بسم الله
“Bismillah”
Thus lafadz from the Basmallah reading which means “In the Name of Allah. There are so many virtues when we read the sacred phrase. Islam has made it a point to read that noble phrase whenever we want to do any activity.
Why? There is a lot of wisdom behind saying Basmallah among others is the plea of help to Allah SWT and hope to Allah SWT on His barakah (blessed). See also : importance of the call to prayer
The reading of Basmallah is also the teaching of Allah to His Prophets and Messengers. It can be seen from the various events contained in Al-Qur’an, as in surah Hud verse 41, there Allah says as follow:
وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Which means,
“And (Noah or Nuh) said, ’embark therein; in the name of Allah is its course and its achorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.”
and in surah An-Naml verse 3o, Allah says as follow:
إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Which means,
“Indeed, it i from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: ‘In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
Allah SWT also ordered the Prophet Muhammad shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam when he was first accepted the revelation in cave of Hiro, which is:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
Which means,
“Recite in the name of your Lord who created.” (QS. Al-Alaq : 1)
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam advised all Muslims to say basmallah each time they started a practice or daily activity. Since saying basmallah has various virtues, such as:
- Basmallah is an opening phrase in Al-Qur’an
Allah has always opened the great Qur’anic Book with basmallah readings. In addition, all letters contained in the Qur’an except at At Taubah’s letter, beginning with the reading of Basmallah.
2. Basmallah is an originator for every worship, such wudhu (ablution), bath, and others
Rasulullah Shalallalahu Alaihi Wassalam said :
لَا وُضُوءَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْه
Which means,
“There is no wudhu for someone who doesn’t mention Allah (read basmallah).”
[AdSense-B]
Because wudhu is one of the requirements in performing the prayer, whether it is obligatory prayer, or sunnah prayer, and because of that before reading an intention of wudhu then take precedence to read basmallah. See also : Qur’an verses of respecting parents
3. Basmallah is a shield from the disturbance of shaitan
Shaitan and his armies which aim to deceive humans from the path of truth will be deceived when recited basmallah. Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi wassalam said:
“Whoever reads (بسم الله الذي لا يضر مع اسمه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء وهو السميع العليم) on every day at Fajr time and afternoons in three times then it will not harm him for anything.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi)
4. Basmallah is a read in which there is a lot of rewards for those who recite it
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam said:
“Whoever reads one letter from kitabullah (Qur’an) then for him one goodness and one good is doubled into ten goodness. I (Prophet Muhammad) did not say Alif Laam Miim is one letter, but alif one letter, one letter and one letter min. “(H.R. At Tirmidhi)
[AdSense-A]
Time to Recite Basmallah
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam taught his people to always read basmallah when they want to do all activities or action, such as:
1. Before eat and drink
Those who precede eating and drinking by reading basmallah can prevent shaitan from participating in eating what we eat. Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam said:
إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَإِنْ نَسِىَ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِى أَوَّلِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ
Which means,
“If any of you eat, then he should mention the name of Allah Ta’ala. If he forgot to mention the name of Allah Ta’ala at the beginning, let him recite: “Bismillaahi awwalahu wa aakhirohu (in the name of Allah at the beginning and finally).” (Narrated by Abu Daud and At-Tirmidhi)
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam also said,
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَيَسْتَحِلُّ الطَّعَامَ الَّذِى لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
Which means,
“In fact, Shaitan is allowed to eat food that Allah does not recite when it is eaten.” (Narrated by Abu Daud)
2. Before going to sleep
Hudzaifah radhiallahu ‘anhu ever said:
“The custom of the Prophet shalallahu ‘alaihi wasallam when he was about to sleep, he recited (باسمك اللهم أموت وأحيا) which means By calling Your name O Allah, I die and I live.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
