Bismillah بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ is a verse of the Holy Qur'an

There is consensus of all the Muslims on the fact that Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ is a verse of the Holy Qur'an, being a part of the Surah al-Naml سورة النمل (The Ant); and there is also an agreement on that this verse is written at the head of every Surah except the Surah al-Taubah سورة التوبہ . But there is a difference of opinion among the Mujtahids مجتہدین (the authentic scholars who are entitled to express an opinion in such matters) as to whether this verse is an integral part of the Surah al-Fatihah or of all the Surahs or not. According to the great Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، it is not an integral part of any Surah except al-Naml, rather it is in itself an independent verse of the Holy Qur'an which has been revealed for being placed at the beginning of every Surah in order to separate and distinguish one Surah from another.

The merits of Bismillah بسمِ اللہ

It was a custom in the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah جاہلیہ ) before the advent of Islam that people began everything they did with the names of their idols or gods. It was to eradicate this practice that the first verse of the Holy Qur'an which the Archangel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) brought down to the Holy Prophet ﷺ commanded him to begin the Qur'an with the name of Allah اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ "Read with the name of your Lord."

The famous commentator al-Suyuti says that beside the Holy Qur'an all the other divine books too begin with Bismillah. Certain other scholars are of the opinion that Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ is peculiar to the Qur'an and to the followers of Muhammad ﷺ . The two views can be brought into agreement with each other if we 'say that all the divine books share the common trait of beginning with the name of Allah, but the words Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ are peculiar to the Holy Qur'an, as is evident from certain Traditions (Ahadith) which report that in order to begin with the name of Allah anything he, undertook, the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say the words بِسْمِک اللَّـهِم (Bismika Allahumma), but when the verse Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ was revealed, he adopted these words. Since then this practice was established through the verbal command of the Holy Prophet ﷺ or through his act or tacit approval). (See Qurtubi and Ruh al-Ma` ani)

The Holy Qur'an again and again instructs us to begin what we do with the name of Allah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that

no important work receives the blessings of Allah, unless it is begun

with His name. According to yet another hadith (Tradition), closing the door of one's house, putting out the lamp, covering a vessel, should all be done with the recitation of Bismillah. The Holy Qur'an and the ahadith (Traditions) repeatedly instruct us to recite this verse while taking food, drinking water, performing the wudu وضو (ablution), getting on a carriage or getting down from it. (See Qurtubi)

By instructing man to begin everything with the name of Allah, Islam has given to the whole of his life an orientation towards Allah so that he may, with each step he takes, renew his allegiance to the covenant with Allah that nothing he does, not even his very being can come into existence without the will and the help of Allah. Thus, all the economic and worldly activities of man, each movement and gesture becomes transformed into an act of worship.l How brief is the action, which consumes neither time nor energy, and yet how immense is the gain -- it is a regular alchemy, transmuting the profane (dunya دنیا) into the sacred (din دین); a disbeliever eats and drinks just as a Muslim does but in saying 'Bismillah' بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ as he begins to eat, the Muslim affirms that it was not in his power to obtain this little morsel of food which has passed through innumerable stages from the sowing of the seed to the reaping of the grain corn, and which has during this process required the labours of the wind, the rain, the sun, of the heavens and of the earth, and of a thousand men -- and that it is Allah alone who has granted him this morsel of food or this draught of water by making it go through all these stages. A disbeliever goes to sleep, wakes up and goes about as much as a Muslim. But while going to sleep or waking up, the Muslim mentions the name of Allah, renewing his relationship with Him. Thus his economic and worldly needs and activities acquire the nature of the remembrance of Allah, and are counted as acts of worship. Similarly, in saying 'Bismillah' بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ while getting on to a carriage, the Muslim testifies to the fact that it is beyond the power of man to produce this carriage and to procure it for him, and that it is only the infallible and divinely-created order of things that has brought together from all the corners of the world the wood, the steel and other metals which have gone into the making of the carriage, as well as the mechanics who have given a particular shape to these components, and the driver -- and finally put all these into the service of man who can make use of the labour of this army of the creatures of man who can God (اللہ)by spending a few coins. And even these coins have not been created by him, it is Allah himself who has provided the complex ways and means of earning them. Veritably, 'Bismillah' بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ is the legendary philosopher's stone which transmutes, not copper, but mere dust into the purest of gold. فاللہ الحمد علٰی دِین الاسلام و تعلیماتہ ماکهن :'So then, praised be Allah for the religion of Islam an6 its teachings.'

