For other uses, see Bismillah (disambiguation) and In the name of Allah (disambiguation).

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Basmala (Arabic: basmala) is an Arabic noun used as a collective name for the whole of the
recurring Islamic phrase b-ismi-llhi r-ramni r-rami. It is sometimes translated as "In the name
of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". The phrase may also be referred to by its first
words,Bismillah (Arabic: ).
[1]
This phrase is recited before each sura (chapter), except for
the ninth (according to others it constitutes the first verse of 113 suras/chapters of the Qur'an), and is
used in a number of contexts by Muslims. It is recited several times as part of daily prayers, and is usually
the first phrase in the preamble of the constitutions of Islamic countries.

bismi-llhi r-ramni r-ram
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Arabic letters of the Basmala are encoded as one ligature by Unicode at codepoint
U+FDFD
Some Powerful benefits of saying
Bismillah
on many and various occasions
All the movements of a Muslim accompanied with the saying bismillah are protected
from the trickery of Satan as the tradition says:


Shut/lock your door and mention the name of Allah Most Almighty and Majestic upon
it for the Satan does not open a locked (or closed) door, and put out your lamps and
mention the name of Allah, and cover your utensils even with a stick and mention the
name of Allah, and close your containers and mention the name of Allah Most Almighty
and Majestic upon it. [Reported by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Da`ood, and
Timidthi]
And on Jabir ibn Abdullah may Allah be pleased with him, who said that he heard the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
:
: :

If a man remembers Allah as he enters his house and when he takes food, the Satan
says: no place to stay the night and no food. And if he doesnt remember Allah as he
enters his house the Satan says: I found a place to spend the night. And if he doesnt
remember Allah as he takes food the Shaitan says: I have found a place to stay the night
and have dinner. [Reported by Muslim and Ahmad]
Abu Tamimah al-Hujaimi narrated upon the person who was riding behind the Prophet,
may Allahs peace and blessing be upon him:



[ ( )

I was riding behind the Prophet, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, on a
donkey when it tripped, so I said may the curse be upon the Satan whereupon the
Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said to me: Do not say curse be upon the
Satan because if you say this he aggrandizes himself and says I have made him stumble
by my power, but if you say in the name of Allah he grows small in himself until he
becomes smaller than a fly. [Reported by Ahmad, al-Baihaqi and al-Hakim, and al-
Albani verified it in Sahih at-Targheeb 3/118 no. 3129] and in another version but if
you say in the name of Allah, he shrinks away until he is smaller than a fly.
The protection against the Satan is to say bismillah (in the name of Allah) since this is
the major weapon as mentioned above, and we also find in the traditions that the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

The screen between the jinn and the nakedness of the children of Adam when they go
to the bathroom is to say bismillah (in the name of Allah). [Reported by Ahmad, Ibn
Majah, at-Tabrani and others and confirmed] Note that it is not allowed to mention
Allahs name in the bathroom and thus one says it before entering as it is reported by
Bukhari and others one should say before entering the toilet:

In the name of Allah. O Allah, I take refuge with

you from all evil and evil-doers. And after leaving the toilet:

I ask You
(Allah) for forgiveness.
And concerning the food we eat and animals we slaughter for food, Allah the Most
Blessed and Exalted said:

Then eat of that over which the name of Allah has been mentioned, if you believe in His
signs. 6:118]
And Allah the Most Blessed and Exalted said

Why should you not eat of that over which Allahs name has been mentioned, when He
has already given you explicit knowledge of those things which He has forbidden for
you, except in a case of extreme helplessness? As regards the majority of the people, they
following their caprices, say misleading things without any knowledge. Your Lord best
knows transgressors [The Quran: al-Anaam 6:119]
And Allah the Most Blessed and Exalted said

Do not eat of that on which Allahs Name has not been pronounced for sure it is
rebellious sin. Certainly the devils do inspire their friends to dispute with you, and if
you obey them then you would indeed be polytheists and idolaters. [The Quran: al-
Anaam 6:121]
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Verily the Satan deems as legal (for himself) the food that does not have the name of
Allah mentioned upon it. [Reported by Muslim]
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
: :
Iblees (the Satan) said: everybodys sustenance has been determined so what is my
sustenance? He (Allah) said: What has not had My name mentioned upon it. [Reported
by Abu as-Sheikh, and Abu Nuaim, and Deya`a al-Maqdasi, and verified by al-Albani in
as-Silsalah as-Sahihah no. 807]
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

