Bismillah (In the Name of Allah)

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim (Arabic: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) means "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" and is the most frequent phrase in the Quran, as it opens 113 of the Quran's 114 surahs. In prayer, Bismillah is recited as the first verse of Surah Al-Fatiha and before any surah recited after it.

In Shia fiqh, Bismillah is an integral verse of Surah Al-Fatiha and the other surahs (except Surah Al-Tawbah). This is an important theological point that distinguishes the Shia view from certain Sunni legal schools, which consider Bismillah a separate recitation rather than part of the surah. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "The one who omits Bismillahi al-Rahmani al-Rahim from Surah Al-Fatiha has omitted the best verse" (Wasail al-Shia, vol. 6). Therefore, Bismillah must be recited aloud in the prayers where Al-Fatiha is recited aloud (Fajr, Maghrib, Isha).

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said about Bismillah: "All the secrets of the revealed books are in the Quran, and all the secrets of the Quran are in Al-Fatiha, and all the secrets of Al-Fatiha are in Bismillahi al-Rahmani al-Rahim, and all the secrets of Bismillah are in its first letter Ba'" (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 92). This hadith illustrates the deep esoteric (batini) dimension of Bismillah in Shia theology.

Beyond prayer, it is sunnah to say Bismillah before any important action: before eating, before beginning a journey, before opening a door, and before starting any work. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "Any action of significance that is not begun with Bismillah is cut off from blessing." For the believer, Bismillah is a constant reminder of Allah's presence in all aspects of life.