1. This is the only way in which human life can, to use a word dear to modern cultural anthropology, be sacralized in any meaningful sense of the term -- Translator

Ruling

'Before beginning to recite the Qur'an it is sunnah to first say: اعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan -- the accursed)

and then بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ (I begin with the name of Allah, the

All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful). And during the tilawah تلاوت (the recitation of the Holy Qur'an) as well, saying AI 'Bismillah بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ... at the beginning of each Surah, except the Surah Al-Bara'ah (al-Taubah), is Sunnah.

Commentary

'Bismillah': This phrase is composed of three words -- the Ietter 'Ba', 'Ism' and 'Allah'. The preposition 'Ba' has several connotations in Arabic, three of which are appropriate to the occasion. All the three are applicable here: (1) Contiguity, or the close proximity between one thing and the other; (2) Seeking the aid of someone or something; (3) To seek the blessings of someone.

The word 'Ism' has many lexical and intellectual nuances of meaning, the knowledge of which would not be essential for the average reader. It is sufficient to know that this word is translated in English as 'Name'.

The word, 'Allah' is the greatest and the most comprehensive of the divine names. According to some scholars, it is the 'Great Name', or 'Al-Ism al-A` zam' الاسم اعظم . (According to the Tradition (Hadith), the Great Name carries with it such a benediction that a prayer is granted when this word has been uttered. Reports differ as to what this Great Name is). The word 'Allah' refers to the Essence, and hence this name cannot be given to anyone except Allah. That is why this word has neither a plural nor a dual, for Allah is One and has no associate. In short, Allah is the name of that Ultimate Reality which comprehends in Itself all the attributes of perfection, which is the creator and sustainer, unique and peerless.

Thus, the phrase 'Bismillah' has these three respective significations according to the three connotations of the .preposition 'Ba' ب :

a) With the name of Allah اللہ

b) With the help of the name of Allah اللہ

c) With the barakah or benediction of the name of Allah اللہ .

But, in all the three forms, the phrase obviously remains incomplete unless one mentions the work which one intends to begin with the name of Allah or with its help or benediction. So, according to the rules of grammar, some verb is taken to be understood here which should be suitable for the occasion -- e.g., 'I begin or recite with the name of Allah.' Propriety demands that even this verb should be understood to occur after the phrase, so that one does actually begin with the name of Allah and the verb does not precede His name. The preposition 'Ba' has, however, to be placed before the name of Allah, for it is an exigency of the Arabic language. But even in this respect the ` Uthmani manuscript of the Holy Qur'an prepared by the third Caliph ` Uthman ؓ ، has made the necessary modification in accordance with the consensus of the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

The regular Arabic script requires the letter 'Ba' here to be joined with the letter 'Alif ', producing this shape بِسْمِ اللّہٰ. But the ` Uthmani manuscript has dropped the Alif , and joined the letter 'Ba' with the letter 'Sin' س ، making the 'Ba' look like a part of the word 'Ism' اسم ، so that the beginning is made, in effect, with the name of Allah. That is why the letter Alif is not dropped in other combinations between the preposition 'Ba' and the noun 'Ism' -- for example, in the verse اقْرَ‌أْ بِاسْمِ رَ‌بِّكَ (Igra' biismi Rabbik), the 'Alif is written along with the 'Ba'. It is the peculiarity of 'Bismillah' alone that the letter 'Ba' has been joined with the letter 'Sin'. Merciful) -- these two are the attributes of Allah Almighty. Rahman رحمان ' signifies one whose mercy is common to all, and extends to the whole universe, to everything that will be created in the future. On the other hand, 'Rahim رحیم ' signifies one whose mercy is perfect in all possible ways. That is why 'Rahman رحمان ' is the exclusive attribute of Allah and the word is employed only when one is referring to Him. It is not permissible to qualify any created being as 'Rahman', for there cannot possibly be anyone else, beside Allah, whose mercy should be all-embracing and all-inclusive. Just like the word 'Allah', there is no dual or plural for the word 'Rahman' too, because these words are in their signification exclusive to the One and Absolute Being which does not permit the existence of a second or a third. (Tafsir al-Qurtubi) The signification of the word 'Rahim', on the contrary, does not contain anything which it should be impossible to find in a created being, for a man may be perfectly merciful in his dealings with another man. So, the word Rahim' may justifiably be employed in the case of a human being -- as the Qur'an itself has used the word in speaking of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which is: (He is gentle and very merciful towards the Muslims).

