Surah Tawbah - No Basmalah?
Surah Tawbah is the ninth chapter of the Quran, it is also known as Surah Bara’ah. This chapter is extremely unique as it is the only chapter which does not begin with ‘basmalah’ out of the 114 chapters of the Quran. In this article, we will discuss the opinions of the scholars of exegesis and their reasoning for its omission.
First, we will discuss the position of basmalah in the Quran according to the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
Is the verse of Basmalah a verse from the Quran?
There is a consensus of the scholars that the basmalah which is mentioned in Surah Naml, 27:30 is a verse from the verses of the Quran, Allah says:
إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
This is the only verse other than the ones which appear at the beginning of the chapters which contains basmalah.
The basmalah which precedes the chapters, is it part of the Quran?
The scholars differ regarding it being a verse which proceeds the chapters and also differ regarding it being a verse from Surah Fatihah. The opinions are as follows:
It is a verse from Surah Fatihah and every chapter it precedes. This is the opinion of the Shafi’is.
It is not a verse from Surah Fatihah, nor a verse from any chapter it precedes. This is the opinion of the Malikis.
It is a complete verse from the Quran and it was revealed to differentiate chapters, and it is not a verse from Surah Fatihah. This is the opinion of the Hanafis.
The ruling of reciting the basmalah at Surah Tawbah according to the science of Qira’at?
The scholars of Qira’ah and their opinions were gathered and authenticated by way of mass transmission for the seven variants of the Quran by Imam ash-Shatibi. Based upon the compilation of Imam ash-Shatibi, Imam al-Jazari authenticated a further three variants of the Qira’at; totalling ten mass transmissited variants of the Quran.
Imam ash-Shatibi writes in his poem on the seven mass-transmitted variants of reciting the Quran:
لِتَنْزِيْلِهَا بِالسَّيْفِ لَسْتَ مُبَسْمِلًا
“Because it was revealed with the sword, you are not to recite basmalah”.
Shaykh Abd al-Fatah al-Qadi gathers the ten recitations which were documented by Imam Shatibi and Imam Jazari and writes the following:
‘There is a consensus (ijma) of the Ten Reciters (Qurra) that there is no basmalah at the beginning of Surah Tawbah’
Some scholars mention there is a narration from Imam Asim which has basmalah in the beginning of the Surah, however, Imam al-Jazari mentions its dropping is from the way of Shatibi and his opinion is considered.
Why does Surah Tawbah not have ‘basmalah’ in its beginning?
Imam Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi mentions the following positions for this chapter not beginning with Basmalah:
The conversation of Abdullah b. Abbas and Usman b. Affan (Allah is pleased with them)
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (Allah is pleased with them both), He said: ‘I asked Usman b. Affaan, ‘Surah al-Anfal is mathani (A chapter with less than one hundred verses) and Surah al-Bara’ah is mi’in (A chapter with more than one hundred verses) and you placed this chapter in as-Sab at-Tiwal (The seven chapter’s after Surah al-Fatihah which have over one hundred verses each) what is the reason for this?
Usman replied, ‘At one point long chapters were being revealed upon the Prophet ﷺ and whenever revelation would come He ﷺ would call someone who would write and order the verses to be written under such and such named chapter and Surah al-Anfal was revealed at the beginning (of his ﷺ time in) Madinah and Surah al-Bara’ah is revealed at the end time (of his ﷺ life). The theme of Surah at-Tawbah is similar to that of al-Anfal and I thought that Surah al-Bar’ah is a part of al-Anfal. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ veiled from us and He ﷺ did not inform us that Surah al-Bara’ah is a part of Surah al-Anfal, for this reason, I kept both of these chapters alongside each other and I did not add ‘bismillahir rahmanir rahim’ between them and I entered this chapter amongst the seven long chapters. (Tirmidhi, 3086)
It was narrated by Ubayy B. Ka’b (Allah is pleased with him) that he said: We used to think that (Surah Anfal and Surah Tawbah are one) because in al-Anfal there is a mention of the treaty and in al-Bara’ah the treaty was abolished. So one of them was placed alongside the other.
The Muslims are protected solely by Allah
It is because Allah ﷻ ended Surah Anfal, showing that he has protected the believers, some of them over others and that they are excommunicated from the disbelievers in totality!
Then He ﷻ further clarifies this by his statement (at the beginning of the chapter) ‘Freedom from Allah and his Messenger…’ and this elucidates the purpose of the statement which is further emphasised by the absence of a section between the two chapters.
