Names of Allah: Al Fattah

Names of Allah: Al Fattah is an Islamic video for children aged 4 to 9 in which Sheikh Azhari and his children learn about Al-Fattah, one of the beautiful names of Allah, which has two meanings: the One who opens, and the Judge.

What is the opposite of closed? Open! Al-Fattah is the One who opens things for us and makes them easy. The Sheikh's daughter remembers learning to ride a bike: it was hard, she cried and nearly gave up, but she kept practising and now she can ride. Allah opened the way for her.

In story time, the family talks about Prophet Zakariya (AS), who looked after Maryam, the mother of Prophet Isa (AS). He was very old and asked Allah for a child, and he did not stop asking. In the end Allah gave him a son. So when memorising the Qur'an is hard, the Sheikh says, do not give up: Al-Fattah will open it up for you.

Allah opened hearts, too. Umar ibn al-Khattab once set out with his sword against the Prophet ﷺ, and became a Muslim that same day. The Prophet ﷺ later said Shaytan takes a different road from Umar's. And at-Tufayl put cotton in his ears so he would not hear the Prophet ﷺ, but when he listened, he became a Muslim.

The second meaning is the Judge. The angels, whom we cannot see, write down all our deeds, and on the Day of Judgement those who did good will receive their book in their right hand.

• Surah Maryam 19:2-9: Zakariya, old and with a barren wife, calls on Allah for a son, and Allah gives him the good news of Yahya.
• Surah Saba 34:26: He is the Judge (Al-Fattah), the All-Knowing.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 3294: Whenever Shaytan meets Umar on a road, he takes a different road.
• Surah Al-Infitar 82:10-12: Over you are noble guardians, writing down, who know what you do.
• Surah Al-Haqqah 69:19: Whoever is given his record in his right hand will say, "Here, read my record!"
• Sirah of Ibn Ishaq: The conversions of Umar ibn al-Khattab and of at-Tufayl ibn Amr ad-Dawsi.