“BISMIKALLA-HUMMA”
Dost Muhammad
Qandahari, a great Islamic Scholar in India, who passed away in 1284 A.H. (A.D.
1868) has written:
"The
polytheists (Kuffar) of Quraish used to write the phrase ‘Bismikallah-humma’ at
beginning of their letters. In the early years of Islam, our Master the Prophet
(sallallaho alaihi wasallam) followed the Quraishi custom and had the phrase
Bismikalla-humma written at the head of his letters.
Later, upon
the revelation of the ayat of Bismillah, he had the phrase Bismillah written as
the starting phrase of his letters. Afterwards, when the ayat-e-karima
containing the word ‘Rahman’ descended, he had the phrase Bismillah-er-Rahman
written. Finally when the phrase Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim descended with
the Sura of Naml, he began to have this phrase written. As a matter of
fact, the letter Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) sent to the
Byzantine Greek Emperor Heraclius with his messenger Dihya-eKelabi began with
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.
It is Sunnah
to begin a letter with this phrase of ‘Basmala’ even if it is written to a
disbeliever. In the Truce of Hudaybiyya, he ordered Hazrat Ali
(karamallaho-wajhu) to write ‘Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim’. Suhayl, the
Quraishi representative, said, "We don't know what Bismillah-ir -
Rahman-ir-Rahim is. Write 'Bismikalla-humma'.
As it is seen,
since Hazrat Adam (alaihis-salaam), Allah ta'ala has taught His name as (ALLAH)
to all Prophets, and even disbelievers have used this name."
In the
beginning of the call to Islam some of the Sahaba-e-Kiram migrated to Ethiopia
because of the persecution by the Kuffar, Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihi
wasallam) and those of the Sahaba who remained in Makka-e-Mukarrama were
deprived of all sorts of social activities such as buying and selling, visiting
or talking to people other than Muslims for three years. The Kuffar of Quraish
had written a contract announcing these decisions of theirs and posted it on
the Kaaba-e-Muazzama. Allah ta'ala, the
omnipotent, sent a wood-boring maggot called arza unto the notice. The maggot
ate up all the written part except the phrase Bismikalla-humma (in the name of
Allahu ta'ala).
Allah ta'ala let our
Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) know of this event through Jibril (alaihis
salaam). Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) in his turn related it to his
uncle, Abu Talib. The following day Abu Talib went to the notables of the
Kuffar and told them about the incident. He further added, "If what
Muhammad said is true, cancel this prohibition on the Muslims and do not
prevent them from going around and seeing other people like before. If he did
not tell the truth, I shall no longer protect him."
The notables
of Quraish accepted this. They all came together and made for the Kaaba, opened
it up, and saw that, as Rasulullah (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) had said, all
parts of their declaration had been eaten up, with the exception of the phrase,
Bismikalla-humma.
The incident
proves two things, amongst others:
l. The
auspiciouness in starting every work of piety and righteousness with the name
of Allah and
2. The Prophet
(Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unknown), which
is reported in many Ahadith.
An aged
venerable holy person was making a speech on the moral excellence of ‘Bismillah
Sharif’. A Jew girl was also present in
the congregation. Having heard about the great spiritual importance ‘Bismillah
Sharif’, she got deeply affected and embraced Islam. At the very moment her
tongue got used to daily recital of `Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim'. She
continued reciting this all the time.
Because of this habit of hers, her parents started getting angry with
her and caused her hardship. They always remained on the lookout for some
pretense to have some serious charge put against her or getting her killed.
The girl's
father, who was a minister to the King at that time, thought of a plan to get
rid of her. He entrusted her to keep the ring seal of the King that he used to
safeguard. She recited ‘Bismillah Sharif’ on the ring and kept it in her
packet. During the night while the girl was asleep, her father took the ring
from his daughter's pocket and threw it in the river. A fish swallowed the
ring.
In the
morning, a fisherman trawled a net in the river. By the grace of Almighty Allah
fish got trapped in the net. The fisherman brought that fish and gave it to the
minister as a present.
The minister
gave the fish to his daughter to cook. The girl recited ‘Bismillah Sharif’ and
took the
fish from her
father. She recited ‘Bismillah Sharif’ again and slit the stomach of the fish.
She found the ring in the stomach of the fish. She recited ‘Bismillah Sharif’
and put the seal ring in her pocket again.
Having cooked
the fish, she presented the same to her father. After the meal, when it was
time for
him to leave
for the Royal Court, he asked the daughter for the seal ring. She recited,
‘Bismillah Sharif’, took the ring out of her pocket and gave it to her
father. Her father on having seen all
this got angry and puzzled. His whole plan of getting rid of his daughter had
failed. Almighty Allah saved the girl
by the auspiciousness of ‘Bismillah Sharif’ from being killed.
(Lam'aan-e-Soofia).
“IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST AFFECTIONATE, THE MERCIFUL”
Edited by Sister Nafisa