Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … What is the ruling on reciting Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim at the beginning of a surah? Consider the following discussion. Sayyidah Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha narrates that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would recite {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ اَلَحْمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ} and would articulate each letter clearly. (Mustadrak Hakim: 847)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu reports that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((When you recite {اَلَحْمْدُ لِلّٰہِ}, then recite {بِسْمِاللّٰہِالرَّحْمٰنِالرَّحِیْمِ}, for indeed it is the Mother of the Qur’an, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft-Repeated (verses), and {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} is one of its verses.)) (Silsilah Ahadith Sahihah: 1183, with reference to Dar Qutni: 118, Bayhaqi: 2/45, Daylami: 1/1/70)

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu says: Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu led the prayer in Madinah Munawwarah, recited aloud, and before Surah al-Fatihah, he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, but with the surah after al-Fatihah, he did not recite {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … }. When Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu finished the prayer with salam, the Muhajirun and Ansar (objecting) spoke up from all sides and said: O Muawiyah! You have stolen something from the prayer (by not reciting Bismillah with the second surah) or have you forgotten? (Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu understood, and) after this incident, when he led the prayer, he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} with the surah after al-Fatihah as well, and when going into prostration, he said Allahu Akbar. (Mustadrak Hakim: 851)

Naeem Mujmir says: I prayed behind Abu Hurairah, and he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, then recited the Mother of the Qur’an (al-Fatihah), and when he reached {غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّیْنَ}, he said: Ameen, and the people also said: Ameen. Whenever he prostrated, he said: Allahu Akbar, and when he stood up after sitting in the two (rak‘ahs), he said: Allahu Akbar. When he finished with salam, he said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul! I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. (Sunan Nasa’i: 906, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1/251, Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 1/137)

That is: I prayed behind Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, then recited Surah al-Fatihah, and when he reached {غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّیْنَ}, he said Ameen and the people also said Ameen. Whenever he prostrated, he said Allahu Akbar, and likewise, when he stood up after two rak‘ahs, he said Allahu Akbar. When he finished with salam, he said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul! I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Imam Tirmidhi said: The view of many scholars among the Companions and the Followers, including Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, and Sayyiduna Ali, and also Imam Sufyan Thawri, Imam Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Imam Ahmad, and Imam Ishaq rahimahumullah jami‘an, is that the recitation of {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} should not be done aloud, rather it should be recited silently in the heart. (After Tirmidhi: 244)

He also said: The position of some Companions and some Followers, including Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, and Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Zubayr, is that (in audible prayers, along with al-Fatihah) {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} should also be recited aloud. This is also the opinion of Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah. (After Tirmidhi: 245)

Honored readers! Consider all the above-mentioned narrations related to this subject. The way to reconcile and harmonize them appears to be that the narrations negating the recitation of {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … } refer to the negation of reciting it aloud, and the predominant practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was this; at times, it is established from him that he recited it aloud. The Companions who strictly forbade reciting this verse were not aware of the ahadith that establish its recitation. Do not consider this claim impossible or far-fetched, because those who establish the audible recitation of {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … } by narration and practice are also Companions. Such reconciliations exist in many other issues as well. Our responsibility is to understand whatever is established from the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam on a particular subject and strive to act upon it, unless a case of abrogation arises.