The word “Alameen” is plural of the word “Alam”, and “Alam” is a form of a noun that is used to denote a tool that is used for something. An example of this is khatim. Khatim is the tool that is used for the act of sealing, and the same thing applies to the word taaba. Alam is then the tool for which knowledge is achieved. Alam, as we will understand, refers to all of the things around us, and all of the things around us give us insight and knowledge that reaches Allah (SWT), or everything around us is, in fact, simply a sign or indicator of who created it. Alameen, the plural of that, then means all of the things around us acting as signs. Now, specifically speaking, what does it refer to in al-Fatiha? It has been translated in different languages. The first thing to understand is that in the Qur’an itself, it is used in different ways. One of the ways it is used is as per the pre-Qur’anic Arab usage, which means all of the people of a certain time. However, in the context of al-Fatiha, this is not the meaning. In al-Fatiha, there are generally five positions held by the Mufassireen as to what it means. One of the positions is that it refers to everything that exists – the sky, earth, mountains and all that is in between. The second refers to all that has life on this earth, referring to all human beings, animals and jinns. The third is that it refers to human beings and the jinns, and the next position is that it refers to the human beings, jinns and angels. The fifth is that it refers to only the angels. However, when we look at the way the prophet (SAW) introduced Allah (SWT), we find that the first meaning is the most appropriate for al-Fatiha.
The prophet Musa (AS) called Fir’Awn to Allah (SWT), and Fir’Awn, for the first time, heard this term that was in direct conflict with his claim. His claim was, “I am your highest lord.” Musa (AS) was inviting people to someone who was the lord of everything that exists, and when this da’wah reached Fir’Awn, he said, “Tell me who this is.” The first thing Musa (AS) said was, “He is the lord of the skies, earth and everything in between them.” Fir’Awn made a big joke of it, saying, “Look what this man is saying.” Musa (AS) continued, saying, “You claim to be the most high, but even you have a father. My lord is the one who is not just your lord, but the lord of all of your forefathers in the past.” This is a clear indication that Alameen does not refer to the people of that time. Therefore, in al-Fatiha, it could not be the people of a certain time. Then, Fir’awn started becoming angry and said, “This is not right. This man must be crazy. How dare he say something like this?” Musa (AS) went further, saying, “He is the lord of the east and the west and everything in between, if you have a little bit of sense.” Alameen then means that everything that exists, and Alam refers to every type of creation that exists. People have taken many things as their master and lord, but the actual one is Allah (SWT), and is also the lord of all that which people worship, thinking incorrectly that those things can do something for them. Allah (SWT) is their creator and sustainer. May Allah (SWT) give us tawfiq.
