Tafsir Ibn Kathir of Qur'an - Surah Fatiha

Verse 1

Bismillah is the First Ayah of Al-Fatihah

The Companions started the Book of Allah with Bismillah:

Verse 1-

 ِﺴْﻢِ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺍﻟﺮَّﺣْﻤَـﻦِ ﺍﻟﺮَّﺣِﻴﻢِ 

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 The scholars also agree that Bismillah is a part of an Ayah in Surat An-Naml (chapter 27).

They disagree over whether it is a separate Ayah before every Surah, or if it is an Ayah, or a part of an Ayah, included in every Surah where the Bismillah appears in its beginning. Ad-Daraqutni also recorded a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet that supports this Hadith by Ibn Khuzaymah. Also, similar statements were attributed to 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas and others.

The opinion that Bismillah is an Ayah of every Surah, except Al-Bara'ah (chapter 9), was attributed to (the Companions) Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Abu Hurayrah and 'Ali. This opinion was also attributed to the Tabi'in: 'Ata', Tawus, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Makhul and Az-Zuhri. This is also the view of

'Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad bin Hanbal, (in one report from him) Ishaq bin Rahwayh and Abu 'Ubayd Al-Qasim bin Salam. On the other hand, Malik, Abu Hanifah and their followers said that Bismillah is not an Ayah in Al-Fatihah or any other Surah. Dawud said that it is a separate Ayah in the beginning of every Surah, not part of the Surah itself, and this opinion was also attributed to Ahmad bin Hanbal.

 Basmalah aloud in the Prayer

As for Basmalah aloud during the prayer, those who did not agree that it is a part of Al- Fatihah, state that the Basmalah should not be aloud. The scholars who stated that Bismillah is a part of every Surah (except chapter 9) had different opinions; some of them, such as Ash- Shafi'i, said that one should recite Bismillah with Al-Fatihah aloud. This is also the opinion of many among the Companions, the Tabi'in and the Imams of Muslims from the Salaf and the later generations. For instance, this is the opinion of Abu Hurayrah, Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Mu'awiyah, 'Umar and 'Ali -according to Ibn 'Abdul-Barr and Al-Bayhaqi.

Also, the Four Khalifahs - as Al-Khatib reported - were said to have held this view although the report from them is contradicted.

The Tabi'in scholars who gave this Tafsir include Sa'id bin Jubayr, 'Ikrimah, Abu Qilabah, Az-Zuhri, 'Ali bin Al-Hasan, his son Muhammad, Sa'id bin Al-Musayyib, 'Ata', Tawus, Mujahid, Salim, Muhammad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi, Abu Bakr bin Muhammad bin 'Amr bin Hazm, Abu Wa'il, Ibn Sirin, Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir, 'Ali bin 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, his son Muhammad, Nafi' the freed slave of Ibn 'Umar, Zayd bin Aslam, 'Umar bin 'Abdul-Aziz, Al-Azraq bin Qays, Habib bin Abi Thabit, Abu Ash-Sha'tha', Makhul and 'Abdullah bin Ma'qil bin Muqarrin. Also, Al-Bayhaqi added 'Abdullah bin Safwan, and Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah to this list. In addition, Ibn 'Abdul-Barr added 'Amr bin Dinar.

The proof that these scholars relied on is that, since Bismillah is a part of Al-Fatihah, it should be recited aloud like the rest of Al-Fatihah. Also, An-Nasa'i recorded in his Sunan, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Khuzaymah in their Sahihs and Al-Hakim in the Mustadrak, that Abu Hurayrah once performed the prayer and recited Bismillah aloud. After he finished the prayer, he said, "Among you, I perform the prayer that is the closest to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah.''

Ad-Daraqutni, Al- Khatib and Al-Bayhaqi graded this Hadith Sahih Furthermore, in Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded that Anas bin Malik was asked about the recitation of the Prophet . He said,

 "His recitation was unhurried.''

He then demonstrated that and recited, while lengthening the recitation of Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, Also, in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the Sunan of Abu Dawud, the Sahih of Ibn Hibban and the Mustadrak of Al- Hakim - it is recorded that Umm Salamah said,