The presence of a barrier or section between the two would show they are two separate chapters (in their meaning) and abandoning the writing of ‘bismillahir Rahmanir rahim’ shows they are of one essence in their meaning.
The sword that is Surah Tawbah against the disbelievers
Ibn Abbas (Allah is pleased with them both) said, ‘I asked Ali (Allah is pleased with him) why isn’t ‘bismillahir Rahmanir rahim’ written between them (Anfal and Tawbah)?
He said, ‘Because ‘bismillahir Rahmanir rahim’ is safety and this chapter was revealed with the sword and to end treaties. There is no safety in this.
It was narrated that Sufyan B. Uyaynah mentioned this meaning and emphasised it with the statement of Allah ﷻ ‘And do not say ‘Salam’ to those who meet you who are not believers’ (4:94). It was said to him, ‘Did the Prophet ﷺ not write to the non-believers ‘bismillahir Rahmanir rahim’? He replied, ‘Because that was at the beginning of his calling to Allah! And nor did he break his treaties with them.
Do you not see what Allah ﷻ says at the end of his book ‘And salam is for those who accept guidance’. As for this chapter then it is composed of opposing and ending the covenants. So the difference is manifest.
Our scholars have said that perhaps it is because Allah ﷻ - when it became known amongst some people that they disputed whether ‘bismillahir Rahmanir rahim’ is from the Quran - He ordered that it is not to be written here as a clarification that it is a verse from every chapter.
Imam al-Qurtubi records the following opinions:
The dissolution of treaties between the Muslims and disbelievers
It was said that in the time of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islam) when the Arabs had a treaty between them and another group - and they intended to dissolve this treaty they would write a letter to them without writing ‘basmalah’. And when the chapter of Bara’ah was revealed it dissolved the treaty which was between the Prophet ﷺ and the polytheist. The Prophet ﷺ sent Ali b. Abi Talib (Allah is pleased with him) and he recited this to them and did not recite basmalah, as it was the norm when dissolving a treaty.
The safety and protection of Basmalah is not for the disbelievers
Abdullah b. Abbas (Allah is pleased with them both) reports, I asked Ali B. Abi Talib (Allah is pleased with him) as to why ‘bismillahir rahmanir rahim’ is not written at the beginning of Surah al-Bara’ah? He replied, ‘‘bismillahir rahmanir rahim’ is protection and al-Bara’ah’s verses strike like a sword and there is no protection from this’’
Conclusion of Imam al-Qurtubi
Imam al-Qurtubi presents five opinions, some of which were already mentioned by Imam ar-Razi. Thereafter he writes, ‘And the correct opinion is that basmalah was not written because Jibril did not descend with it for this chapter, as al-Qushayri said’
The Basmalah is a refuge, safety and protection for every believer and is a reminder for all Muslims that our only success lies with making mention of Allah and abandoning the oneness of Allah is a means for Allah abandoning us, just as he has made apparent from abandoning his mercy for the disbelievers in the example of Surah Tawbah.
A beautiful indication
There is a beautiful indication at the start of the chapter beginning with the letter ب it is as if Allah ﷻ, even after warning the disbelievers of their eternal punishment, He ﷻ places the ب as the first letter of the chapter to remind them there is still time to turn to him and repent before their souls reach their throats as all success is by the name of Allah, by which the Arabic of Basmalah begins with the same ب. From this, we understand that every chapter of the Quran begins with the ب, either by way of the Basmalah or without it.
Sayyiduna Abd al-Karim al-Jili writes:
‘It is narrated that, ‘Everything that is in ‘bismillahir rahmanir rahim’ is in the ‘baa.’’
We ask Allah for forgiveness, preservation of our faith in him and death with His ﷻ name on our tongues.
Written by Ustadh Umer Asif
Bibliography
Rawai al-Bayan, Sabuni
Hirz al-Ma’ani wa Wajh at-Tahani, Shatibi
Mafatih al-Gayb, Razi
Ruh al-Ma’ani, Alusi
Tibyan al-Quran, Saidi
An-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-Ashar
Jami at-Tirmidhi, Tirmidhi
al-Jami li Ahkam al-Quran, Qurtubi
al-Kahf wa ar-Raqim fi Sharh Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, al-Jili
al-Budur az-Zahirah fi al-Qira’at al-Ashr al-Mutawatirah min Tariqi ash-Shatibiyyah wa ad-Dura, al-Qadi