Ruling: This would easily show that those who shorten names such as ` Abd al-Rahman or Fadl al-Rahman into 'Rahman' are doing what is not permissible and are thus committing a sin.

Out of the 'Beautiful Names' الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ : Al-Asma' al-Husna) of Allah Almighty and His attributes of perfection, only two have been mentioned in this verse - namely, 'al-Rahman' الرحمٰن and 'al-Rahim' الحیم۔, and both have been derived from the root 'Rahmah' رحمت (mercy), indicating the all-pervasiveness and perfection of divine mercy. It points to the fact that the creation of the heavens and the earth and the sustenance of the whole universe have no other motivation than making manifest Allah's quality of mercy. He Himself had no need of these things, nor could anyone compel Him to create them. It is His own mercy which has required the creation and sustenance of the whole universal order.

How aptly this was put in Persian by poet Rumi:

مانبودیم و تقاضا نبود

لطف تو ناگفتہ مامی شنود

There was nothing -- neither our being nor our claim to be; It was Thy mercy that heard our unsaid.

Injunctions and related considerations

The Holy Qur'an says: فَإِذَا قَرَ‌أْتَ الْقُرْ‌آنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّ‌جِيمِ ﴿النحل : 98﴾ :'When you recite the Qur'an, seek the protection of Allah against Satan, the rejected one'.

According to the consensus of Ummah, it is a Sunnah to say ta'awwudh: اعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم ' before the recitation of the Holy Qur'an whether in Salah or out of Saldh (Sharah al-munyah). Saying ta'awwudh تَعَوُّذ is peculiar to the recitation of the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, with the exception of tilawah, all other chores should be taken up by first saying 'Bismillah' only. Saying ta'awwudh is not a sunnah there. (` Alamgiri, Chapter 4 - Al-Karahiyah)

One should begin the recitation of the Qur'an by reciting both اعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم (I seek the protection of Allah) and, بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ (Bismillahi: I begin with the name of Allah). During the recitation, one should repeat 'Bismillah', but not 'A` udhubillah', when one comes to the end of a Surah (or Chapter) and begins the next Surah -- with the sole exception of the Surah 'Al-Bara'ah' (البرآة). If one comes upon this particular Surah in the course of the recitation, one should not say 'Bismillah' before reading it. But if one happens to begin the recitation of the Holy Qur'an with this Surah, one should recite A` udhubillah' and 'Bismillah' both (Alamgiriah from Al-Muhit).

'Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim' is a verse of the Holy Qur'an and a part of the verse in Surah 'al-Naml'; it is also a regular verse when it occurs between two Surahs. It must, therefore, be treated with as much respect as the Holy Qur'an itself, and it is not permissible to touch it without having performed wudu وضو (ablution). In the state of major ritual impurity (e.g., after the emission of semen, or during menstruation, or after child-birth), it is not allowed to even read this verse as recitation of the Holy Qur'an before having taken a ritual bath. One may, however, recite it as a form of prayer before beginning a work, like taking one's meals or drinking water under all conditions.

Rulings:

(1) It is a Sunnah to recite 'Bismillah' after 'A` udhu-billah اعوذ باللہ ' at the very beginning of the first raka'ah in the salah. But views differ as to whether it should be recited in a loud or a low voice. Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) and certain other Imams prefer it to be done in a low voice. There is a consensus on the point that 'Bismillah' should be recited at the beginning of all the succeeding raka'ahs too. This is unanimously considered to be a Sunnah; however, in some narrations, the reciting of 'Bismillah' at the beginning of every raka'ah has been identified as wajib or necessary.

(2) In the course of salah, whether one is reciting the Holy Qur'an loudly or silently, one should not recite 'Bismillah' before beginning a Su-rah just after the Surah 'Fatihah'. Such a practice has not been reported either from the Holy Prophet ﷺ or from any of the first four Khulafa'. According to Sharh al-munyah, this is the view of Imam Abu Hanifah and of Imam Abu Yusuf رحمہم اللہ ، and Shrah al-munyah, al-Durr al-Mukhtar, al-Burhan etc. prefer it to other views. But Imam Muhammad (رح) considers it to be preferable that one should recite Bismillah' if one is reciting the Holy Qur'an in a salah offered silently. Certain reports attribute this view even to Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، and al-Shami (رح) has quoted some Muslim jurists in support of this view,--which has been adopted even in 'Bahishti Zewar' of Maulana Thanavi (رح) . Anyhow, there is a complete agreement among the scholars that it is not makruh or reprehensible for someone to recite 'Bismillah' in this situation.