Bismillah.
One of the greatest gifts that we have been given by Allah [SWT] is that of Ayatul Kursi (the Verse of the Footstool). It is verse 255 in Surah Baqarah (2). Here are some of it’s virtues:
“The one who recites it after each of the obligatory prayers, then death will be the only thing [i.e. barrier] preventing him from entering al-Jannah.” [1]
Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Footstool extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
[1]
The Messenger of Allah [SAWS] said: “Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi immediately after each prescribed (obligatory) prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” [Reported by An-Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban]
The Messenger of Allah [SAWS] said: “Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi immediately after each prescribed (obligatory) prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.”
[Reported by An-Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban]
[2]
Ubayy bin Ka’b [RA] reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWS] said, “Abu Mundhir (Ubayy bin Ka’b)! Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book is the greatest? I said, “Allah and His messenger know best.” He [SAWS] again said, “Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book, according to you, is the greatest?” I (Abu Mundhir) replied, “It is ‘Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum’ [2:255]“. Thereupon he [SAWS] patted me in the chest and said, “Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu Mundhir! (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of respect, honour and benefit to you).” [Muslim]
Ubayy bin Ka’b [RA] reported:
The Messenger of Allah [SAWS] said, “Abu Mundhir (Ubayy bin Ka’b)! Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book is the greatest?
I said, “Allah and His messenger know best.”
He [SAWS] again said, “Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book, according to you, is the greatest?”
I (Abu Mundhir) replied, “It is ‘Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum’ [2:255]“.
Thereupon he [SAWS] patted me in the chest and said, “Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu Mundhir! (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of respect, honour and benefit to you).”
[Muslim]
[3]
Asma’ bint Yazid (radiAllahu anhu) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say about these two following Ayahs, i.e, verses: “Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. [2:255], And, Alif Lam Mim, Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal [3:1-2], That they contain Allah’s Greatest Name.” [Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal in his Musnad]
Asma’ bint Yazid (radiAllahu anhu) reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say about these two following Ayahs, i.e, verses: “Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. [2:255], And, Alif Lam Mim, Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal [3:1-2], That they contain Allah’s Greatest Name.”
[Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal in his Musnad]
[4] and [5]
Footnotes 13 and 14 in the following article: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=615&category=4 Transliteration English Translation A'uzu billahi minashaitanir rajim I seek refuge in Allah from the outcast Satan Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 'Allahu laaa 'ilaaha 'illaa Huu. 'Al-Hayyul-Qayyuum. Laa ta'-khuzuhuu sinatunw-wa laa nawm. Lahuu maa fissamaawaati wa ma fil-'arz. Man-zallazii yashfa-'u'indahuuu 'illaa bi-'iznih? Ya'-lamu maa bayna 'aydiihim wa maa khalfahum. Wa laa yuhiituuna bi-shay-'im-min 'ilmihiii 'illaa bimaa shaaa'. Wasi-'a Kursiyyu-hus-Samaawaati wal-'arz; wa laa ya-'uuduhuu hifzu -humaa wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Aziim. Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime,the Tremendous. http://www.mounthira.com/learning/ayat/alkursi/ayatulkursi/ Above is the link where you can learn Ayat- Ul Khursi by heart and also know its meaning.
Footnotes 13 and 14 in the following article: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=615&category=4
http://www.mounthira.com/learning/ayat/alkursi/ayatulkursi/
Above is the link where you can learn Ayat- Ul Khursi by heart and also know its meaning.
Surah 1. The Opening
1. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
5. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
6. Show us the straight way,
7. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
Al-Fatiha: The Opening Surah of our Holy Quran, also known by various names like Umm Al-Kitab (Mother of All Books), Ash-Shifa (The Cure) and Ar-Ruqyah (The Remedy). The reason is it called as Umm Al-Kitab is because the Quran starts with it And the prayer is started by reciting it. This Surah is honoured with this name also because it contains the meanings of the entire Quran. This surah is recited in every prayer and Rakat, As Prophet S.A.S narrated, ‘There is no prayer for whoever does not recite the Opening of the Book’ ,Therefore it is neccessary that every person recite this Surah, even if you are lead by a Imam.
A deeper look into The Opening:
The following is the Fatiha, line-by-line in Arabic, followed by a simple transliteration, and four well-known English translations.
(Pronunciation guide: i as in sit, a as in bat, u as in put, â as the a in father, î as the ee in reel, ű as the oo in moot.)
bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm Yusuf Ali: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Pickthall: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Shakir: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Muhammad Ali: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
Yusuf Ali: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Pickthall: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Shakir: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Muhammad Ali: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
al-hamdulillâhi rabb il-âlamîn Yusuf Ali: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Pickthall: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Shakir: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Muhammad Ali: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
al-hamdulillâhi rabb il-âlamîn
Yusuf Ali: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Pickthall: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Shakir: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Muhammad Ali: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
ar-rahmân ir-rahîm Yusuf Ali: Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Pickthall: The Beneficent, the Merciful. Shakir: The Beneficent, the Merciful. Muhammad Ali: The Beneficent, the Merciful.
ar-rahmân ir-rahîm
Yusuf Ali: Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Pickthall: The Beneficent, the Merciful. Shakir: The Beneficent, the Merciful. Muhammad Ali: The Beneficent, the Merciful.
