1. Musallah at-Taqwa
Saturday
February 21,
2009
Islamic College of Canberra
‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬
Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles
Class Notes – Term 1, Week 2
‫ﹺﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟ ﱠﺣْﻤﻦ ﺍﻟ ﱠﺣِﻴﻢ‬
‫ْﹺ ِ ﺮ ﹺ ﺮ‬
“In the name of Allah, the Most‐Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy”.
Why did the author begin with the basmalah?
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Following the example set in the Quran, for every surah in the Quran begins with the basmalah with
the exception of Baraa’a.
Following the example of the Prophet (saw), for it has been established in the authentic hadith that
he sent a letter to Heracles in which he wrote:
“In the name of Allah, the Most‐Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. This letter is from
Muhammad the slave and messenger of Allah to Heracles the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be
upon him who follows the right path. I invite you to Islam and you will be safe.
[Bukhari, Book 1, Hadith 6]
Therefore, the author wanting to follow the example set in the Quran and Sunnah also commenced
his work with the basmalah.
Structure of the basmalah
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The basmalah has an unspoken part which is required to complete the meaning.
o
ْ ُ‫ﹶ ﹾ‬
The unspoken word is a verb, in this case ‘to write’ ‐ ‫ﺃﻛﺘﺐ‬
o
The verb comes after ‫ﺍﷲ‬
‫ ﹺﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ‬
‫ْﹺ‬
‫ ﹺﺑﺴﻢ‬for two reasons:
‫ْﹺ‬
(i) To seek barakah (blessing) by beginning with the name of Allah.
(ii) It is a way of expressing that is the only reason for writing.
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The sentence in its entirety makes sense as opposed to just saying “In the name of Allah I begin” if
you wish to start writing. It is not clear what you wish to do, but by saying “In the name of Allah I
read”, then it leaves no doubt as to what you wish to do

2. It is encouraged to mention Allah’s name with every action
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It is encouraged for everyday actions such as sleeping eating, drinking or riding.
Evidence in the Quran:
t⎦⎫ÏΖÏΒ÷σãΒ ⎯ÏμÏG≈tƒ$t↔Î/ Λä⎢Ψä. βÎ) Ïμø‹n=tã «!$# ãΛôœ$# tÏ.èŒ $£ϑÏΒ (#θè=ä3sù
So eat of (meats) on which Allah’s name hath been pronounced, if you have faith In His
signs. [Al‐An’aam; 6:118]
∩⊆⊇∪ ×Λ⎧Ïm§‘ Ö‘θàtós9 ’În1u‘ ¨βÎ) 4 !$yγ8y™öãΒuρ $yγ11øgxΧ «!$# ÉΟó¡Î0 $pκÏù (#θç7Ÿ2ö‘$# tΑ$s%uρ
So he (Nuh) said: "Embark on the ark, In the name of Allah, whether it moves or be at
rest! For My Lord is Oft‐forgiving, most Merciful!" [Hud; 11:41]
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Evidence in the Hadith:
In the hadith of Ibn Abu Salamah (rahm), that the Prophet (saw) said when advising him on the
manners of eating:
‫ ﻳَﺎ ﹸﻼﻡ ﺳﻢ ﺍﷲ، ﻭﻛﻞ ﹺﺑَﻴﻤِﻴﹺﻨﻚَ، ﻭﻛﻞ ﻣ ﱠﺎ َﻳﻠِﻴﻚ‬
َ
‫َ ﹸ ﹾ ِﻤ‬
‫َﹸﹾ‬
‫ﻏ َﱢ‬
Oh Boy, mention the name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat of the dish what is nearer
to you. [Bukhari; Book of Foods]
Beginning with the basmalah is barakah.
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Commencing the basmalah in the prescribed acts of worship is barakah, and we are in need of
barakah when it has dried up in our lives.
In this time of luxuries and materialism people have lost the meaning of what barakah is.
It is a great bounty from Allah (swt) that he bestows barakah upon an individual in their life, speech,
sleep, food, drink etc.
Therefore if you want Allah (swt) to put barakah in your life make it a habit to begin your speech and
actions with the basmalah.
The name of Allah (swt)
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Allah is the name of the sole Lord who created and fashioned everything.
Allah is the singular name which covers all the other beautiful names and magnificent attributes of
Allah (swt).
All other beautiful names return to the name of Allah. Al‐Malik, Al‐Qudoos, As‐Salaam are all names
from the names of Allah (swt).
We cannot say, and do not say, Allah is from the name of Al‐Qudoos or Allah is from the name of Al‐
Azeez.
The name Allah is derived from the word Ilaah. An Ilaah is a deity or object of worship, and Allah
(swt) is the only Ilaah worthy of being worshipped alone with no partners.

