The Key (Al-Fatehah)

The Opening Prayer for establishing contact with our Creator

The first chapter (sura) of the Quran is called “The Key” or “Al-Fatehah” in Arabic. The Submitters (Muslims) recite this sura in Arabic during the Contact Prayers (Salat). Because of its frequent recitation, and the beautiful meaning and rhyme of its verses, all Submitters know this sura by heart and can recite it in Arabic very easily.

Numerical Combination

We learn from the verse (2:37) that God has given Adam words whereby He redeemed him. Similarly, God gave us the opening sura of the Quran, “The Key.” The Arabic sounds of “The Key” represent a numerical combination that helps us to establish contact with our Creator. It is similar to opening a

treasure box. Not only is “The Key” numerically structured like the rest of the Quran, but it is also composed in a way that our lips touch each other exactly 19 times when we recite this sura.

Other References

The literal, esoteric and mathematical composition of “The Key” does not seem to be unique to the Quran. The original or intact portions of the previous scriptures or prayers also had God’s signature on them.

For example, the following quotation is taken from STUDIES IN JEWISH MYSTICISM, (Association for Jewish Studies, Cambridge, Mass., Joseph Dan & Frank Talmage, eds., Page 88, 1982). The

quotation refers to the work of Rabbi Judah the Pious (12th Century AD):

The people [Jews] in France made it a custom to add [in the morning prayer] the words: “'Ashrei temimei derekh [blessed are those who walk the righteous way],” and our Rabbi, the Pious, of blessed memory, wrote that they were completely and utterly wrong. It is all gross falsehood, because there are only nineteen times that the Holy Name is mentioned [in that portion of the morning prayer]... and similarly you find the word 'Elohim nineteen times in the pericope of Ve-'elleh shemot….

Cont’d on page 2