Fatwa ID: 04551

Answered by: Maulana Afzal Hussain

Question

As surah tawba does not begin with bismillah at the beginning, what is the ruling regarding recital? Do we read bismillah before starting the surah or do we not read it.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer 

This honorable Surah (chapter 9) was one of the last Surah to be revealed to the Messenger of Allah. Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said, "The last Ayah to be revealed was, (They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah.'') ﴿4:176﴾, while the last Surah to be revealed was Bara'ah.'' [Bukhari: 4654]

The Basmalah was not mentioned at the beginning of this Surah because the Companions did not write it in the complete copy of the Qur'an (Mushaf) they collected, following the Commander of the faithful, Uthman bin Affan. [See: Ibn Kathir’s commentary on Sura al-Tawbah]

Ibn Abbas said to Uthman: What is your reasoning with Surah Al-Anfal, which has less than a hundred verses, and Surah At-Tawbah, which has more than a hundred verses, yet you put them together without writing in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful between them and you placed them with the seven long surahs. Why did you do that? Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Al-Anfal was among the first to be revealed in Medina and At-Tawbah was among the last of those revealed of the Quran and their discussions resemble each other, so we thought that they were part of each other. Then the Messenger of Allah died and it was not clear to us if they were part of each other. For this reason, we put them together without writing (Basmalah) in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and we included them with the seven long surahs. [Tirmidhi: 3086]

One should take care to recite “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” at the beginning of each chapter of the Quran except for Sura al-Barah (al-Tawbah) [See: Al-Tibyanu fi Adabi Hamlatul Quran by Imaam Nawawi, page: 85, publisher: Daarul Mawaddah and Daaruddalil] However, one may recite “Ta’awwuz” (A’uzuBillahi minas ShaitanirRajim) in the beginning. [See: Qaariul Quran, page: 90, (From Mufidul Qari, Wasilatul Qari), Publisher: Imdadiyah Library Dhaka]                         

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Maulana Afzal Hussain

Checked and written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham