By Haroon Balogun

To be successful in the world, it is essential to possess correct knowledge, for without correct and complete knowledge, no action, whether for the world or the hereafter, produces effective or correct results.

And unless the results of deeds are correct and complete, there can be no success in the hereafter. The Quran completely possesses the principles and guidance by which man, by acting upon, can achieve the goodness of this world and the hereafter.

Whoever recites Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim, asks for complete and correct knowledge, as well as perfection in deeds, which produce excellent results. In other words, he asked for knowledge of the Quran and good deeds, and further requested perfection in these. One who receives the correct and complete knowledge of the Quran, and furthermore is blessed with excellence in works, is successful and achieves goodness in this world and the hereafter.

When Bismillah was revealed; Jabir was reported to have said that when: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; was revealed, the clouds gave way by moving to the East, the winds ceased blowing, the oceans became calm, the creatures prepared

themselves to listen, the shayatin were pelted with fire from the heavens and Allah, swearing an oath by His honour, declared: Anyone who says this name of mine upon anything, I will surely impart barakah in that thing. Ad Durrul Manthur and Ibn Kathir

Personal name

In Ad-Durrul Manthur, Ibn Umar t is reported as saying that surely, whenever Arch Angel Gabriel used to bring message to the Prophet, he used to first recite the ayah. In Bismillah there are three names of Allah: 1) Allah which is His personal name indicating that all projects can only be initiated by the will and wish of Allah. 2) Rahman (mercy) which is His attributive name indicating that only Allah can keep that project intact and existent guarding it against destruction.

3) Raheem (Most Merciful) which is also His attribute name indicating that only Allah can, through His mercy and grace, enable any person to derive benefit from that project.

Other uses of Bismillah: Islam is not confined only to the masjid and madrasah. It is a way of life. Each and every aspect of a Muslim’s life is supposed to be deen. It is for this reason that Rasulullah has shown the ummah simple methods which would render each and every worldly affair of his to become deen and for which he will be rewarded.

Thus every activity of a person will become an ibadah. By doing this, he will draw closer to Allah and distance himself from the accursed Shaytan. And by not doing this he will deprive none other than himself. According to Ibn Abbas in Ad-Durrul Manthur, Rasulullah has said that people are unaware of the blessings of one ayah of the Holy Qur’an which was revealed to no one other than me and Sulaiman u. That is: Bismillahir-Rahamanir-Raheem

Again, you can only remembering Allah Through His 3000 Names with this ayah. It is mentioned in Tafsir Ruhul Bayan that Allah has three thousand names. He revealed 1000 to the angels, 1000 to the prophets, 300 are mentioned in the Tawrah, 300 in the Zaburah, 300 in the Injil, and 99 in the Holy Qur’an. One name He has kept to Himself without revealing to no one. All these according to scholars have been condensed into the three names contained in the ayah.

Teaching children to say Bismillah could be a means of forgiveness for parents. It was reported from Abdullah bin Abbas that as soon as the tutor says to a child, read: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; the teacher, the child and the child’s parents are all guaranteed freedom from the fire of Jahannam. It was reported that Prophet Isa (Jesus a.s) passed by a grave whose inmate was being tormented. After some days he happened to pass by the same grave again. This time there was no punishment. The inmate was in great comfort. This surprised him a great deal. He asked Allah: “Lord, what brought about Your mercy so that you have lifted the punishment from this person?” Allah I replied: “O Isa, when the man died, he left behind a child. When his mother took him to the madrasah, the child said: Bismillahir-Rahamanir-Raheem. In the presence of the teacher, it does not befit me to keep on punishing his father while he called me Rahman and Rahim. Hence, I forgave him.”

Bismillah – A means of deliverance from punishment: It was reported from Abdullah bin Mas’ood that: the ayah has 19 letters and the angels of hell are also 19; anyone who says the ayah will be safeguarded against the 19 angels of Jahannam. Tafsir Qurtubi and Durrul Manthur, volume 1 page 9

Bismillah – It is a means of high status in the hereafter: Rasulullah was reported as saying that any du’a which begins with “Bismillahir-Rahamanir-Raheem” is not rejected. By saying:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the scales of my ummah will become heavy on the Day of Qiyamah”. The other people will ask: “Why are the virtues of the Ummah of Muhammad so heavy?” Their prophets will reply: “In the utterances of the Ummat of Muhammad

there is such an honourable name of Allah that if it is placed on one side of the scale, and the sins of the entire creation are placed onto the other side, then the side with the virtues will be heavier.”

Other wonders of Bismillah

Rasulullah was reported to have said that as long as people keep on saying: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, it will be a means of safeguarding them against sickness; a means of granting riches to the destitute; a means of freedom against the fire; a means of safety against being swallowed by the earth; a means of safety against faces becoming distorted; and a means of safety from stones raining down from the heavens. Ghunyatut Talibin Page 157

A Hadith Qudsi Rasulullah said that the angel Jibreel made a mention of this hadith under oath that he heard it from the angel Mika’il under oath who heard it from the angel Israfeel under oath that Allah said;

“By my honour, grace and grandeur, whoever reads: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and Suratul-Fatiha jointly once, then you be witness that I shall not burn his tongue and I will save him from the fire as well as the punishment of the grave and on the day of Qiyamah. Saying Bismillah Before Wudhu: Rasulullah said: “One who does not say Bismillah before wudhu, his wudhu is incomplete.” Tirmidhi.

It is reported from Abu Hurairah that anyone who does not say Bismillah before wudhu, only the sins committed by the limbs which are washed in wudhu will be washed away; and one who says

Bismillah before wudhu, the sins of the entire body will be washed away. Mishkat Saying Bismillah Before Meals: Umar Ibn Abi Salamah reported that Rasulullah said to me: “Say Bismillah and eat with your right hand the food that is in front of you.” Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi

The scholars have said that it is preferable to say the Bismillah aloud so that it is a reminder for those who forget. Also, Ibn Hibban is reported as saying that if Bismillah is said prior to utilising any bounty of Allah and Alhamdu-lillah is said after utilising it, the user will not be asked to give account of that bounty on the Day of Qiyamah.