#91. CLARIFICATION ON SAYING THE BASMALAH BEFORE THE ADHAAN
Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullaah wabarakaatuh
After we had posted answer to a question bordering on the permissibility or otherwise of saying Bismillaah before the adhaan, some members have mentioned and sought clarification citing the Narration that encouraged saying the Bismillaah before the beginning of anything.
To clarify this position we say:
1. Let it be known that the Hadith to which you refer, in its wording is weak. It says:
– ” كل أمر ذى بال لا يبدأ فيه ببسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فهو أقطع ”
“Every deed that has some worth that is not began with Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim is censored (from blessings).”
It is recorded by At-Tirmidhi, Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi.
The Muhaddithin have graded it as Da’if (weak).
2. Though the Hadith is weak, the Ulamaa have agreed on the importance of beginning anything with Bismillah due to the Hadith in which it is mentioned that the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – always mentioned the name of Allah in all his things.
The Mother of the Believers A’isha – radiyallaahu anha – said:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ أَحْيَانِهِ ” .
“The Prophet – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – used to mention Allah in all he does.”
Imaam Ibn Daqiq – rahimahullaah – said in ‘Al-Ilmaam’:
“They all recorded it except for Al-Bukhaari and An-Nasa’i”
He means all the Six Compilers of Hadith.
It should be noted here that the the Hadith mentioned ‘mentioning the Name of Allah’ not necessarily ‘Bismillàh’
3. The Ulamaa derive from this that every deed that is not an act of Ibaadah and is something worth doing should be began with ‘Bismillaah’. This is the Sunnah.
However, if the deed is an act of Ibaadah, then it is not the Sunnah to begin it with Bismillah unless there is evidence to suggest that the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – began it with bismillah or referee to it.
Had that not been the case, had we needed to say the bismillah before we do any form of dhikr.
This is because, the rule in Ibaadaat as is known in Usul Al-Fiqh is to restrict oneself to the example given by the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam.
Going by the interjection raised by the brother using the hadith above as evidence, we would have said that even the Iqaamah must be began with bismillah, same applies to the qunut, same applies to the dhikr after Salaat, same would have to apply to the talbiyyah in Hajj, same would have to apply to the regular Adhkaar of the day and nights.
For this reason, the Allaamah Ibn Uthaymin – _rahimahullaah_ – said in ‘Ash-Sharhu Al-Mumti’:
“The Tasmiyyah(saying Bismillah) could be a Waajib as is the case in the Wudu. It could be Mustahabbah like is the case to eating according to the Jamhur (majority) of the Ulamaa, and Waajib according to some – this is the correct view. And it could be bid’ah like is the case with saying it to begin the Adhaan.”
Lastly, we should all realise that this Din is beyond picking of Ahaadith in random. It is all about knowing the Ahaadith that are generic ( Al-Aam) in meaning and those that are specific ( Al-Khaas). And knowing where those that are generic are restricted by those that are specific.
SAYING BISMILLAH BEFORE THE ADHAAN
Baarakallaahu feekum
Jazaakumullaahu khayran.
