Bismillah meaning
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ · Bismi‑llāh · In the name of Allah.
The answer
Bismillah means "in the name of Allah". Muslims say it before beginning almost anything: eating, drinking, entering a home, travelling, working or reciting the Qur'an, as a way of starting the act with Allah named.
What does bismallah mean?
Bismallah means "in the name of Allah". It is said before starting something so the act is begun in Allah's name, and it is the same phrase as bismillah: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ. Bismallah is simply the spelling people reach for when they write the phrase from hearing it rather than from the Arabic.
The full form, said before reciting the Qur'an and at the start of most acts, is bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim, "in the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful". Scholars call that full form the basmala.
What is bismillah in Arabic, word by word?
In Arabic it is بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, which is three pieces joined together: bi (with, in), ism (name) and Allah. Literally, "in the name of Allah". The alif of ism drops in writing, which is why it reads bismi and not bi-ismi.
The full breakdown of every part, including ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim in the longer basmala, is in the table below.
What does bismillah mean in Bohemian Rhapsody?
In Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody the word bismillah carries its ordinary Arabic meaning, "in the name of Allah". In the operatic section it is sung as a refusal: the voices answer "Bismillah! No, we will not let you go", invoking Allah's name to block the narrator's release.
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar to a Parsi family and grew up around Arabic and Islamic vocabulary, which is the likeliest reason the word is there. The song does not use it as a quotation of any verse, and the phrase itself is the same one Muslims say before eating, entering a house or beginning any lawful act.
Why do people write 786 for bismillah?
786 is an abjad total. In the abjad system each Arabic letter carries a number, and the letters of bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim add up to 786, so the figure is used in South Asia as shorthand at the top of letters, shop signs and exam papers where writing the full phrase risks it being thrown away or dirtied.
It is a convention, not a scriptural instruction. Scholars differ on it: some allow it as a respectful abbreviation, others discourage it because the number replaces a phrase meant to be said. Nobody holds that 786 carries the reward of saying bismillah.
How do you spell bismillah?
Bismillah is the standard English spelling. Bismallah, bismilah, bismala, bis mala, bismi Allah and bism Allah are all spellings of the same Arabic phrase, which never varies: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ. None of them is a different phrase or a different meaning.
Basmala is not a spelling of the phrase at all. It is the noun for saying it, in the same way tasbih is the noun for saying subhanallah.
Bismillah word by word
The gloss above is the whole phrase. This is what each part of the Arabic is doing, which is usually what people mean when they ask what Bismillah means literally.
- بِbi
- with, in, by. A single attached letter, not a separate word.
- اسْمِism
- name. The alif drops in writing, which is why it reads bismi and not bi-ismi.
- اللَّهِAllāh
- Allah, in the genitive: the name belongs to Him.
- الرَّحْمَٰنِar-Raḥmān
- the Entirely Merciful. Mercy as an attribute of His being (full basmala only).
- الرَّحِيمِar-Raḥīm
- the Especially Merciful. Mercy as it lands on someone (full basmala only).
When to say Bismillah
- Before starting to eat or drink.
- Before entering or leaving the house.
- Before every recitation of the Quran (except Surah al-Tawbah).
- Before beginning any lawful action.
When Bismillah is not the right phrase
- Before Surah al-Tawbah, the one chapter of the Qur'an it does not open.
- Before something unlawful. The phrase dedicates an act to Allah, so it belongs only on lawful acts.
How to spell Bismillah
Arabic has one spelling for this phrase. English has many, because it is written by ear. These all refer to the same words.
- bismillah (standard), bismi Allah, bism Allah
- bismallah, bismilah, bismala, bis mala, bishmallah, bismalah, tismalla (common phonetic spellings of the same phrase)
- basmala is the name of the phrase itself, not a spelling of it
Each way people write Bismillah has its own answer, plus the reason English produces it, on how to spell Bismillah.
How to pronounce Bismillah
BIS-mi-LLAH. The full form is bismi‑llāhi‑r-raḥmāni‑r-raḥīm.
