Interpretation of Shaarawi’s Thoughts on Surat Al-Fatiha

About This Book

This book presents the first English translation of Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Sha‘rawi’s thoughts on the Holy Qur’an, beginning with Surat Al-Fatihah (The Opening), the first chapter of the Qur’an and the surah recited in every unit of the Muslim prayer.

Al-Sha‘rawi was one of the most influential and widely recognised Qur’anic thinkers and preachers of modern Egypt. His televised journey of reflecting on the Qur’an began in 1973, when he appeared on the Egyptian programme Nour ‘Ala Nour, presented by Ahmed Farrag. From there, he developed his distinctive approach to reflecting upon the Qur’anic text. His work eventually reached Surat Al-Mumtahanah and the beginning of Surat Al-Saff, but his death prevented him from completing his reflections on the entire Qur’an. An audio recording of his reflections on Juz’ ‘Amma, the thirtieth part of the Qur’an, is also reported to exist.

Thoughts Rather Than a Conventional Tafsir

An important feature of Al-Sha‘rawi’s approach is his own distinction between “thoughts about the Holy Qur’an” and a conventional tafsir or interpretation of the Qur’an.

He described his reflections as insights that come to the heart of a believer when contemplating a verse or a group of verses. In this sense, the work does not claim to provide a final or exhaustive interpretation of the Qur’an. Rather, it invites the reader to contemplate its language, meanings, eloquence, structure, and spiritual significance.

This distinction is essential to understanding Al-Sha‘rawi’s work and to approaching the present volume. The purpose is not simply to translate words from Arabic into English, but to make accessible to English-speaking readers the distinctive way in which Al-Sha‘rawi explored and reflected upon the Qur’anic text.

Al-Sha‘rawi’s Approach

Al-Sha‘rawi’s reflections draw upon several complementary approaches. Among the most important are:

• Language as a starting point: close attention to the Arabic language and the meanings conveyed by Qur’anic words and expressions.

• Qur’anic eloquence: an exploration of the literary beauty, precision, and subtle organisation of the Qur’anic text.

• Reasoned discussion: responding to questions, doubts, and criticisms through a dialectical and logical approach.

• Everyday experience: connecting Qur’anic meanings with observations and experiences drawn from ordinary life.

• Depth and accessibility: combining intellectual depth with a simple, accessible style, often expressed through the Egyptian dialect.

• ​​​​​​​Thematic exploration: allowing related ideas to emerge naturally from the verse under discussion, sometimes moving beyond a strictly linear treatment.

• Logical argumentation: examining questions through reasoning and dialogue rather than merely presenting conclusions.

These features give Al-Sha‘rawi’s reflections a distinctive character: they are at once linguistic, intellectual, spiritual, and practical.

Why Surat Al-Fatihah?

Beginning with Surat Al-Fatihah is particularly fitting. Known as “The Opening” and also by names including Umm Al-Kitab (Mother of the Book), Al-Fatihah occupies a unique place in Muslim worship and Qur’anic reflection. It is recited repeatedly in the daily prayers and brings together themes of praise, divine mercy, worship, dependence upon God, and the human search for guidance.

This volume therefore offers more than a translation of a Qur’anic commentary. It provides English-speaking readers with an opportunity to encounter Al-Sha‘rawi’s distinctive reflections on one of the most familiar yet profound passages of the Qur’an.