Name Of Allah – Al-Fattah

     The Name of Allah and the Importance of Revelation

  The understanding of the Name of Allah is based on revelation, meaning that there is no room for personal interpretation based solely on the human mind. Thus, the study of the Names of Allah should be derived from the Holy Quran and Prophetic Hadiths. Allah said in His Holy Book: ”And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them” (وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا), Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah 180, and this command from Allah includes both dua as an act of worship and dua for one’s needs.

A Muslim needs to choose from the Names of Allah what corresponds with his needs. For example, if a Muslim asks for Allah’s Forgiveness, he or she can say: ”O Allah, I ask for Your Forgiveness, for You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

One of the Names of Allah is Al-Fattah, the answer to your persistent duas, closed doors, or unsolvable problems.

Al-Fattah
(The Opener / The Judge)
الْفَتَّاح

  The Name of Allah, Al-Fattah, was mentioned once in the Holy Quran in Surah Saba, Ayah 26: ”Say: “Our Lord will assemble us all together (on the Day of Resurrection), then He will judge between us with truth. And He is the (Most Trustworthy) All-Knowing Judge.” (قُلْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِيمُ) (Surah Saba 34:26), and it is mentioned in the plural in Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah 89: ”Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision.” (رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ).

He is the One Who opens for His slaves the closed worldly and religious matters. He is the Opener, the Revealer, and the granter of success. He opens or closes His doors of mercy to whom He pleases. Through His guidance, whatever is unclear becomes clear.

There are multiple meanings that can be seen in the Name of Allah, Al-Fattah. The word ”Al-Fattah” means that His action of opening what was closed is permanent and continuous. It is applied to providence, mercy, forgiveness, and so on.

When we feel distressed in life, we ask Allah to open the closed doors, grant us success, and open for us rivers of knowledge and science. He controls the rain, earth, heavens, mountains, wind, and every creature of this world. He brings dead land to life and gives victory to whoever He commands.

Allah Almighty refers to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as ”Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear conquest” (إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا), Surah Al-Fath, Ayah 1. This treaty was a great victory for the Prophet Muhammad, and the Muslims subsequently witnessed great goodness.

     The Name of Allah Al-Fattah: Giving and Withholding

  One of the meanings of Al-Fattah is that Allah has the keys of the unseen. He opens for whoever He wills the doors of providence, fulfils people’s needs, and relieves distress. He is the Dominion, and to Him is the praise, and He is able to do all things. There is none who can withhold what He gives, and none may give what He has withheld.

Allah Almighty said in Surah Fatir, Ayah 2: ”Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ) Surah Fatir 35:2.

When we contemplate this Ayah, we believe that Allah has the power to give and withhold. As a result, we feel more open towards Allah, and this requires us to have the greatest attachment to Allah, feeling our need for Him, and only praying to Allah, supplicating to Allah, and feeling fear and love only for Allah. Also, it is a message for Muslims to rely only on Allah.

When you feel lost or stuck, the Prophet Muhammad told us to pray Istikharah in order to ask Allah to choose for us, guide us to what is best for us, and open our hearts and minds. He is the best Judge, who knows whether a thing will benefit you in your deen, relationships, or livelihood.

     The Name of Allah Al-Fattah in Our Daily Life 

  We ask Allah every day to open our hearts to His religion, fear of Allah, recitation of the Quran, and many other acts of worship. We are encouraged by the belief that Allah is Al-Fattah. The Name Al-Fattah is mentioned in the Quran here. Even when someone says something great, we say ”فَتَحَ اللّهُ عَلَيْه” (meaning, Allah has blessed him with knowledge).

We pray to Allah and say: ”O Lord, pardon my sins and open the gates of Your blessings for me.”

May Allah open for us with the opening of the gnostics, grant us the success of the righteous, and benefit us, O Allah, through the Qur’an and the remembrance of wisdom.