What spills and drains the blood (from the animal), and the name of Allah has been
mentioned over it, then you may eat of it[Reported by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu
Da`ood, Timidthi, an-Nasa`e, Ibn Majah, and others]
And on Eidi ibn Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him:
: : , :
, , , :
: :

[ ] :
.
And Eidi Ibn Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet (peace be on
him), O Messenger of Allah I send my dog and mention the name of Allah. The Prophet
said: If you send your dog and mention the name of Allah, then he goes and kills, then
eat that which he catches for you, but if he eats from it do not eat from it since he only
killed it for himself. Eidi Ibn Hatim said: Suppose I send my dog but I find another dog
at the game, and I do not know which dog caught it? The Prophet, peace be on him,
replied, Do not eat it, for while you mentioned the name of Allah over your dog, you did
not mention it over the other dog. [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]
Abdullah ibn Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
: :
:
. :
.
A caller of the Jinn came to me so I went with him and read the Qur`an on them. He
(ibn Masood) said: We went and saw their tracks and the evidence of the fires. They had
asked him for provisions, and he said: You have every bone that the name of Allah has
been mentioned upon as bountiful with meat as it ever was, and every dung dropping is
the provision for your beasts. So the Messenger of Allah said (to us): Therefore do no
clean yourselves (after the call of nature) with these two (i.e. bones and dung) since they
are the food of your brothers. [Reported by Muslim]
Bismillah al rahman al rahim


The Arabic phrase shown above is pronounced as Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, and is a
beautifully poetic phrase which offers both deep insight and brilliant inspiration. It has often
been said that the phrase Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim contains the true essence of the entire
Qur'an, as well as the true essence of all religions.
Muslims often say this phrase when embarking on any significant endeavor, and the phrase is
considered by some to be a major pillar of Islam. This expression is so magnificent and so
concise that all but one chapter of the Qur'an begins with the words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-
Rahim.
The common translation:
"In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate".
fails to capture either the true depth of meaning or the inspirational message of this beautiful
phrase. So, let's look deeper into the meaning of these wonderful words.

Origin and Spelling:
Every chapter of the Qur'an (except the ninth chapter) begins with the Arabic phrase:

However, there are many differing views on how this phrase should be transliterated using the
English alphabet, as well as differing views on whether or not to include some of the Arabic
rules of grammar. Consequently, one may encounter a variety of different transliterations of this
glorious phrase, including:

bismillahi al r-rahmani al r-rahim
bismillahi al rahman al rahim
bismillah al rahman al rahim
bismi Allah al rahman al rahim
bismillahi-r rahmani-r rahim
bismillaah ir rahmaan ir raheem
bismillah ir rahman ir rahim
However, regardless of how one may choose write the English transliteration of the original
Arabic, it is neither the writing of the words nor their pronunciation which is crucial, but rather
we shall each be rewarded according to what is in our heart and how we act in the world.
Those who say these words with thoughts of self-aggrandizement, or selfish gains, or self-
centered vain profit in any manner, will receive their just reward... suffering, pain and confusion.
Likewise, those who truly dedicate every step of their life to the glory and service of the Ever-
present One shall also receive their just reward... peace, love and beauty.
This phrase is truly an ideal to be expressed from the heart, an ideal to be expressed with the
utmost sincerity, an ideal which leads us toward sacred purpose, the purpose for which we have
been given life.
Let's look at the deeper meaning of each word of this glorious phrase:

bismillah
The common translation for bismillah is "In the name of Allah", which is actually an idiom, an
expression that really doesn't make much sense on a literal word-by-word basis.
The phrase In the name of is an idiom having the connotation of with the blessings of, under the
governance of, as an instrument of, in devotion to, in adoration of, on behalf of, with the support
of, or for the glory of. In each of these cases, the idiom In the name of indicates that one
is submitting to, honoring or glorifying that which is referred to.
Now, let's take a deeper look into the Arabic roots of this magnificent word bismillah.
The term bismillah, is a combination of three words:
1. The particle bi which can mean by, for, with the aid of, through or by means of and points
toward that which happens next.
2. The next word in this phrase is ism, based on the root variously reported to be s-m-w or a-s-m,
which indicates the means by which something is distinguished, whether by use of an identifying
mark, or by being raised up high so that it may be distinguished, and would include a
name, reputation, light or vibration, and points toward the very essence of something, the
inherent qualities and signs of the existence of something, the underlying reality of something.
3. The ending of the term is the word Allah, which is the Arabic name of the One. The Semitic
roots of the word Allah extend back several thousand years to the Canaanite Elat, Hebrew El and
Elohim, and Aramaic Alaha. These roots point toward unity, oneness, the eternal power which
includes all of existence and of non-existence. In modern English this would generally be
translated as God (which is old English, likely based on the Sanskrit word hu, meaning that
which is worshipped, honored or adored).

