Taking Refuge (استعاذة) and Basmalah (Saying
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم)
· Isti'azah (Taking Refuge to Allah)
﴿ فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللّهِ مِنَ
الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ﴾
(so when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed
satan.) (Al-Nahl:
98)
Meaning:
Taking
refuge to Allah and recourse to Allah from the evil of the cursed Satan and his
temptations, whiffs and whispers.
Its
different forms:
- أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
- أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم
- أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم من همزه ونفخه ونفثه
- أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم من همزه ونفخه ونفثه
Abu-Sa'eed
Khidri relates from our holy prophet (صلى الله عليه
وسلم) that he used to say:
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم before reciting the holy Quran. (Narrated by Abdu-r-Razaq in
his book and
Abu Sa'eed
Al-Khidri also says: When the prophet of Allah waked up at nights (to pray)
first he used to say Allah-u-Akbar and then said: سبحانك
اللهم وبحمدك وتبارك اسمك وتعالى جدك ولا إله غيرك then لا إله إلا الله three
times then: الله أكبر كبيرا three times then أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان
الرجيم من همزه ونفخه ونفثه and
at last started to recite the holy Quran. (narrated by
Abu-Dwood and Termithi,
Its
position: At
the start of recitation. It is not from the holy Quran.
Rules: Most of
scholars see it as a recommended act. Some of them believe in its obligatory
because of this verse: ﴿ فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ
فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ﴾
(so when you
recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan) (Al-Nahl:
98)
Quietness
or loudness of its pronunciation:
Isti'azah is
pronounced in these situations:
- When
recitation is loudly and others hear it.
- At the start
of class.
It is
pronounced quietly:
- While saying
prayers.
- While
teaching Quran in public and it is not the start of recitation.
- When the
person is alone, no matter is reciting loudly or quietly.
Note:
If
there is an interruption during recitation, for reasons like cough, sneezing or
interpretation of the recited part, there is no need to use Isti'azah. However,
if the reason of interruption is voluntary, like talking to someone else or …,
the Isti'azah must be repeated.
-
BASMALAH
Meaning:
Derived
from the word Basmal (بسمل) which means: to say "بسم الله ". It is also called
"Tasmiah" (التسمية) from the word "Samma" (سمى)
Forms: Just one form: ﴿
بسْمِ الله الرَّحمْنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾
Position:
Before
starting recitation. About using it between chapters of holy Quran, there are
different opinions among scholars. Some of them use it between chapters (except
for two chapters; Al-Anfal and Al-Tawbah). But others do not use it there. This
returns to the main idea that is Basmalah from Quran or not.
As
to the Hafs from Asim version, that we are discussing here, basmalah is
necessary between chapters except for Al-Anfal and Baraah (Al-Tawbah).
Its
statute:
Its statute refers to the idea of considering it as a part of Quran or not.
Scholars agree
on this point that it is a part of a verse in Al-Naml chapter:
﴿إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ
وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ﴾ (surely it is from Suleiman, and
surely it is in the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful). But for its
being part of the start of chapters, there are different points of view, such
as:
-
Basmalah is a verse in all
chapters, except for Al-Tawbah. Then it is obligatory to bring it between all
chapters.
-
It is an independent verse that is
revealed just for blessing and distinction between chapters. So, it is just
recommended here.
-
It is only the first verse in
chapter Al-Fatihah.
-
It is not a verse in any chapter.
Chapter
Al-Tawbah is not started with Basmalah.
If the reader
starts his recitation from the middle of a chapter, it is up to him whether
using or leaving it. But Al-Ja'bari believes in not using it in the middle of
chapter Al-Tawbah, according to not mentioning it at the start of the chapter.
-
Forms of Using Isti'azah
and Basmalah
At
the start of all chapters except for Bara'ah or starting from the middle of a
chapter with using Basmalah; there are four Forms:
1.
Disconnection of all; disconetion
between Istia'zah and Basmalah and the Basmalah from the start of a chapter. (example 1)
2.
Connection of all; connecting
Isti'azah, Basmalah and the start of the chapter. (example
2)
3.
Connection between the first and
the second, the separation the second from the third; connection of Isti'azah
and Basmalah and stopping on Basmalah, then starting from the start of the
chapter. (example 3)
4.
Separation of the first from the
second and connection between second and the third; separation between
Isti'azah and basmalah then connection between basmalah and the start of the chapter.
(example 4)
At the start of chapter "Bara'ah" or starting from the
middle of other chapters; with the choice of not bringing Basmalah. Two Forms:
1. Connection
between Isti'azah and what comes after.
2. Separation
of Isti'azah and what comes after it.
Basmalah
in between chapters, except for Al-Anfal and Al-Tawbah: Three Forms:
1.
Separation of all: Stopping at
the end of the first chapter, stopping on basmalah and then starting from the
beginning of the second chapter. (example 5)
2.
Separation of the first, connection
between the second and the third; stopping at the end of the first chapter and
then connecting to the Basmalah with the start of the next chapter. (example 6)
3.
Connection of all; connecting the
end of the first chapter with Basmalah, and connecting Basmalah with the start
of the second chapter. (example 7)
The fourth Form
cannot be permitted. It is not allowed to connect the end of a chapter to the
Basmalah and to separate the Basmalah from the next chapter, because the
position of Basmalah is at the start of the chapters not at the end of them.
Basmalah between Al-Anfal and Al-Tawbah. Three ways:
1.
Connecting the end of Al-Anfal to
the start of Al-Tawbah.
2.
Stopping at the end of Al-Anfal, then starting from the beginning of Al-Tawbah. (without
Basmalah)
3.
Pausing (without rebreathing) at
the end of the Al-Anfal and then stating from the beginning of Al-Tawbah.