When was Surah Al-Fatihah revealed, and was that before or after the فرض (obligation) of prayer?
Surat Al-Fatihah is Makki according to the majority of scholars. They supported this view by stating that Al-Fatihah is "the seven oft-repeated verses" mentioned in Surat Al-Hijr, which is a Makki surah, and also because prayer was enjoined in Makkah and is not valid without it. Some scholars have suggested that Al-Fatihah was the first surah revealed, but this view is weak. Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed that Al-Fatihah was undoubtedly revealed in Makkah, and that the assertion it is Madani is an error. A group of verifiers also favored the view that Al-Fatihah is Makki. Al-Qurtubi mentioned that there is no disagreement that the obligation of prayer occurred in Makkah, and it is not preserved that any prayer was performed without Al-Fatihah, citing the hadith: "There is no prayer without the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah)."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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