Using these basic roots, the term bismillah might be translated as:
- By means of the very essence of God
- For the glory of our Creator
- With the light of the One
- With the guidance of The Divine
- As an instrument of the One
- In harmony with Divine Presence
The central idea here is that whatever we do, every step that we take, every breath that we
breathe, is done for, because of, and through the essence of, the One who has created us.
It is not us that does the work, it is not us that makes opportunities appear, it is not us that
produces fruits from every action. We alone are powerless. The Creator has given us life and has
given us the ability to move and think and feel, yet we are totally dependent upon the Creator for
the very essence of life itself.
Thus, this beautiful word bismillah is a magnificent reminder of our relationship to our Creator
and our relationship to all of creation.
In one simple word bismillah expresses our wonder, awe and thankfulness while it also expresses
our innermost prayer that we may have the blessing of another breath, another moment of life,
and that we may walk on a path of truth and understanding.
To say bismillah is to humbly offer one's self as a vehicle for the glory and majesty of The One.


ir rahman ir rahim
These two terms rahman and rahim refer to attributes of the One. While they are often translated
simply as Merciful and Compassionate, the roots of the words point to a deeper meaning.
Both rahman and rahim are derived from the Semitic root r-h-m which indicates something of
the utmost tenderness which provides protection and nourishment, and that from which all of
creation is brought into being. And indeed, the rootrhm has meanings of womb, kinship,
relationship, loving-kindness, mercy, compassion, and nourishing-tenderness.
Thus, both rahman and rahim point toward that which emerges from the source of all creation,
while also conveying a sense of tenderness, loving-kindness, protection and nourishment.
The term rahman is a very emphatic statement, and then the sentiment is echoed by being
immediately followed by the use of another form of the same root-word. Such repetition is a
joyful celebration of this Divine attribute, much the same as saying "The One who is the
Supreme Loving-Kindness, oh such Loving-Kindness".
These two words, rahman and rahim, also express slightly different variations of meaning, as
described in the following paragraphs.

rahman:
The term rahman describes that aspect of the source of all creation which is endlessly radiating,
endlessly nourishing, regardless of who or what is receiving the endless flow of blessings.
Rahmn conveys the idea of fullness and extensiveness, indicating the great quality of love and
mercy which engulfs all of creation without regard to any effort or request on our part.
According to Ibn Qayyum (1350 AD), rahmn describes the quality of abounding Grace which
is inherent in and inseparable from the Almighty.

rahim:
On the other hand, the term rahim describes that aspect of the source which is issued forth only
in response to the actions and behavior of the recipient. It is in this manner that God takes ten
steps toward us when we take even a single step toward God.
Rahm conveys the idea of constant renewal and giving liberal reward in response to the quality
of our deeds and thoughts.
According to Ibn Qayyum (1350 AD), rahm expresses the continuous manifestation of the
Grace in our lives and its effect upon us as a result of our own activities.

ir rahman ir rahim:
Rahman points toward the Beneficent One whose endless outpouring of love and mercy are
continually showered upon all of creation, while Rahim points toward the Merciful One whose
love and mercy are manifested in that which is received as the consequence of one's deeds.
So, the phrase ir rahman ir rahim is a recognition and honoring of the very source of all
existence, the source of all blessings, the source of all compassion, the source of all mercy who
gives endlessly to us and who also responds according to our moral integrity, our harmony with
all of creation and our love of Allah.



