❖ Investigative Analysis: The Duʿā’ Before Eating – "بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَعَلَىٰ بَرَكَةِ اللّٰهِ"
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, p. 478
◈ The Question:
What is the authenticity of the ḥadīth that mentions reciting "Bismillāh wa ʿalā barakatillāh" before eating?
(Sent by: Abū Qatādah, Basti Balochān Fard, District Sargodha)
① Source of the Ḥadīth
The ḥadīth in question appears in:
- Al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim
- Volume: 4
- Page: 107
- Ḥadīth no.: 7084
- Text: "بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَعَلَىٰ بَرَكَةِ اللّٰهِ"
② Authentications and Chain Evaluation
- Both Imām al-Ḥākim and Imām al-Dhahabī declared the ḥadīth authentic.
- However, later scholars and muḥaddithūn analyzed the chain critically.
③ Weakness in the Chain
- The narration includes Abū Mujāhid ʿAbdullāh ibn Kaysān al-Marwazī, a narrator whose reliability is disputed.
- Majority of hadith critics have classified him as ḍaʿīf (weak).
Referential Source of Critique: Al-Ḥadīth: 20④ Final Scholarly Ruling
Though al-Ḥākim and al-Dhahabī graded the narration as ṣaḥīḥ, the presence of a weak narrator in the chain renders the ḥadīth weak in terms of isnād ( سنداً ضعیف ) by the standards of major hadith authorities.
✔ Conclusion
➊ The duʿā’ "بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَعَلَىٰ بَرَكَةِ اللّٰهِ" is not supported by a strong sanad.
➋ Despite earlier scholars like al-Ḥākim authenticating it, the presence of a weak narrator necessitates caution.
➌ Therefore, this narration is considered weak (ḍaʿīf) in isnād.
➍ However, saying “Bismillāh” alone before eating is established from multiple authentic narrations and remains the core Sunnah practice.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
