Taken from: "Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith", Volume 02
Should Bismillah and Aʿūdhu Billāh be recited before every rak‘ah—specifically before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah—in Salah? Please explain with evidence.
✦ According to the Qur’an and Hadith, reciting Aʿūdhu Billāh once at the beginning of Salah suffices, and Bismillah may be recited silently before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah.
Allah ﷻ says:
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
(Surah al-Naḥl: 98)
“So when you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from Shayṭān, the accursed.”
This applies generally to recitation but is fulfilled at the beginning of Salah and need not be repeated in every rak‘ah.
“The Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar used to start the prayer with ‘Al-ḥamdu lillāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn’.”
(Agreed upon)
Muslim adds: “They would not mention Bismillah aloud—neither at the beginning nor at the end of the recitation.”
Another narration from Ibn Khuzaymah states: “They would recite it silently.”
“I prayed behind Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه; he recited Bismillah aloud, then recited Umm al-Qur’an (Sūrah al-Fātiḥah)...
Afterward, he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, my prayer resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ the most.’”
(Reported by al-Nasa’i and Ibn Khuzaymah)
① Bismillah should be recited before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah, preferably silently.
② Aʿūdhu Billāh is recited once at the start of the Salah, and not repeated before every rak‘ah.
③ These rulings are supported by Hadiths of Anas, Abū Hurayrah, and others.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
❀ Question:
Should Bismillah and Aʿūdhu Billāh be recited before every rak‘ah—specifically before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah—in Salah? Please explain with evidence.
❀ Answer:
✦ According to the Qur’an and Hadith, reciting Aʿūdhu Billāh once at the beginning of Salah suffices, and Bismillah may be recited silently before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah.
✿ Qur’anic Evidence:
Allah ﷻ says:
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
(Surah al-Naḥl: 98)
“So when you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from Shayṭān, the accursed.”
This applies generally to recitation but is fulfilled at the beginning of Salah and need not be repeated in every rak‘ah.
✿ Hadith Evidence:
- Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه said:
“The Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar used to start the prayer with ‘Al-ḥamdu lillāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn’.”
(Agreed upon)
Muslim adds: “They would not mention Bismillah aloud—neither at the beginning nor at the end of the recitation.”
Another narration from Ibn Khuzaymah states: “They would recite it silently.”
- Naʿīm al-Mujmir narrates:
“I prayed behind Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه; he recited Bismillah aloud, then recited Umm al-Qur’an (Sūrah al-Fātiḥah)...
Afterward, he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, my prayer resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ the most.’”
(Reported by al-Nasa’i and Ibn Khuzaymah)
✿ Scholarly Reconciliation:
- The silent recitation of Bismillah was the norm for the Prophet ﷺ and the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
- Some companions, like Abū Hurayrah, occasionally recited it aloud.
- Therefore, Bismillah is recited at the beginning of every rak‘ah, but silently, in most cases.
- Aʿūdhu Billāh, however, is not repeated before every rak‘ah, as no authentic narration supports this.
✔ Summary:
① Bismillah should be recited before Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah, preferably silently.
② Aʿūdhu Billāh is recited once at the start of the Salah, and not repeated before every rak‘ah.
③ These rulings are supported by Hadiths of Anas, Abū Hurayrah, and others.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
