A Comparative Study of Imam Khomeini’s Interpretation of Surah Al-Hamd with Other Quranic Exegeses

Abstract

Surah Al-Hamd holds a foundational position in Islamic thought because it opens the Quran, is recited in daily prayers, and contains the central concepts of divine unity, lordship, mercy, judgment, servitude, reliance, and guidance. This study aims to examine Imam Khomeini’s interpretation of Surah Al-Hamd and compare it with selected major Islamic commentaries. The research adopts a descriptive, analytical, and comparative method, focusing on Imam Khomeini’s interpretation alongside exegetical works such as Al-Mizan, Majma‘ al-Bayan, Mafatih al-Ghayb, Al-Safi, Kashf al-Asrar, and Ta’wilat al-Qur’an. The findings indicate that Imam Khomeini’s interpretation is not merely lexical, transmitted, or theological; rather, it is primarily mystical, educational, and purposive. In his reading, “Bismillah” signifies the beginning of existence and action through the divine name; “Praise belongs to God” expresses the denial of independent perfection in anything other than God; “The All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful” reveals the universal and particular dimensions of divine mercy; “Master of the Day of Judgment” recalls God’s absolute sovereignty and the reality of resurrection; and “You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help” represents the realization of servitude and practical monotheism. Furthermore, “Guide us to the straight path” is interpreted as a request for guidance across all levels of human existence, including intellect, heart, action, and social life. The study concludes that the main distinction of Imam Khomeini’s interpretation lies in its integration of the outward and inward dimensions of the Quran, worship and knowledge, mysticism and ethical formation, and Quranic understanding and human transformation. Therefore, his interpretation of Surah Al-Hamd may be regarded as a significant contemporary model of mystical and educational exegesis in which understanding the Quran is directly connected to self-purification and the formation of the God-oriented human being.