ABSTRACT
This sura consists of a prayer or act of worship, and is used daily by Muslims in the Ṣalāt or formal worship and on many other occasions. Its function is in some ways similar to that of the Lord's Prayer of Christians. Since it thus differs in character from the rest of the Qur’ān, some early Muslims thought it was an individual prayer of Muḥammad's, and it was omitted from the codices of Ibn-‘Abbās and Ibn-Mas‘ūd. It is appropriate that it should be placed at the beginning of the Qur’ān, and the name by which it is generally known reflects this position. It has also had several other names. It is regarded by Muslims as giving the quintessence of Islamic doctrine. Because of its special character it is difficult to date, but the probability is that it is fairly early, about the fourth year of Muḥammad's mission, or ad 613.