3. Meaning of Ar‐Rahmaan, Ar‐Raheem
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Ar‐Rahman: One of the names particular to Allah (swt) and cannot be applied to other than Him. It
means the one who has as his attribute great and extensive mercy.
Ar‐Raheem: Applied to Allah (swt), and may be applied to others restrictively. Its meaning is the one
who is merciful to others (i.e. bestows mercy upon them).
When these two names of Allah (swt) come together it means: The one who has mercy upon
whomever He wishes from his servants. As Allah (swt) says:
šχθç7n=ø)è? Ïμø‹s9Î)uρ ( â™!$t±tƒ ⎯tΒ ãΝymötƒuρ â™!$t±o„ ⎯tΒ Ü>Éj‹yèãƒ
He punishes whom He pleases, and He grants Mercy to whom He pleases, and towards Him you
will be returned. [Al‐Ankabut; 29:21 ]
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Both names establish the attribute of rahma (mercy) to Allah (swt).
Important principle of aqeedah: We confirm and establish the names and attributes which Allah
(swt) has confirmed and established upon Himself while avoiding the following four things:
(i)
‫ – َﺗﻌﻄﻴﻞ‬Denial of any of the names and attributes.
‫ِْ ﹾ‬
(ii)
‫ – َﺗﺤﺮﹺﻳﻒ‬Distortion of any of the names and attributes.
ْ ْ
(iii)
(iv)
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‫ – َﺗﺸﺒﻴﻪ‬Resembling any of the names and attributes to the creation.
ْ ‫ْﹺ‬
‫ – َﺗﻜﹾﻴﻴﻒ‬Asking how.
ْ
Allah (swt) says in the Quran:
çÅÁt7ø9$# ßìŠÏϑ¡¡9$# uθèδuρ ( Ö™ï†x« ⎯ÏμÎ=÷WÏϑx. }§øŠs9
There is nothing whatever like Him, and He is the one that hears and sees all things.
[Ash‐Shura; 42:11 ]
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Allah (swt) has established and confirmed the attribute of rahma upon Himself in a manner which
befits his majesty, so we also confirm and establish this attribute without falling into the four things
mentioned above.
The greatness of Allah’s quality of mercy
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Evidence in the Quran:
&™ó©x« ¨≅ä. ôMyèÅ™uρ ©ÉLyϑômu‘uρ ( â™!$x©r& ô⎯tΒ ⎯ÏμÎ/ Ü=ŠÏ¹é& þ’Î1#x‹tã tΑ$s%
He (Allah) said: "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My Mercy extends to all things.
[Al‐A’raf; 7:156 ]

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Evidence in the Hadith:
‫ﺇﻥ ﺍﷲ ﻛَﺘﺐ ﻓﻲ ﻛَﺘﺎﺏ ﻋﻨﺪﻩ، ﻓﻬﻮ ﻋﻨﺪﻩ ﻓﻮﻕ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺵ: ﺇﻥ ﺭﺣﻤِﺘﻲ َﺗﻐﻠﺐ ﻏﻀﹺﺒﻲ‬
َ ‫ﱠ َ ﹶ َ ِ ِ ﹴ ِ َ ُ ﹶ ُ َ ِ َ ُ ﹶ ْ َ َ ﹺ ﱠ َ ْ َ ْﹸ ُ ﹶ‬
Allah (swt) wrote in a book which is with Him, and it is with Him above the throne “My mercy
overtakes my wrath”. [Bukhari, Muslim]
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One of the saleheen would say: “Oh Allah, you know that my mother is the most merciful person
towards me, and I know that you are more merciful towards me than my mother, and my mother
does not accept fro me destruction and punishment. Do you accept it for me?