# بسم الله - باسم الله



## arabictongue

بسم الله

What does it mean?
Any examples?


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## elroy

"In the name of God."

Shouldn't it be spelled باسم الله?


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## Abu Rashid

It means "In the name of God" as elroy mentioned.

And is spelled correctly. This is the opening passage of each chapter of the Qur'an.


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## WadiH

elroy said:


> "In the name of God."
> 
> Shouldn't it be spelled باسم الله?



It's one of those "exceptions that prove the rule" situations.


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## elroy

Yes, I know that it's spelled that way in the opening of each sura, but I thought that was the exception, and that it should be spelled with an alif otherwise, but I guess this spelling is used even in the shortened form (it didn't look wrong to me, but I wanted to ask to make sure).  I assume that spelling the shortened form with an alif is also correct, isn't it?


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## djamal 2008

It is an exemption, we find the same contraction in the imperative form the verb ask, and say سل عن فلان.

And to avoid the meeting of two Sakkanin, because the harraka of the alif is a sukun.


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## WadiH

elroy said:


> Yes, I know that it's spelled that way in the opening of each sura, but I thought that was the exception, and that it should be spelled with an alif otherwise, but I guess this spelling is used even in the shortened form (it didn't look wrong to me, but I wanted to ask to make sure).  I assume that spelling the shortened form with an alif is also correct, isn't it?



I think that whenever you use the expression بسم الله, then you spell it this way.  But if you want to say "in the name of the people of so and so" or "in the name the employees of our company etc." you would spell it as باسم.

I _think_ so but I'm not sure.  Try giving it a google-test.


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## elroy

That makes sense.  So it's بسم الله if it's used as an expression, but باسم الله otherwise (i.e. if the two words just happen to come one after the other, as in لا تستهتر باسم الله, for example).


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## Mahaodeh

Wadi Hanifa said:


> I _think_ so but I'm not sure.


 
This is my understanding too.


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## WadiH

elroy said:


> (i.e. if the two words just happen to come one after the other, as in لا تستهتر باسم الله, for example).



Well there you go -- I wasn't even thinking of that sort of situation.  Yeah what you're saying sounds right to me, and to Maha as well, apparently.


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## favq1

Good morning,

Our question is:
Why is "bismi" in "bismillahi" written (in the Qur'aan) as بِسمِ and not بِإِسمِ?
Is بِإِسمِِ = بِ + إِسمِ correct?

Thank you in advance.


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## Mahaodeh

Well, actually it's اسم not إسم; the root does not contain a hamza and it's not pronounced unless it's the first word in the sentence (or speech) or it's proceeded by حرف ساكن.

The Quran has some different spellings, based of archaic spelling methods. It's spelled بِسْم in the Quran because that's how it's pronounced.


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## favq1

Thank you for your answer.
Two more questions:
1. So بِاسمِ is how it should be vowelled?
2. What is حرف ساكن?


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## AndyRoo

favq1 said:


> 1. So بِاسمِ is how it should be vowelled?


 
Actually it should be like this:
بِٱسْمِ . (The 'alif has hamzat al-waSl on it.)



favq1 said:


> 2. What is حرف ساكن?


It's a letter with a sukoon on it (i.e. no vowel).


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## Josh_

AndyRoo said:


> Actually it should be like this:
> بِٱسْمِ . (The 'alif has hamzat al-waSl on it.)


Yes, there is a hamzatu 'l-waSl, but as you know, in practice the symbol for it is rarely written in, even in a fully voweled text.


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## arabiclearner

arabictongue said:


> بسم الله
> 
> What does it mean?
> Any examples?



It means "with/in the name of Allah" however it is not a complete sentence in itself.   There is an implied verb that is missing which should comes at the end of the sentence to bring about افادة الحصر (which is a term used in the science of eloquence (3ilmul-balaagha)) so the meaning is restricted to the 'majroor' of the 'harf ul-baa'.

So if one is writing a book and writes بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم then it can mean:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أكتب  I write solely in the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy,  ​
or:

I begin solely using/in the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy,بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أبتدأ

where as if someone was reading the basmallah (ie the words bismillaah) it could be understood as:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أقرأ
I read solely using/in the name Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

The intent of writing such phrases is showing the authors intent of making their specific action (ie reading, writing etc) solely for the intent, sake and pleasure of Allah and not doing it for anyone or thing elses sake.  This practice was made popular by the coming of Islam and continues to this day.

This kind of description and understanding of the phrase wont normally be found in everyday dictionaries but is more found in Islamic texts where such phrases are explained by Ulamaa who are grammarians/naHHwiyyen and lughawiyyen/scholars of the Arabic language. I've come across the same explanations from the likes of classical scholars and those up until now.  

However there is other uses of the phrase depending on the context, but this is the classical or Islaamic usage.  Wallaahu A'alam/ Allaah knows best.

Source:
Based on sharh ul-basmallah min Sharh Usuulith-thalaatha, lish-Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen, رحمه الله تعالى.


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## Interprete

[Mod note: thread merged with the previous one about the same topic. Please don't forget to search before opening a thread. Thanks! Cherine]

Hello,

I apologize if this is a silly question, but I'm wondering about the exact meaning and implications of the basmalah.

Does it really have the same meaning as « in the name of » in English, i.e. you are about to do or say something by the authority of / for the sake of God (which are the two possible meanings of «in the name of» according to English dictionaries)?

I have been listening to many debates / political speeches with sometimes highly questionable content, yet starting with the basmalah, that's how I came to ask myself this question. Surely they don't mean that they are speaking with God's authority?


Thanks.


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## cherine

Hi,

What I know is that it means "in the name of God", "for God", because a Muslim is supposed to do everything with God in mind, thus helping him resist temptations and avoid sinful acts, and also because starting with the basmala kind of blesses the action about to be taken. And this inclused the smallest of actions, like eating, and the biggest ones.
As for speeches and debates starting with the basmala, it's mostly out of custom and habit.


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## Mahaodeh

cherine said:


> As for speeches and debates starting with the basmala, it's mostly out of custom and habit.



Historically, when one gives a speech the first thing he says is the basmala. It's traditional.


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