(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.)
"Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim" is the first verse of the first chapter (Surah Al-Fatihah) of the Quran. The fact that the word of Allah, the Quran, starts with this first verse, alone signifies the importance of this verse and further emphasizes the need to start all our tasks in the name of Allah (God).
Amongst the many benefits that Sheikh Modudi states in his Quranic tafseer of this verse, here are some of them:
:: (Saying bismillah) allows one to restrain oneself from any misdeeds, since the habit of pronouncing the name of God is bound to make one wonder when about to commit some offence and how such an act can be reconciled with the saying of God's holy name.
:: When a person begins something by pronouncing Allah's (God's) name (with sincerity in his heart), he will enjoy Allah's support and succor; Allah will bless his efforts and protect him from the machinations and temptation of Satan. For whenever man turns to Allah (God), Allah turns to him as well.
Starting with Bismillah
:: When one says "Bismillaah" before starting anything, it means, "I start this action accompanied by the name of Allah or seeking help through the name of Allah, seeking blessing thereby. Allah is God, the beloved and worshipped, to Whom hearts turn in love, veneration and obedience (worship). He is al-Rahmaan (the Most Gracious) Whose attribute is vast mercy; and al-Raheem (the Most Merciful) Who causes that mercy to reach His creation." (Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid)
Hence this name (al-Rahmaan) often appears after the name Allah, as in the Quranic verse below:
"Say (O Muhammad): Invoke Allah or invoke the Most Gracious [al-Rahmaan] (Allah)" [Quran, Surah al-Isra' 17:110]
Ibn Jareer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Allah, may He be exalted and His name sanctified, taught His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S.) proper manners by teaching him to mention His most beautiful names before all his actions. He commanded him to mention these attributes before starting to do anything, and made what He taught him a way for all people to follow before starting anything, words to be written at the beginning of their letters and books. The apparent meaning of these words indicates exactly what is meant by them, and it does not need to be spelled out."
First Revelation of the Quran ("Read in the name of your Lord")
We also observe that the first verse revealed to the prophet (S.A.W.S.) was:
"Iqra' bismi Rabbika"
(Read (or recite) in the name of your Lord
- [Surah al-'Alaq 96:1).
The verse commands the prophet (S.A.W.S.) to read "in the name of Allah).
Bismillah in Other Chapters of the Quran
WIth the exception of Surah At-Tawbah (9), all Surahs (chapters) start with Bismillah. Furthermore, Surah An-Naml in the Quran has another verse (number 30) that mentions Bismillah.
The Quran states:
(29) She (Sheba / Saba) said: "O chiefs! Verily! Here is delivered to me a noble letter,
(30) "Verily! It is from (Prophet) Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful;
Quran, Surah An-Naml (27:29-30)
The Story of 'Bismillah' and the hairdresser of Pharaoh's daughter and her children
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