Ruling on Reciting Bismillah Before a Surah After Al-Fatiha

❖ Ruling on Saying “Bismillah” Between Surah Al-Fatiha and the Next Surah​

Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah, Vol. 1, Kitab al-Salah, p. 344

❀ Question:​

What is the evidence for reciting بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ between Surah Al-Fatiha and another Surah during Salah?

✔ Answer:​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!

✿ Evidence from Hadith:​

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:


"أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَّ آنِفًا سُورَةٌ"
“A Surah has just now been revealed to me.”
Then he recited:


بِسْمِ اللّٰـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ﴿١﴾
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ﴿٢﴾
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ ﴿٣﴾
(Surah Al-Kawthar)


Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salah, Chapter: Evidence for Those Who Say Basmala Is an Ayah at the Beginning of Every Surah Except Bara’ah, Hadith 400


This Hadith, recorded in Sahih Muslim, is evidence that when reciting a Surah after Surah Al-Fatiha, one should recite Bismillah before it.

✿ Practice of the Companions:​

On one occasion, Amir al-Mu’minin Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه) recited Bismillah aloud before Surah Al-Fatiha, but did not recite it aloud before the following Surah. The Muhājirūn and Anṣār objected to this. After that, he recited Bismillah aloud before the Surah in the next prayer.


Al-Umm by Imam al-Shafi’i (رحمه الله), Vol. 1, p. 108


Status of the Chain:
The chain of this narration is Hasan li-dhātih (intrinsically sound).
Imam al-Hākim and Imam al-Dhahabi (رحمهما الله) have both declared it authentic according to the conditions of Muslim.


Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim, Vol. 1, p. 233

❖ Response to Certain Objections:​

Some individuals, in defense of their own school of thought, criticize this Hadith, but such criticism is not valid.


It is important to note that there is no authentic or sound narration that explicitly states the Prophet ﷺ did not recite Bismillah before the Surah following Al-Fatiha.


(Testimony: September 2000)

Conclusion:​

❀ Reciting Bismillah before the Surah following Al-Fatiha is proven from Sahih Muslim.
❀ The practice of the Sahabah was in accordance with this.
❀ No authentic or sound narration denies this practice.
❀ Therefore, reciting Bismillah before another Surah is a Sunnah act.


هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب