The Status and importance of
Bismillah
With reference to all important projects, works, chores and missions, the shariah has urged its adherents to begin them with:
The Barakah and the Blessings of
Bismillah
Bismillah: The essence of the
Holy Quran
According to some scholars, surah Al-Fatiha is the essence of the entire Qur'an. And: Bismillahir-rahmanir-
rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) is the essence of Surah Al-Fatiha.
Bismillah before Wahi
In Ad-Durrul Manthur, Ibn
Umar RA is reported as saying that surely, whenever
Jibreel AS used to bring Wahi to Rasulullah
SAW, he used to first recite:
Bismillah-rahmanir-
rahim(In the name of
Allah,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful)
The reason for the above is as follows: in
Bismillah there are 3 names of
Allah SWT:
1)
Allah SWT which is his personal name indicating that all projects can only be initiated by the will of
ALLAH SWT.
2)
Rahman (kind) which is his attributive name indicating that only
Allah SWT can keep that project intact and existent (guarding it against destruction).
3)
Rahim (Most
Merciful) which is
also his attribute name indicating that only
Allah SWT can, through his mercy and
grace, enable any person to derive benefit from that project.
This clearly proves that any project beginning with:
Bismillah-rahmanir-
rahim(In the name of
Allah,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) Will be granted barakah (blessings) from the beginning till end
Bismillah before doing anything
It is for this reason that Rasulullah
SAW used to recite: Bismillahir-rahmanir-
rahim(In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful.) before doing any work.He
SAW also advised the Ummah to do the same. For example, reading it before shutting the door, before putting out the light, before
taking meals, before drinking water, before boarding any mode of transport
The Beauty of
Islam
Islam is not confined only to the masjid and madrasah.It is a way of life. each and every aspect of a
muslim's life is supposed to be deen. It is for this reason that Rasulullah
SAW has shown the ummah simple little methods which would render each and every world affair of his to become deen and for which he will be rewarded. It is for this reason that saying: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim(In the name of
Allah ,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful.) before any action, will render that action into an ibadah for which the reader will be rewarded. Besides by saying: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah ,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful.) before any action, one is suggesting that his every affair-weather small or big- can only be accomplished with the help and mercy of
Allah SWT.
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim( In the name of
Allah ,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful.) Therefore every activity of a person will become ibadah.By doing this, he will draw closer to
Allah SWT and distance himself from the accursed shaytan (
devil).And by not doing this he will deprive none other than himself.
According to Ibn
Abbas RA in Ad-Durrul Manthur, rasulullah
SAW has
said that people are unaware of the blessings of one
ayah of the
Holy Qur'an which was revealed to no one other than me and Sulaiman AS.And that is:
Remembering
Allah through his Three Thousand names
It is mentioned in tafsir ruhul bayan that
Allah SWT has 3000 names. He revealed 1000 to the angels, 1000 to the prophets AS, 300 are mentioned in the Torah, 300 in the Zabur, 300 in the Injil and 99 in the
Holy Qur'an. One name he has kept to himself; he revealed it to no one. He has condensed all his names into the 3 names contained in : Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim(In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) they are
Allah,
Rahman, and
Rahim. Any person saying: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim(In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful)is as though he has remembered
Allah SWT by his 3000 names
Teaching children to say
Bismillah: A means of forgiveness for
parents
It is reported from
Abdullah bin
Abbas RA that as soon as the tutor says to a child, read: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim(In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) the teacher, the child and the child's
parents are all guaranteed freedom from the
fire of jahannum (hell).
Bismillah- A means of Deliverance from punishment
It is reported from
Abdullah bin
Masood RA that: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) has 19 letter and the angels of Jahannum (hell) are
also 19.Anyone who says: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim(In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) will be safeguarded against the 19 angels of jahannum (hell).
Bismillah-A means of
high status in the hereafter
Rasulullah
SAW is reported as saying that any du'a which begins with: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) is not rejected . By saying:Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most Mercifu) "the scales of my ummah will become heavy on the day of Qiyamah".