Syllables: bis · mi · LLAAH (/bis.mi‿ˈlːaːh/)
bis-mi-LLAAH, all one word, with the weight at the end.
- No pause. Bismillah is a single unit, bi-ism-illah compressed. There is no break between bis and millah, and the second i is very short.
- The longer form. Bismillahi ar-Rahmani ar-Raheem adds two long attributes. In recitation the ar- of ar-Rahman links directly to the preceding i, giving bismillaahir-rahmaanir-raheem.
Under a second for the short form, about three seconds for the full basmala.
Spellings people type for Bismillah
- bismilah. Single l. The doubled l in Allah is held.
- besmellah. Reflects a Persian and Egyptian vowel colouring. Same phrase.
Full IPA, stress marks and audio-style guidance: how to pronounce Bismillah.
Bismillah meaning in other languages
The sense of Bismillah does not change between languages, only the words used to carry it. Here it is in the scripts most readers ask for.
| Language | Bismillah written | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Urduاردو | بسم اللہ | اللہ کے نام سے۔ |
| Hindiहिन्दी | बिस्मिल्लाह | अल्लाह के नाम से। |
| Bengaliবাংলা | বিসমিল্লাহ | আল্লাহর নামে। |
| Malayalamമലയാളം | ബിസ്മില്ലാഹ് | അല്ലാഹുവിന്റെ നാമത്തിൽ. |
| Tamilதமிழ் | பிஸ்மில்லாஹ் | அல்லாஹ்வின் பெயரால். |
| Teluguతెలుగు | బిస్మిల్లాహ్ | అల్లాహ్ పేరుతో. |
| Kannadaಕನ್ನಡ | ಬಿಸ್ಮಿಲ್ಲಾಹ್ | ಅಲ್ಲಾಹನ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ. |
People also ask about Bismillah
What does Bismillah mean in English?
Bismillah means "in the name of Allah". The full form, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, means "in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". It opens 113 of the Qur'an's 114 chapters and is said before starting an ordinary action too.
When do you say Bismillah?
Say Bismillah before eating and drinking, before entering or leaving the home, before travelling, before beginning work or study, and before reciting the Qur'an. A hadith instructs someone who forgets it at the start of a meal to say Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu when they remember.
What is the difference between Bismillah and Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim?
Bismillah is the short form, "in the name of Allah", used before everyday actions. Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim adds two of Allah's names, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful, and is the full Qur'anic opening. Either is correct before an ordinary act; the full form is used when reciting.
How is Bismillah written in Arabic?
Bismillah is written بِسْمِ اللَّهِ and the full form بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ, read right to left. The bi prefix means "in" or "with", ism means "name", and Allah follows in the genitive. The whole opening is one of the most widely written lines of Arabic in existence.
Can non-Muslims say Bismillah?
Yes. Bismillah is Arabic for "in the name of God" and carries no membership requirement. Arabic-speaking Christians use the equivalent phrasing, and non-Muslims often say it when eating with Muslim friends. It is generally received as a respectful gesture.
Frequently asked
What is the full bismillah?
Bismi‑llāhi‑r-raḥmāni‑r-raḥīm. "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful." This is called the basmala.
When should I say bismillah?
Before eating, drinking, entering a room, and starting any lawful action, so the act is begun in Allah's name.
Is bismillah in every surah?
It opens 113 of the 114 surahs. Surah al-Tawbah does not begin with it.
What does bismallah mean?
Bismallah is a common English spelling of bismillah. It means "in the name of Allah", said before beginning an act so the act is started in Allah's name.
What is the difference between bismillah and the basmala?
None in wording. Bismillah is the phrase; basmala is the term scholars use for the act of saying it, usually referring to the full form bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim.
Can I say bismillah in English?
You can say "in the name of Allah" and the meaning is intact. The Arabic wording is what the Prophet taught and what is used in prayer, so it is worth learning as it is.
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