. As a result of this, the servant may be apprised of the dangers that lay ahead on their journey and be acquainted with the remedies to these hurdles. In this manner, the heart will remain content and will not lose hope, benefiting from the company of these virtuous servants. Thus, such a path ought to be sought from Allah Almighty in the following words, ‘The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings’.
When man progresses in any field, his heart can be tainted with arrogance and egotism, resulting in his downfall. Hence, one ought to safeguard themselves against these evils. One’s progress should not lead them to oppression and disorder, rather, it should be a means of establishing peace and serving humanity. One should also continuously supplicate to Allah the Almighty for safeguarding against the evil of arrogance. This is alluded to in the words, ‘Those who have not incurred Thy displeasure’.
Just as man can use his position of higher authority to commit injustices, so can he, on account of sympathy and excessive love, unjustly attribute greater status to inferior beings. This should not just be avoided, instead one should supplicate to Allah Almighty to achieve the exalted status of those who He has rewarded. This is to be found in the words, ‘Those who have not gone astray’.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, vol. 1, pp. 9-10, English from At-Tafsir-ul-Kabir: The Grand Exegesis)
“At the end of Surah al-Fatihah, the worshippers say Amin which means 'O Allah! Accept our Supplications.' ...Thereafter, the Imam recites a portion of the Holy Quran… The Imam may choose any portion of the Quran to recite after the Surah al-Fatihah. When the Imam is reciting a portion of the Holy Quran, the worshippers are required to listen to it silently.” (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book, pp. 37,40)