Part II is in the Form of Books published from Blue rose publication:

In English: Quest for Quranic knowledge

In Tamil: Quranin arivai thaedi

Part III Ramzan Quiz starts

1. Ramzan Quiz.

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة   

 ﺑﺴْـــــــﻢِﷲِﺍﻟﺮَّﺣْﻤَﻦِﺍلرَّﺣِﻴﻢ

Let us start with simple and known question:

1. How many basmalas or Tasmiyyah are there in Quran?

Answer: 114.

All 113 surahas of Holy Quran start with Basmala except the ninth Surah At-Tawbah. The Surhae An-Naml has an extra Basmala making the number 114.

The beautiful poetic phrase, "Bismillah Irrahaman Nirraheem" means, "In the name of Allah the most Gracious (Beneficient) and the Most Merciful."

The reason for not writing Basmala at the begining of the 9th Surah At-Tauba/Al-Baraah is:

The Prophet ﷺ never dictated to scribes basmala in between the two surahs. This is evidenced by the following ahadhees.

Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: "I asked to Uthman ibn Affan (RA), “What is your reasoning with Surat al-Anfal, which has less than a hundred verses, and Surat Bara’ah (al-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 chapters. Why did you do that?”

Uthman (RA) said, “A long time might pass with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, without anything being revealed to him, and then sometimes a chapter with numerous verses might be revealed. So when something was revealed he would call for someone who could write and tell them to put these verses under the particular chapter. Al-Anfal was among the first to be revealed in Madhina, and Bara’ah was among the last of those revealed of the Quran and their contents resemble each other, so we thought that they were part of each other. Then, the Prophet ﷺ passed away and it was not clear to us if they were part of each other. For this reason, we put them together without writing ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,’ and we included them with the seven long chapters.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3086].

Ibn Abbas (RA) states, "I asked Ali (RA) why cannot we insert "Bismillah Irrahaman Nirraheem." between the two? He explained, ‘Because it is "amaan" (refuge/ safety/ blessing). The main theme of the surah is aggression and breaking of treaties and there is no amaan in that.’

This surah came with the command to fight against kuffar, it exposes the hypocrites and their foul deeds. So it is not prescribed to recite Basmala neither in the beginning nor in the middle.

Basmala in Quranae Masjid:

The very first ayath that is revealed to Prophet Mohammad ﷺ by Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is: ,اِقْرَاْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَ‌‏ (96:1).

Commanding him 'to read "In the name of your Lord" who created'

Allahuthala ‎ also commanded in His Book, to say 'Bismillah' in the following ayaath:

"Mention the Name of Allah on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)" (22:28).

"Do not eat anything over which Allah’s name has not been pronounced, for that is transgressiion."  (6:121)

"So eat of that which the hunting animals catch for you and mention the name of Allah over it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah" (5:4)

Basmala was in use even during (or before) the time of Nabi Nuh (AS): 

This is evident from the following ayath, "And he (Nuh [AS]) said: Embark in it, in the name of Allah be its sailing and its anchoring" (11:41). Sulaiman (AS) had the habit of writing Basmala in the beginning of a letter even addressed to non-Muslims.

When we recite Basmala at the beginning of every action, it will become the duty of Allah ‎ﷻ to render His support, help and blessings for those actions. Allah is bound to do wonder if it is expressed whole heartedly. He also protects that person from misguidance, disturbances, distractions, temptations and khuffr.

There is a practice of writing 786 instead of Basmala, following standard Abjadi system of numerology. Writing 786 is not a sunnah but bidath. Since Prophet ﷺ while sending letters to non-Muslim delegates, instructed to the scribes to write full Basmala at the beginning of the letter.

Aahadhees about saying Basmala:

The Prophet ﷺ instructed/used to recite Basmala for the following actions:

☆ To recite at the beginning of surahs of the Quran:

Except Surhae At-Tawbah it is mandatory to recite Basmala at the beginning of each surah.

☆ Recite before going to bed:

 Abu Huraira (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “When one of you gets up from his bed and then returns to it, let him brush it off with the end of his garment three times, for he does not know what came to it after him. When he lies down, let him say: "In the name of my Lord, I lay down my side  and by You I make it rise, and if You take my soul, have mercy upon it, and if you release it, grant it protection the same as given to Your righteous servants."  When he awakens, let him say: "All praise is due to Allah who granted wellness to my body, returned my spirit, and allowed me to remember Him.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3401).

☆ Before entering the washroom:

Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, “A screen will be placed between the eyes of the Jinn and the nakedness of the children of Adam if one of them says as he enters the washroom: "In the name of Allah.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 606].

☆ Saying before ablution:

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There is no prayer for one without ablution, and there is no ablution for one without mentioning the name of Allah before it.” (Sunan Abi Daswud, 101)

 ☆ Before drinking:

Ibn Abbas (RA) reported, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do not drink in one gulp like a camel, but in one or two gulps. Mention "Bismillah" before drinking and "Alhumdhulillah" after drinking. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book 3, Hadhees 31).

