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Al-Faatihaالفاتحة

The Opening · 7 verses · Meccan

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In plain wordsEditorial

An editorial summary of the translations. Not a translation or tafsir.

Seven verses forming a single address to God: praise, then a request to be shown a straight path, described by who walks it and who does not. In this edition the first verse is the naming formula that stands unnumbered before every other surah but one.

AALAMIN Editor · signed 25 August 2026

not a scholar — what this signature means

I am not a scholar, and nothing here asks you to treat me as one. The plain words on this site are my restatement of what the five translations shown above say, together with counts derived from the text itself — nothing more. I sign them so that a named person is accountable for every sentence, not so you'll take my word for anything. The authority on this page is the text and its translators. If my words don't match theirs, mine are the ones that are wrong.

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Talal Itani · published 2012

We open with the most modern, plain-English rendering to make reading easier. Every translation is shown equally - switch any time, or compare them on any verse.

Verse 1 of 7

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1:1

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)bismi llaahi r-rahmaani r-raheem

DIN 31635bismi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

Compare translations (4)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

In the name of the most merciful God

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:2

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)al-hamdu lillaahi rabbi l-'aalameen

DIN 31635al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l-ʿālamīna

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds.

Compare translations (4)

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

Praise belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

PRAISE be to God, Lord of the worlds

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:3

ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)ar-rahmaani r-raheem

DIN 31635ar-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi

The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Compare translations (4)

The Beneficent, the Merciful

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

the merciful, the compassionate

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

The compassionate, the merciful

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

the most merciful

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:4

مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)maaliki yawmi d-deen

DIN 31635māliki yawmi d-dīni

Master of the Day of Judgment.

Compare translations (4)

Master of the Day of Judgment

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

the ruler of the day of judgment

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

King on the day of reckoning

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

the king of the day of judgment

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:5

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)iyyaaka na'budu wa'iyyaaka nasta'een

DIN 31635ʾiyyāka naʿbudu waʾiyyāka nastaʿīnu

The translators word this verse differently

It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help.

Compare translations (4)

Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

Thee we serve and Thee we ask for aid

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

Thee only do we worship, and to Thee do we cry for help

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

Thee do we worship, and of Thee do we beg assistance

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:6

ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)ihdinaa s-siraata l-mustaqeem

DIN 31635ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭa l-mustaqīma

Guide us to the straight path.

Compare translations (4)

Show us the straight path

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

Guide us in the right path

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

Guide Thou us on the straight path

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

Direct us in the right way

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

1:7

صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

Easy-read · not authoritative

Easy-read (simplified)siraata lladheena an'amta 'alayhim ghayri l-maghdoobi 'alayhim walaa d-daalleen

DIN 31635ṣirāṭa llaḏīna ʾanʿamta ʿalayhim ġayri l-maġḍūbi ʿalayhim walā ḍ-ḍāllīna

The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided.

Compare translations (4)

The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · published 1930

the path of those Thou art gracious to; not of those Thou art wroth with; nor of those who err

Edward Henry Palmer · published 1880

The path of those to whom Thou hast been gracious; - with whom thou art not angry, and who go not astray

John Medows Rodwell · published 1861

in the way of those to whom Thou hast been gracious; not of those against whom Thou art incensed, nor of those who go astray

George Sale · published 1734

In plain words

Optional editorial orientation

An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.

In plain words →

Sources

In-depth analysis →

  • Talal Itani · 2012
  • Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · 1930
  • Edward Henry Palmer · 1880
  • John Medows Rodwell · 1861
  • George Sale · 1734

in a signed study →

Arabic textTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Qur'anic text from the Tanzil Project. Copyright (C) 2007-2026 Tanzil Project License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Source: tanzil.net · Updates: tanzil.net/updates/ https://tanzil.net/updates/

Translations Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired

Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an ·1880 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Translations George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired

George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an ·1734 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Translations John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired

John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an ·1861 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Translations Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran·Public domain — copyright term expired

Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran ·1930 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026

Translations Talal Itani, ClearQuran·Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Talal Itani, ClearQuran ·ClearQuran, "God" edition, EPUB·Talal Itani / ClearQuran.com ·Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International·retrieved 7 Sep 2026

Translation by Talal Itani, ClearQuran.com https://clearquran.com