mâliki yawm id-dîn Yusuf Ali: Master of the Day of Judgment. Pickthall: Master of the Day of Judgment, Shakir: Master of the Day of Judgment. Muhammad Ali: Master of the day of Requital.
mâliki yawm id-dîn
Yusuf Ali: Master of the Day of Judgment. Pickthall: Master of the Day of Judgment, Shakir: Master of the Day of Judgment. Muhammad Ali: Master of the day of Requital.
iyyâka na`budu wa iyyâka nasta`în Yusuf Ali: Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Pickthall: Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. Shakir: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help. Muhammad Ali: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
iyyâka na`budu wa iyyâka nasta`în
Yusuf Ali: Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Pickthall: Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. Shakir: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help. Muhammad Ali: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
ihdinâ s-sirât al-mustaqîm Yusuf Ali: Show us the straight way, Pickthall: Show us the straight path, Shakir: Keep us on the right path. Muhammad Ali: Guide us on the right path,
ihdinâ s-sirât al-mustaqîm
Yusuf Ali: Show us the straight way, Pickthall: Show us the straight path, Shakir: Keep us on the right path. Muhammad Ali: Guide us on the right path,
sirât al-ladhîna an`amta `alayhim ghayr il-maghdűbi `alayhim wa la d-dâlîn Yusuf Ali: The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray. Pickthall: The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. Shakir: The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray. Muhammad Ali: The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours, not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray.
sirât al-ladhîna an`amta `alayhim
ghayr il-maghdűbi `alayhim wa la d-dâlîn
Yusuf Ali: The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray. Pickthall: The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. Shakir: The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray. Muhammad Ali: The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours, not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray.
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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Companions started the book of Allah with Bismillah, and so agreed the scholars too that Bismillah is a part of an Ayat in Surah An-Naml, However they disagree that this is a Ayah before every Surah. Some scholars/companions believe that Bismillah is a part of every surah, and some believe that its a separate Ayat at the beginning of Surah and not part of the Surah itself.
All Praise and Thanks to Allah , the Lord of all that exists
Abu Jafar bin Jarir said, ‘The Meaning of AlHamdu Lillah is: All Thanks are due purely to Allah alone and not to any of the objects that are being worshipped other than Allah, nor of any of his creations. These Thanks are for the innumerable favours and bounties HE bestowed on HIS creations, that only HE knows the amount of.Ar-Rabb is the Owner who has full authority over HIS property. The word Ar-Rabb is Allah’s Greatest Name which is used only for Allah.Al-Alamin is plural for Alam, which encompasses everything in existance except Allah. The Alamin are the different creations that exist in Heavens and Earth, on Land and at sea, in short everything which Allah has created with a soul.
The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Allah has described himself by Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, the two names derived from Rahman(The Mercy) after saying ‘The Lord of Alamin’ so HIS statement here includes a warning, and then an encouragement. Ibn Abbas said, ‘They are the two soft names, one of them is softer than the other(Meaning it carries more implications of mercy)
The Owner of the Day of Recompense/Judgement
Allah is the True owner(Malik) of everything and everyone. HIS sovereignty of the Day of Judgement is mentioned through this Ayat.Ibn Abbas said, ‘Yawm Ad-din is the Day of Recompense for the creatures, on which Allah will reckon the creation for their deeds, evil for evil, good for good except for those whom HE pardons.
You alone we worship, You Alone we ask for Help.
The first part is a declaration of innocence from Shirk while the second negates having any power or strength. “You .. ” means, we worship You alone and none else, and rely on You alone and none else. This is the perfect form of obedience and the entire religion is based on these two ideas. Some of the Salaf said, Al-Fatiha is the secret of the Quran, while these words are the secret of Al-Fatiha.
Guide us to the Straight Path
After praising Allah, we then seek Allah’s guidance. We ask Allah to lead,direct and grant us to the correct guidance and towards success by making us firm and not allowing us to deviate from it. Sirat Al-Mustaqim is the clear path without branches, according to the language of Arabs.
The Path of those on whom You have bestowed your grace, not the Path of those who earned your Anger, nor of those that went astray
We ask Allah to guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom HE had bestowed HIS grace upon, that is the people of sincerity and obedience to Allah and HIS Messengers. Such are the people who adhere to Allah’s commandmenrs and refrain from committing what HE has prohibited. But, also to avoid the path of those whom Allah is angry with, whose intentions are corrupt, who know the truth, yet diviate from it. And people who lost the true knowledge and are wandering in misguidance, unable to find the right path.
May Allah accept our efforts and Prayers, and grant us Paradise in the hereafter, AMEEN.
Assalam alaikum,
Yeah I know, you people might be thinking that....what is this? She said this is a blog and here we see she says 'Bismillah' and 'Assalam Alaikum'? Well...yeah! This blog will be used solely for the purpose of discussing or posting Islamic topics.
Wanted to do this for a long time.
At last, I am onto it.
I may not be regular regarding the posting but, I'll definitely be into it.
Well...I started my Blog with a heading Bismillah!
Many people out there...may have faq's like:
What does bismillah mean?
Why did she start with that word.?
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 guidance of, as an instrument of, with the support of, or for the glory of. In each of these cases, the idiom In the name of means 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 literally 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
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 root rhm 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.
Rahmân 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), rahmân 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.
Rahîm 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), rahîm 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 ever aware of the Divine Presence, the Source of all that we receive.
With every step that we take, may we always honor the 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.
