First comes that beautiful Surah
The Opening Chapter of Seven Verses
Rightly called the Essence of the Book
It teaches us the perfect Prayer
For if we can pray aright, it means
That we have some knowledge of God
And His atributes of His relations
To us and His creation, which includes
Ourselves: that we glimpse the source
From which we come, and that final goal
Which is our spiritual destiny
Under God's true judgement: then
We offer ourselves to God and seek His light.
Prayer is the heart of religion and faith
But how shall we pray? What words shall convey
The yearnings of our miserable ignorant hearts
To the Knower of all Is it worthy of Him
Or our spiritual nature to ask
For vanities, or even for such physical needs
As our daily bread? The Inspired
One taught us a prayer that sums up our faith
Our hope, and our aspiration in things that matter
We think in devotion of God's name and His Nature
We praise Him for His creation and His Cherishing care
We call to mind the realities, seen and unseen
We offer Him worship and ask His guidance
And we know the straight from the crooked path
By the light of His grace that illumines the righteous
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
