Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Meaning: Literally and in Sharia

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Hi all readers! Are you looking for an explanation of bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning: literally and in sharia? If your answer is “Yes”, congratulations! Now you are reading the right article. Why? Because that is what I will explain in this article. As Muslims, we must understand that. That's why I wrote this article. So, you should read it to the end!

Specifically, there are several important things about bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning: literally and in sharia, which I will explain in this article. Some of the important things I mean are as follows:

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Meaning Literally

The first important thing about "bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning: literally and in sharia, which I will explain now is bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning literally. I want you to understand that first before you read any further explanation in this article because that is one of the basic things in this discussion that should be well understood.

"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim" is an Arabic sentence. The writing is بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ. There are several words in the sentence that must be understood very well.

There are five words in “bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ)” that we must understand:

• "Bi (بِ)". The meaning of the word is "with".
• "Ismi (اسْمِ)". The meaning of the word is "name".
• "Allah (اللهِ)". The meaning of the word is "God". "Allah" is one of the names of the God of Muslims.
• "Ar-Rahmani (الرَّحْمَانِ)". According to one opinion, the meaning of the word is "Most Merciful in the world".
• "Ar-Rahimi (الرَّحِيْمِ)". According to one opinion, the meaning of the word is "Most Merciful in this world and in the Hereafter.

That is a brief explanation of bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning literally. As Muslims, we must understand that.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Meaning in Sharia

The second important point about bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning: literally and in sharia, which I will explain now is bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning in sharia. I want you to understand that because it is one of the important topics in this article that should be well understood.

There are two important things about bismillahirrahmanirrahim in sharia which I will explain now. Two important things I mean are as follows:

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim As Dua

In Islam, bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ) is one of the best dua. Muslims are strongly encouraged to say that when they are about to start all their activities. One of the goals is for all their activities to be good activities and rewards for them.

We can find this explanation in the hadith below:

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : كُلُّ أَمْرٍ ذِيْ بَالٍ لَا يُبْدَأُ بِاسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ فَهُوَ أَبْتَرُ

The Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, “All good activities that do not start by saying “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ)” will be cut off from blessings.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim in Prayer

There is a difference of opinion about bismillahirrahmanirrahim in prayer. The point is that there are some Islamic jurists who say that it is not obligatory for Muslims to say "bismillahirrahmanirrahim" when they are praying. Some other Islamic jurists say that Muslims should say "bismillahirrahmanirrahim" when they are praying.

They differ in opinion because there are differences of opinion about whether bismillahirrahmanirrahim is one of the verses in Surah al-Fatihah or not. Specifically, their differences of opinion are as follows:

• Shafiiyah school says that Bismillahirrahmanirrahim is a part of surah al-Fatihah. The meaning is, we have to read it in prayer.

Their argument is based on the below hadith;

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : إِذَا قَرَأْتُمْ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ , فَاقْرَؤُوْا بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ , إِنَّهَا أُمُّ الْقُرْآنِ , وَأُمُّ الْكِتَابِ , وَالسَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِيُّ , وَبِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ أَحَدُ آيَاتِهَا

From Abu Hurairah radliyallahu anhu, from Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, that he said, "If you read الْحْمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ (surah al-Fatihah), then read Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ). In fact, it (surah al-Fatihah) is the Ummul Quran, the Ummul Kitab, and as-Sab'u al-Matsaniy. And بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ is one of the verses."

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ بِبِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ

From Ibn Abbas radliyallahu anhuma, that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam started prayer by reading Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ).

• Malikiyah school says that Bismillahirrahmanirrahim is not part of the al-Fatihah chapter. That is, we may not read it in prayer.

Their argument is based on the below hadith;

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ : كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ بِالتَّكْبِيْرِ , وَالْقِرَاءَةَ بِالْحَمْدِ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ

From Aisha radliyallahu anha, she said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam began praying with Takbir and began reciting (in prayer) with الْحَمْدِ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ."

• Hanafiyah school says that Bismillahirrahmanirrahim the verse of the Quran was revealed to differentiate between the surahs in the Quran, but that is not part of surah al-Fatihah. That is, we may not read it in prayer.

Their argument is based on the below hadith;

رُوِيَ عَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا : أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ لَا يَعْرِفُ فَصْلَ السُّوْرَةِ حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ

It's narrated from Ibn Abbas radliyallahu anhuma, that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam did not know the separator of the surah until Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ) came to him.

That is a brief explanation of the meaning of bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning in sharia. As Muslims, we must understand that.

All readers! That is a brief explanation of bismillahirrahmanirrahim meaning: literally and in sharia. Do you understand? If you want to ask, please ask!

I think that's enough for this article. Hope it is useful. Amen.

See you again in the next article!