How to spell Bismillah: every version people type
bismillah, bismillahir rahmanir rahim, Bismillah. One Arabic phrase, بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, meaning in the name of Allah.
The answer
bismillah is a common spelling of Bismillah. It means in the name of Allah. Arabic writes it بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, one fixed spelling, while English writes it many ways because the transliteration is done by ear. Every version below means exactly the same thing.
This phrase is written as two Arabic words that run together in speech, which is why so many written forms split them in the wrong place.
Every spelling of Bismillah, and what each one means
bis mala
Bis mala is a phonetic spelling of Bismillah, meaning "in the name of Allah". It is said before eating, entering a home, travelling or beginning any action.
Why people write it this way. The phrase is heard as two beats and typed that way, with the doubled l and the final h lost from the second beat.
bismillahir rahmanir rahim
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.
Why people write it this way. This is the full form rather than a variant spelling. The r endings link each word to the next in recitation.
bismillah al rahman al rahim
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim means "in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". It is the same opening as Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, written with the definite articles separated.
Why people write it this way. Written Arabic shows al- on each name; recited Arabic assimilates the l into the r that follows, which produces the ir spelling.
bismilah
Bismilah is a spelling of Bismillah, meaning "in the name of Allah". The name Allah carries a doubled l that is missing here.
Why people write it this way. The shadda over the lam in الله doubles the consonant, and English ears seldom register the difference.
Which spelling of Bismillah is correct?
In Arabic, one: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ. In English, none is official, because English has no standard body for transliterating Arabic and several of the sounds have no English letter. Writing bismillah is not a mistake in the way a misspelled English word is a mistake. It is one reasonable attempt at writing down a sound that English does not contain.
If you want the most accurate written form, use the Arabic. If you want the most widely recognised English form, use Bismillah.
Full meaning, usage and sources: Bismillah meaning. How to say it out loud: how to pronounce Bismillah.
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