☆ Before eating:

Washi ibn Harb reported: They said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we eat but we are not filled.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Perhaps you eat separately?” They said "Yes". The Prophet ﷺ said, “Eat your meals together and mention the name of Allah over it, for you will be blessed in it.” [Sunan Abi Dawud, 3764]

Umayyah ibn Makshi reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting and a man was eating food, but he did not mention the name of Allah until nothing remained but a morsel. When the man raised it to his mouth, he said, “In the name of Allah, beginning and ending.” The Prophet ﷺ laughed, and then he said, “Shaithan continued to eat with him, but when he mentioned the name of Allah Almighty, he vomited what was in his stomach.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, 3768).

☆ Before leaving the house:

Umm Salamah (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ, would say when leaving the house, “In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah. O Allah, we seek refuge in you from mis-stepping or being led astray, from wronging or being wronged, from abusing or being abused.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3427).

The Prophet ﷺ said, "If any one of you while leaving the house say 'Bismillah, I trust Allah', there is no power and might except from Allah, your needs shall be fullfilled, you shall be saved from difficulties and hardships', Shaithan hearing these words leave that house." (Al-Tirmidhi, 2/493).

☆ Before entering the house:

Abu Malik al-Asha’ri reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, “When a man enters his house, let him say: O Allah, I asked you for the good of this entrance and exit, in the name of Allah I enter and in the name of Allah I leave, and upon Allah our Lord we rely. Then let him greet his family with Salam.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, 5096).

But if he enters without saying 'Bismillah', "Shaithan said to his followers, 'You have found a place to spend the night in and if he does not mention Bismillah while eating he will say, "You have found a place to spend the night in, as well as food"

☆ Can be recited as Ruqaiya:

Ayesha (RA) reported: "If the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, was afflicted by something, Jibreel (AS) would supplicate over him, saying, “In the name of Allah, may he cure you, may he heal you from every ailment, from the evil of the envier when he envies, and from the evil of every eye.” (Sahih Muslim, 2185).

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recommanded to the one who feels the pain: “Put your hand on the part of your body that hurts and say: 'Bismillah’ three times, then say seven times: 'I seek refuge in Allah and His Power from the evil of what I find and I fear."

☆ Recite for protection:

Uthman ibn Affan (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, “No servant says this three times in the morning every day and in the evening every night but that nothing will harm him: In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing can be harmed on the earth or in the heavens, for He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3388).

☆ Recite during intimacy:

Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “If one of you goes to his wife, he should say: In the name of Allah, keep Shaithan away and keep Shaithan away from what you have provided us. If Allah has decreed a child for them, he will not be harmed.”

☆ Recite while slaughtering:

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:  The Messenger of Allah ﷺ slaughtered sheep with his hand and said: 'Bismillah, Wa Allahu Akbar, this from me and whoever does not slaughter from my Ummah.' [Jami At Tirmidhi, 1521]

☆ Before hunting:

Adi b. Hatim reported:  I said: Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I set off trained dogs and they catch for me

(the game) and I recite the name of Allah over it (I slaughter the game by reciting Bismillah-i- Allahu

Akbar), whereupon he said: When you set off your trained dogs, if you recited the name of Allah (while setting them off), then eat (the game). I said: Even if they (the trained dogs) kill that (the game)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Even if these kill, but (on the condition) that no other dog, which you did not set off (along with your dogs), participates (in catching the game). (Sahih Muslim 1929 b).

☆ Before riding on animal or vehicle:

Ali bin Rabi’ah said: “I witnessed Ali having an animal brought to him to ride. When he placed his foot in the stirrup he said: ‘In the Name of Allah,’ (Bismillah) [three times]. (Jami At-Tirmidhi, 3446)

☆ Saying before placing the deceased in the grave:

The Prophet ﷺ said, "When you are lowering deceased in the grave you should say "Bismillah". (Ahamad 8/58 and Al- Hakim 1/366).

☆ With Basmala the Prophet ﷺ did miracles by getting water and milk:

From Anas ibn Malik (RA) who said: Some of the Sahabah of the Prophet ﷺ were searching for water to perform wudu. Rasulullah ﷺ asked if anyone had water, and so they brought some. He placed his hand in the container of water and told them to begin performing wudu’ with the mention of Bismillah. I saw the water springing forth from between his fingers until everyone present performed wudu’. Thabit [the one reporting from Anas] said, ‘I asked Anas (RA) how many companions were there.’ He said, ‘We were about seventy people.’ Imam An-Nasa’i reports this hadith in his Sunan.

He quenched the thirst of thousands of his soldiers during the Battle of Tabouk with little water they had by saying bismillah, provided water for their needs. He made a barren ewe, which produced no milk, to produce milk with "Bismillah".

May Allahuthala make us to follow these sunnah. Anything that is done without saying bismilla will not be complete and successful. So make a habit of saying bismillah to get benefits in this life and also in the Hereafter. Young mothers insist your children to say 'Bismillah' before they start anything.

الحمدلله