Poetic Renderings:
There is no way for any one translation to capture the many facets of this beautiful
phrase Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.Here are some poetic renderings that attempt to capture
some aspects of the meaning without being literal translations:
With every breath that we breathe, may we be act on behalf of the Divine Presence, the Source
of all that we receive.
With every step that we take, may we be instruments of the One Light which guides us, the
Source and Nourisher of all of creation.
Every moment of this life is filled with your eternal radiance my Beloved, You are the Beneficent
One who endlessly showers all of creation with nourishment and blessings, and the One who
generously rewards those who live in harmony with Your Divine Will.



Calligraphy:
The words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim are so magnificent, so inspiring, so joyous that they
have long attracted the hand of calligraphers who have used pen and ink to bring this phrase to
life. The samples of calligraphy on this page are all renderings of the magnificent
words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.
Bismillah al rahman al rahim


The Arabic phrase shown above is pronounced as Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, and is a
beautifully poetic phrase which offers both deep insight and brilliant inspiration. It has often
been said that the phrase Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim contains the true essence of the entire
Qur'an, as well as the true essence of all religions.
Muslims often say this phrase when embarking on any significant endeavor, and the phrase is
considered by some to be a major pillar of Islam. This expression is so magnificent and so
concise that all but one chapter of the Qur'an begins with the words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-
Rahim.
The common translation:
"In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate".
fails to capture either the true depth of meaning or the inspirational message of this beautiful
phrase. So, let's look deeper into the meaning of these wonderful words.

Origin and Spelling:
Every chapter of the Qur'an (except the ninth chapter) begins with the Arabic phrase:

However, there are many differing views on how this phrase should be transliterated using the
English alphabet, as well as differing views on whether or not to include some of the Arabic
rules of grammar. Consequently, one may encounter a variety of different transliterations of this
glorious phrase, including:

bismillahi al r-rahmani al r-rahim
bismillahi al rahman al rahim
bismillah al rahman al rahim
bismi Allah al rahman al rahim
bismillahi-r rahmani-r rahim
bismillaah ir rahmaan ir raheem
bismillah ir rahman ir rahim
However, regardless of how one may choose write the English transliteration of the original
Arabic, it is neither the writing of the words nor their pronunciation which is crucial, but rather
we shall each be rewarded according to what is in our heart and how we act in the world.
Those who say these words with thoughts of self-aggrandizement, or selfish gains, or self-
centered vain profit in any manner, will receive their just reward... suffering, pain and confusion.
Likewise, those who truly dedicate every step of their life to the glory and service of the Ever-
present One shall also receive their just reward... peace, love and beauty.
This phrase is truly an ideal to be expressed from the heart, an ideal to be expressed with the
utmost sincerity, an ideal which leads us toward sacred purpose, the purpose for which we have
been given life.
Let's look at the deeper meaning of each word of this glorious phrase:

bismillah
The common translation for bismillah is "In the name of Allah", which is actually an idiom, an
expression that really doesn't make much sense on a literal word-by-word basis.
The phrase In the name of is an idiom having the connotation of with the blessings of, under the
governance of, as an instrument of, in devotion to, in adoration of, on behalf of, with the support
of, or for the glory of. In each of these cases, the idiom In the name of indicates that one
is submitting to, honoring or glorifying that which is referred to.
Now, let's take a deeper look into the Arabic roots of this magnificent word bismillah.
The term bismillah, is a combination of three words:
1. The particle bi which can mean by, for, with the aid of, through or by means of and points
toward that which happens next.
2. The next word in this phrase is ism, based on the root variously reported to be s-m-w or a-s-m,
which indicates the means by which something is distinguished, whether by use of an identifying
mark, or by being raised up high so that it may be distinguished, and would include a
name, reputation, light or vibration, and points toward the very essence of something, the
inherent qualities and signs of the existence of something, the underlying reality of something.
3. The ending of the term is the word Allah, which is the Arabic name of the One. The Semitic
roots of the word Allah extend back several thousand years to the Canaanite Elat, Hebrew El and
Elohim, and Aramaic Alaha. These roots point toward unity, oneness, the eternal power which
includes all of existence and of non-existence. In modern English this would generally be
translated as God (which is old English, likely based on the Sanskrit word hu, meaning that
which is worshipped, honored or adored).

