Toggle above to switch between keyword search and direct hadith lookup
الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتاب الرسائلBook of Letters
بَابُ: كَيْفَ يُكْتَبُ صَدْرُ الْكِتَابِ؟Chapter: How to begin a letter
Hadith 1119
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ كَتَبَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ يُبَايِعُهُ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، لِعَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ: سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكَ، فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ، وَأُقِرُّ لَكَ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ عَلَى سُنَّةِ اللهِ وَسُنَّةِ رَسُولِهِ، فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتُ.
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Dinar (may Allah have mercy on him) that when Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) pledged allegiance to Abdul Malik bin Marwan, he wrote to him: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم», From Abdullah bin Umar to the Commander of the Faithful, Abdul Malik. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah, Who has no partner, and I acknowledge that, to the best of my ability, I will listen to your commands and obey, as long as they are in accordance with what Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have prescribed.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
From this, it is understood that a letter should be initiated with "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim," and after that, a person has the choice either to introduce himself first, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to do when writing letters—and this is better—or to write the name of the addressee first, and doing so is also permissible, as was done by Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhuma).
From this, it is understood that a letter should be initiated with "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim," and after that, a person has the choice either to introduce himself first, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to do when writing letters—and this is better—or to write the name of the addressee first, and doing so is also permissible, as was done by Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhuma).
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 1119
