In pre-Islâmic Arabia it was the custom of the people to begin
everything by mentioning the names of their idols. In order to abolish this
ignorant practice Hadrat Jibra’îl
brought
the first âyah of the Qur’ân in which the command was given to Rasűlullâh
to
begin the Qur’ân with the name of Allâh:
Recite in the name of your Sustainer who created. (96:1)
Allâmah Suyűti 
has
mentioned that all the revealed books begin with the name of Allâh. Some ‘ulamâ
say that the tasmiyah (
)
is tied exclusively to the Qur’ân and the ummah of Rasűlullâh .
Both these views are possible in that all the revealed books begin with the name
of Allâh, but the Qur’ân began with the name of Allâh with these exclusive
words. Before this âyah was revealed Rasűlullâh also
began everything by saying:
-
O Allâh! I begin in Your name.
The Qur’ân-ul-Karîm exhorts the beginning of every matter
with the name of Allâh. Rasűlullâh has
said, “Every important matter that starts without Bismillâh is not
blessed.” In one hadîth it is mentioned that when closing the door of the
house say Bismillâh, when extinguishing the lamp say Bismillâh,
and when covering utensils (in which there is food) say Bismillâh. The
Qur’ân and hadîth have ordered us to say Bismillâh when beginning to
eat, drink, perform wudű’, and when boarding and alighting from
a conveyance. (Qurtubi)
Bismillâh when recited could mean any one of the undermentioned:
1. For
musâhabah
– (to attach Allâh’s name to one’s action), thus, ‘I begin with Allâh’s
name.’
2. For
isti’ânah
– (to seek assistance from Allâh), thus, ‘I begin in Allâh’s name
seeking His assistance.’
3. For
tabarruk
– (to seek blessings), thus, ‘I begin in Allâh’s name seeking His
blessings.’
The script of
is
also unique in script style and is maintained as it was written in the copy of
the Qur’ân of Hadrat ‘Uthmân 
.
According to the grammar of the Arabic language, it should be written as
with
a hamzah after the letter bâ. Whereas, because in the mushaf
(written Qur’ân) of Hadrat ‘Uthmân the
letter bâ was joined to the letter sîn without a hamzah,
this script has been preserved up to the present era.
These are both attributes of Allâh, ar-Rahmân being the One who
is merciful unto all things created and still to be created. Like the word Allâh,
this word is also exclusively for Allâh alone since none other can have these
qualities. Neither does the word Allâh, nor the word ar-Rahmân have
dual or plural forms.
Ar-Rahîm means that Being whose mercy is complete. The
word Rahîm could be used for others also just as it is used for Rasűlullâh
in
the Qur’ân where Allâh says in Sűrah Tawbah:
…to the believer is he most compassionate and merciful. (9:128)
It is clear from this explanation that it is disallowed and sinful to call a person only Rahmân, or in an abbreviated or corrupted form in place of ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân or Fadl-ur-Rahmân.
To recite
is
called ta’awwudh. Allâh 
commands
us in the Qur’ân,
When you recite the Qur’ân seek Allâh’s protection from Shaytân, the
accursed. (16:98)
The ‘ulamâ of the ummah are unanimous that before beginning to recite the Qur’ân it is Sunnah to recite ta’awwudh, whether the recital is in salâh or otherwise. The reciting of ta’awwudh is confined to the beginning of the Qur’ânic recital. Hence, whenever beginning the recital of the Qur’ân, both ta’awwudh and tasmiyah should be recited. Ta’awwudh should not be recited when starting a new sűrah during tilâwah. It is also not masnűn to recite ta’awwudh when beginning any other act, besides the recital of the Qur’ân.
All the Imâms are unanimous that the ta’awwudh should
be recited at the beginning of the first rak’ah in salâh. They
do however differ on whether it should be recited audibly or inaudibly. Imâm
Abu Hanîfah and
many other Imâms prefer that it should be recited inaudibly. Imâm Shâfi’i prefers
that it be read audibly. There is consensus that in the remaining rak’ât
of salâh, before tilâwah, it is sunnah to recite Bismillâh
only. Here, ta’awwudh should not be recited.
All Muslim scholars are unanimous that
is
a portion of Sűrah an-Naml. They also agree that besides Sűrah at-Tawbah
it should be written at the beginning of every sűrah of the Qur’ân.
The four famous Imâms differ on whether Bismillâh is a portion of Sűrah
al-Fâtihah and/or all other sűrahs. Imâm Abu Hanîfah’s maslak
(teaching) is that besides Sűrah an-Naml it is not a portion of any
other sűrah. It is in fact a separate âyah that was revealed at
the beginning of every sűrah to distinguish one sűrah from
another.
1. It is sunnah to recite
and
then
when
beginning the tilâwah of the Qur’ân.
2. It is also sunnah to recite ta’awwudh and tasmiyah at the beginning of all sűrahs of the Qur’ân, except Sűrah at-Tawbah (al-Barâ’ah).
3. Since
is
an âyah of Sűrah an-Naml, and also a separate âyah
between sűrahs, all laws of recital, touching, handling, and writing it
are similar to that of the Qur’ân. Hence, it is not permissible to touch any
paper or article on which it is written without wudű’, or when
in a state of hayd or nifâs.
4. A person without wudű’, or she who is in a state of hayd or nifâs may recite Bismillâh as a du’â, but not with the intention of tilâwah of an ayah of the Qur’ân.