Using these basic roots, the term bismillah might be translated as:
- By means of the very essence of God
- For the glory of our Creator
- With the light of the One
- With the guidance of The Divine
- As an instrument of the One
- In harmony with Divine Presence
The central idea here is that whatever we do, every step that we take, every breath that we
breathe, is done for, because of, and through the essence of, the One who has created us.
It is not us that does the work, it is not us that makes opportunities appear, it is not us that
produces fruits from every action. We alone are powerless. The Creator has given us life and has
given us the ability to move and think and feel, yet we are totally dependent upon the Creator for
the very essence of life itself.
Thus, this beautiful word bismillah is a magnificent reminder of our relationship to our Creator
and our relationship to all of creation.
In one simple word bismillah expresses our wonder, awe and thankfulness while it also expresses
our innermost prayer that we may have the blessing of another breath, another moment of life,
and that we may walk on a path of truth and understanding.
To say bismillah is to humbly offer one's self as a vehicle for the glory and majesty of The One.


ir rahman ir rahim
These two terms rahman and rahim refer to attributes of the One. While they are often translated
simply as Merciful and Compassionate, the roots of the words point to a deeper meaning.
Both rahman and rahim are derived from the Semitic root r-h-m which indicates something of
the utmost tenderness which provides protection and nourishment, and that from which all of
creation is brought into being. And indeed, the rootrhm has meanings of womb, kinship,
relationship, loving-kindness, mercy, compassion, and nourishing-tenderness.
Thus, both rahman and rahim point toward that which emerges from the source of all creation,
while also conveying a sense of tenderness, loving-kindness, protection and nourishment.
The term rahman is a very emphatic statement, and then the sentiment is echoed by being
immediately followed by the use of another form of the same root-word. Such repetition is a
joyful celebration of this Divine attribute, much the same as saying "The One who is the
Supreme Loving-Kindness, oh such Loving-Kindness".
These two words, rahman and rahim, also express slightly different variations of meaning, as
described in the following paragraphs.

rahman:
The term rahman describes that aspect of the source of all creation which is endlessly radiating,
endlessly nourishing, regardless of who or what is receiving the endless flow of blessings.
Rahmn conveys the idea of fullness and extensiveness, indicating the great quality of love and
mercy which engulfs all of creation without regard to any effort or request on our part.
According to Ibn Qayyum (1350 AD), rahmn describes the quality of abounding Grace which
is inherent in and inseparable from the Almighty.

rahim:
On the other hand, the term rahim describes that aspect of the source which is issued forth only
in response to the actions and behavior of the recipient. It is in this manner that God takes ten
steps toward us when we take even a single step toward God.
Rahm conveys the idea of constant renewal and giving liberal reward in response to the quality
of our deeds and thoughts.
According to Ibn Qayyum (1350 AD), rahm expresses the continuous manifestation of the
Grace in our lives and its effect upon us as a result of our own activities.

ir rahman ir rahim:
Rahman points toward the Beneficent One whose endless outpouring of love and mercy are
continually showered upon all of creation, while Rahim points toward the Merciful One whose
love and mercy are manifested in that which is received as the consequence of one's deeds.
So, the phrase ir rahman ir rahim is a recognition and honoring of the very source of all
existence, the source of all blessings, the source of all compassion, the source of all mercy who
gives endlessly to us and who also responds according to our moral integrity, our harmony with
all of creation and our love of Allah.



Poetic Renderings:
There is no way for any one translation to capture the many facets of this beautiful
phrase Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.Here are some poetic renderings that attempt to capture
some aspects of the meaning without being literal translations:
With every breath that we breathe, may we be act on behalf of the Divine Presence, the Source
of all that we receive.
With every step that we take, may we be instruments of the One Light which guides us, the
Source and Nourisher of all of creation.
Every moment of this life is filled with your eternal radiance my Beloved, You are the Beneficent
One who endlessly showers all of creation with nourishment and blessings, and the One who
generously rewards those who live in harmony with Your Divine Will.



Calligraphy:
The words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim are so magnificent, so inspiring, so joyous that they
have long attracted the hand of calligraphers who have used pen and ink to bring this phrase to
life. The samples of calligraphy on this page are all renderings of the magnificent
words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.

Songs:
The magnificence of the meaning of these words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim brings out music
from somewhere deep in my soul, celebrating the majesty and glory of the One.... and you can
find some of these songs, on my music page.


with love,
wahiduddin
Songs:
The magnificence of the meaning of these words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim brings out music
from somewhere deep in my soul, celebrating the majesty and glory of the One.... and you can
find some of these songs, on my music page.


with love,
wahiduddin