Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Volume 09
❖ Question:
Is “Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm” a verse at the beginning of every Sūrah?
❖ Answer:
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the status of “Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm”:
① Some scholars consider it to be a verse of every Sūrah.
② Others hold that it is only a verse of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah.
③ Another view is that it is not a verse of any Sūrah, except where explicitly stated.
It is universally agreed that in Sūrat al-Naml, the verse:
﴿ إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾
is an actual verse of the Sūrah.
It is also agreed that “Bismillāh” is not a verse at the beginning of Sūrat al-Tawbah.
❖ Clarification from Scholars:
Imām Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Shinqīṭī states that:
➤ When various Qirāʾāt (recitations) are examined collectively:
– According to the Qirāʾah of Ibn Kathīr, al-Kisāʾī, ʿĀṣim, and the Riwayah of Qālūn,
“Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm” is considered a part of every Sūrah (except al-Tawbah).
– In other Qirāʾāt, it is not regarded as a part of the Sūrah.
❖ Summary:
The status of “Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm” varies depending on the recitation (Qirāʾah). In some, it is a verse of every Sūrah; in others, it is not. However, its status in Sūrat al-Naml (as a verse) and Sūrat al-Tawbah (not a verse) is agreed upon.