The other people will enquire:
"Why are the virtues of the ummah of
Muhammad (
SAW) so heavy?"
Their Prophets (AS) will reply: "In the utterances of the ummat of
Muhammad (
SAW) there is such an honourable name of
Allah SWT that if it is placed on one side of the scale and the sins of the entire creation are placed onto the other side, then the side with the virtues will be heavier."
Other wonders of
Bismillah
Rasulullah
SAW is reported to have
said that as long as people keep on saying: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) it will be a safeguarding them against sickness; a means of granting riches to the destitute; a means of freedom against the
fire; a means of safety against being swallowed by the earth; a means of safety against faces becoming distorted; and a means of safety from stones raining down from the heavens.
Ghunyatut talibin Page 157.
A Hadith Qudsi
Rasulullah
SAW said that the
angel Jibreel AS made a mention of this hadith under oath that he heard it from the
angel Mika'il AS under oath who heard it from the
angel Israfeel AS under oath that
Allah SWT
said; "By my honour,
grace and grandeur, whoever reads: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim (In the name of
Allah, the most Gracious, the most
Merciful) and surah al-Fatiha jointly once, then you be
witness that i shall not burn his tongue and i will save him from the
fire as well as the punishment of the grave and on the day of Qiyamah.
Note: rading
Bismillah and surah Al-fatiha jointly means to read it as follows:
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahimil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-Alamin
In the name of
Allah,the most Gracious, the most
Merciful.
Praise be to
Allah, the Cherisher and sustainer of the worlds.
saying
Bismillah before Wudhu (
ablution)
Rasulullah
SAW said: " One who does not say
Bismillah before wudhu, his wudhu is incomplete."
It is reported from Abu Hurairah RA that anyone who does not say
Bismillah before wudhu, only the sins committed by the limbs which are washed in wudhu will be washed away; and one who says
Bismillah before wudhu, the sins of the entire body will be washed away.
Mishkat
Saying
Bismillah Before meals
The scholars have
said that it is preferable to say the
Bismillah,
aloud so that it is a reminder for those who forget.
Also, Ibn Hibban is reported as saying that if
Bismillah is
said prior to utilizing any bounty of
Allah SWT and Alhumdu-lillah is
said after utilizing it, the user will not be asked to give accountability for that bounty on the day of qiyamah Inshalla.
Umar ibn Abi salamah AS reports that Rasulullah
SAW said to me: " Say
bismillah and eat with your right hand the food that is in front of you."
Bukhari,
Muslim,Tirmidi
Not saying
Bismillah-A cause for remaining hungry
A person once complained to rasulullah
SAW that he ate food but still reamined hungry . Rasulullah
SAW said that perhaps your are not saying
Bismillah before meals he admitted. Rasulullah
SAW said that by not reading
Bismillah your stomach does not fill.
When undressing
Anas RA reports from Rasulullah
SAW that when a person undresses for the purpose of either relieveing himslef or abthing or having relations with his spouse then the Shaytan interferes and plays with his/her *ahem*. If he/she says
Bismillah before
taking off the clothes, then this serves as a barrier and safety against the shayateen and
jinnat.
Tirmidhi
Bismillah when entering home
Jabir RA reports from rasulullah
SAW that when a person says
Bismillah and enters his home and then says
Bismillah and begins eating his food then shaytan says to his friends: "Lets get out of here. There is no food here nor sleeping place." And if the person does not say
Bismillah then shaytan says to his friends: "There is food as well as sleeping place for us here."
Muslim ,Abu
Dawud
Before Every
Dua
Rasulullah
SAW has
said that any
dua which begins with: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim
It is not rejected.
Bismillah Brings One Closer to
Allah SWT
According to one Hadith, Rasulullah
SAW was asked by
Uthman RA regarding
Bismillah. He replied that it is one of the great names of
Allah SWT and it brings a person as close to
Allah SWT as is the closeness of the whiteness and blackness of the eyes.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
To Simplify A
Difficult Task
Ali RA is reported as saying that: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-
Rahim is an effective
dua for simplifying a
difficult task; and removes all grief and brings happiness in the
heart.