The Meaning of the Basmala: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. Allah the Exalted said: . We have discussed the Basmala repeatedly and often, and we said: The preposition and its object are connected to an omitted word, and this omitted word is estimated to be a subsequent verb that is appropriate, right? It is estimated to be a subsequent appropriate verb. So if you say: In the Name of Allah, and you intend to eat, how do you estimate the verb? In the Name of Allah, I eat. Good. We said that it is obligatory to estimate that it is connected to an omitted word. Why? Why do we not say that it is not connected? Because the preposition and its object must have a connection to which they attach; the preposition must attach to a verb or its meaning, such as "ascending," because the preposition and its object are a governed element, in the position of the object, so it must have a governor. Why did we estimate it to be a subsequent verb? For two benefits. The first benefit is seeking blessing by placing the name of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) first. The second benefit is restriction, because delaying the governor implies restriction, as if you are saying: I do not eat by the name of anyone, seeking blessing from them and seeking their help, except by the name of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Why did we estimate it to be a verb? Because the original basis for governance is verbs, and this is known by the people of grammar, because the original basis for governance is verbs, and therefore nouns do not govern except under conditions. The active participle governs like a verb under conditions, the verbal noun governs like a verb under conditions, the passive participle governs like a verb under conditions. Does the verb govern under conditions? No, because it is the original basis for governance. For this reason, we estimate it to be a verb. Why did we estimate it to be specific? Because it is more indicative of the intended meaning. It is possible to estimate: In the Name of Allah, I begin. But what do you begin? What do you start? You start eating, you start drinking, you start ablution, you start work. What do you start? And if you say: In the Name of Allah, I eat, and you specify the verb, it becomes more indicative of the intended meaning. For this reason, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So he specified the verb. So we say: The preposition and its object are connected to the omitted word, complete? A subsequent verb appropriate for the context. As for , it is a proper name for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for the sacred essence, which does not belong to anyone but Him, and it is the origin of the names, so the names follow it: , they follow it. Possessor of vast mercy, so it came in the form of "Fa'lan" which indicates fullness and vastness. The One who conveys mercy to whom He wills of His servants, so it came in the form of "Fa'il" which indicates the occurrence of the action. So here, mercy is His attribute, which is indicated by , and mercy is His action, meaning conveying mercy to the one who is mercied, which is indicated by . Two names from the names of Allah that indicate the essence, and the attribute of mercy, and the effect or ruling that indicates that meaning. So in these two names, everything that must be connected to faith in the name of Allah is gathered, because faith in the name is that you believe in the name, and what after? And the attribute and the effect, which is the ruling resulting from this. So we say: Allah is Ar-Rahman, Possessor of mercy, who bestows mercy. All of this is present in the Qur'an. So Ar-Rahman, as you see, is the Possessor of mercy: , who bestows mercy: , A name indicating mercy, which is a real mercy, indicated by hearing and reason. I do not know if the speech is Arabic or not? Arabic. It is indicated by hearing and reason. What does hearing mean? The texts, the Book and the Sunnah. Reason: reflection and consideration. The indication of hearing regarding the mercy of Allah is too numerous to count. The indication of reflection is that we ask: How many blessings are there in the world? What is the answer? Too numerous to count, right? Yes, too numerous to count in their types and kinds, let alone their individuals. What do these blessings indicate? They indicate that the Bestower is Merciful. If it were not for mercy, the blessing would not have occurred. And how much is there in the world of repelled punishment, is that not so? Good. Why? It is from the effects of mercy. If it were not for mercy, the punishment would not have been repelled. And it is amazing that a group who claim reason say: That reason does not indicate mercy, but reason indicates the opposite of it — I seek refuge in Allah — for what? They said: Because mercy is bending, softness, submission, and tenderness, and this is not befitting for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) — look at Satan — it is not befitting, is it not befitting? We say: Mercy in this meaning, whose mercy is it? The mercy of the created being. But the mercy of the Creator is not like the mercy of the created being. Then we deny that mercy is as you claimed, even in the created being. A king with complete authority who fears no one except Allah shows mercy to this poor person. Do we say: This mercy contradicts the authority and majesty befitting him? Absolutely not. It does not contradict, and it is not said: By Allah, this is a humiliated king who shows mercy to the poor and the weak. No, rather this is considered part of his perfection. It is considered part of his perfection. Then we say to them: Reason indicated it. We deny your saying: Reason does not indicate it. We deny your saying: That reason does not indicate it. Rather we say: Reason indicated it. If you ask the general public after it rained at night and the people came out walking in the rain and the air of the rain and its moisture, you will hear most of them say: What Allah willed, the rain fell by His mercy, there is blessing in it, praise be to Allah, the mercy of Allah is vast, the mercy of Allah is vast. What do they know about where this rain comes from? From mercy. But they say: That the will was established by reason. The will of Allah was established by reason. Good. By what? They said: It was established by specification. He specified this, making this sky, and this earth, and this cow, and this sheep, and this camel, and this donkey, and so on. Who specified this from that? The will. So there is a will for Allah indicated by specification. Ask a student of knowledge, not a layman, tell him: How do you infer the will of Allah by reason? What does he say? He cannot. Perhaps he can say: I infer the will of Allah from this universe, all of this is by the will of Allah. But he does not say that specification is what indicates the will, right or not? And yet, mercy did not indicate it by reason for them, and the will did indicate it by reason. And we say: That the will and mercy, both of them, indicated it by reason, and there is no doubt in this. We mentioned previously that the Basmala is a verse from the Qur'an, without doubt, independent, not following the one before it or the one after it, independent. But it is brought to begin the surah. Every surah begins with the Basmala except one of the surahs, which is Bara'ah, because it was not established with the Companions that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) began it with the Basmala. And for that reason, they made a separator between it and al-Anfal and did not make a Basmala, because they hesitated whether it was the remainder of al-Anfal or it was independent. So they said: We will make a separator and not make a Basmala. The Basmala is an independent verse with which every surah begins, even al-Fatihah, which is the first of the surahs to begin with it. And is it part of the surah? We said: No. And on this basis, what is found in the current mushaf, numbered in al-Fatihah specifically with the number one, as if it is the first verse of al-Fatihah, is a weak opinion, and the stronger opinion is that it is not a verse of al-Fatihah. And it has passed us explaining the two aspects of this opinion.