3. Before Intercourse (having sex)
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam said :
لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَأْتِىَ أَهْلَهُ قَالَ: “بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا“، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ يُقَدَّرْ بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَدٌ فِى ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ شَيْطَانٌ أَبَدًا
Which means,
“If one of you (husband) when he wants to interfere with his wife, and he reads a dua: ‘By (naming) the name of Allah, … etc’, then if Allah predestined (birth) the child from the intimate relationship, then Shaitan will not be able to harm the child forever. “(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
See also : importance of Dzulhijjah month
4. When going outside of house
Anas ibn Malik radhiallahu ‘anhu said: “Indeed The Prophet shalallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said”:
“When someone comes out of his house, then he reads (بسم الله توكلت على الله لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله) which means” In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, no power and effort except by the permission of Allah. “
So it is said to him: “Thou hast gained guidance, thou sufficient, and thou have awakened (fortified),” that the devils flee from them. Another demon said: “How is your affair with someone who has been guided, accomplished, and fortified?” (Narrated by Abu Daud)
5. When about to undress or entering a toilet
Rasulullah Shalallahu Alaihi Wassalam said:
سَتْرُ مَا بَيْنَ أَعْيُنِ الجِنِّ وَعَوْرَاتِ بَنِي آدَمَ: إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُهُمُ الخَلَاءَ، أَنْ يَقُولَ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Which means,
“The barrier between the eyes of the genie and the aurat of the children of Adam, if you enter the small room, say bismillah.” (Narrated by Turmudzi)
6. When about to close food or store valuable things
غَطُّوا الْإِنَاءَ، وَأَوْكُوا السِّقَاءَ، وَأَغْلِقُوا الْبَابَ، وأطفؤا السِّرَاجَ، فإن الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَحُلُّ سِقَاءً، ولا يَفْتَحُ بَابًا، ولا يَكْشِفُ إِنَاءً، فَإِنْ لم يَجِدْ أحدكم إلا أَنْ يَعْرُضَ على إِنَائِهِ عُودًا وَيَذْكُرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ، فَلْيَفْعَلْ
Which means,
“Cover the vessel, tie the gaze (where the water is made of leather), close the door, turn off the lantern (fire lamp), since the devil is not able to open a bound gaze, can not open the door, nor can disclose a closed vessel. If you do not get a lid except by simply crossing over the barge a branch, and calling on the name of Allah, he should do it.” (Narrated by Muslim)
See also : importance of self-reflection in Islam
7. When about to entering the house
إِذَا دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ بَيْتَهُ، فَذَكَرَ اللهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ وَعِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ، قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: لَا مَبِيتَ لَكُمْ، وَلَا عَشَاءَ، وَإِذَا دَخَلَ، فَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ، قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: أَدْرَكْتُمُ الْمَبِيتَ، وَإِذَا لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللهَ عِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ، قَالَ: أَدْرَكْتُمُ الْمَبِيتَ وَالْعَشَاءَ
Which means,
“If someone enters his house and he remembers the name of Allah when he enters and when he eats, then the demon will shout: ‘There is no place to stay for you and there is no dinner.’ But if he does not remember Allah when he enters then Shaitan says, ‘You get place to stay and if he does not remember the name of Allah when eating then the devil invites his friend,’ You get a quota of stay and dinner’.” (Narrated by Muslim)
8. When about to slaugther an animal
Allah SWT said:
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ
Which means,
“And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is gravve disobedience.” (QS. Al-An’am : 121)
Since slaughtering animals in the name of Allah will give blessings, and the flesh that is slaughtered becomes lawful to eat. Especially when the feast of qurban, certainly read the intention of slaughter and simply because of Allah. Every person who slaughtered in demanding to know how to slaughtered a qurban’s animal according of Shari’a (law of Islam) for more blessing.
9. When about to enter the body into a grave
When about to enter the body into a grave, it should begin with reading
(بسم الله وعلى سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم)
which means,
“In the name of Allah and above the sunna of Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘alaihi wasallam” (Narrated by Abu Daud)
See also : virtue of dhikr to Allah SWT