The Basmala (البسمله) is the title of the second chapter of the Shatibiyyah. The Basmala is the simple words of Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم).

The Basmala’s rulings are divided into 3 parts, we will cover the first 2 which are short and have little disagreement in them, then we will move on to the final part which is what this chapter deals which extensively.

Firstly, the student of knowledge must understand that when he recites the Quran, his need for the Basmala falls into 1 of 3 categories, either the person is:

Beginning at the start of the Surah, or he is beginning in the middle of a Surah, or he is connecting between two Surahs.

For 1, the 7 Quraa’ have a consensus that the Basmala must be read outloud; it is Wajib without a doubt (with the exception of Surah Tawbah which has no Basmala, so you only recite the Istiaada).

As for 2, there is also a consensus between the 7 Quraa’ that it is optional; you may choose to either read the Basmala after the Istiaada or not (this rules applies for every Surah, even Surah Tawbah – if you’re starting your recitation from anything other than the first Ayah of the surah, then you may read the Basmala).

As for 3, Imam As-Shatibi now teaches us:

وبسمل بين السورتين بسنة

رجال نموها درية وتحملا

Reading the Basmala between the two Surahs (out loud) is Qaloon, Kisa’i, ‘Asim, Ibnu Kathir.

The Imam explains that when connecting between two Surahs: Qaloon, Kisa’i, ‘Asim, and Ibnu Kathir recite by connecting the end of the first surah with the Basmala (read out loud), then to the first verse of the new Surah, and all in one breath and no stopping involved. This is named the method of Basmala by the scholars. The Imam continues:

ووصلك بين السورتين فصاحة

And connecting between the two Surahs (without Basmala) is Hamzah.

The Imam then says that Hamzah reads without Basmala and connects the last verse of the first Surah and the first verse of the second Surah with no stopping (no breath is taken). This is called the method of Silah and is done by Hamzah everytime he is connecting between Surahs. Then he says:

وصل واسكتا كل جلاياه حصلا

And reading either Basmala or Silah, or Sakt is Warsh, Ibnu Amir, Abu ‘Amr.

The Imam then explains that Warsh, Ibnu Amir, Abu ‘Amr have the choice to either read Basmala, Silah, or Sakt. We’ve already learned about the methods of Basmala and Silah. The method of Sakt is one read without Basmala, and the recitor simply stops briefly at the end on a Surah (without taking any breath) for a very small instant, and continues to the new Surah with no Basmala at all.

A thing to note is that all of these mentioned ways by Imam As-Shatibi are only when the reader is reading whilst connecting between two Surahs. Take for example, if someone was reading Hamzah and he happened to finish a Surah, and he takes a breath, he now cannot do anything but a normal Basmala. The same applies to every other method; once a full breath is taken, all other methods become invalid but the Basmala.

Now, Imam As-Shatibi explains:

ولا نص كلا حب وجه ذكرته

وفيها خلاف جيده واضح الطلا.

And there is little evidence for those Quraa’ reading Silah and Sakt, and there is a long discussion about it between the scholars.

For these pieces of information, the student should not concern himself over it much because it deals with the difference of opinion between the scholars over the authenticity of some of the methods of the Basmala, the position narrated from Imam As-Shatibi is that it is valid to use all three (as long as you stick to one and do not interchange between any of them, because the basic Tajweed rule is that once you choose a method, you cannot decide to change it throughout your recitation of the Quran until completion, the same rule applies to reading Qasr versus Madd of the Munfasil Madd).

Now that we’ve understood that, we move on:

وسكتهم المختار دون تنفس

And Sakt is the highly preferred method by the scholars without a doubt.

This is self-explanatory. Imam As-Shatibi explains here that the scholars of the 7 Qiraa’aat preferred that one read Sakt for Warsh, Ibnu Amir, and Abu ‘Amr. Then he continues:

وبعضهم في الأربع الزهر بسملا

لهم دون نص وهو فيهن ساكت

لحمزة فافهمه وليس مخذلا

And some of the Quraa’ change their method when they are connecting the four pairs, but there is a debate over it’s authenticity with no direct narration. And Hamzah reads Sakt (when connecting), so understand (O Student of Knowledge)!

Now we are getting into some exceptions to the general rule. The Imam explains that some of the Quraa’ change their original way when then are connecting the Surahs that are called the “Four Pairs”. These Surahs are none other than when:

Surah Muddathir is connected to Surah Qiyamah .

is connected to . Surah Infitaar is connected to Surah Mutaffifeen .

is connected to . Surah Fajr is connected to Surah Balad .

is connected to . Surah Asar is connected to Surah Humaza.

Whenever you are connecting these four pairs of Surahs, there is a change to the original method. There were originally three methods to connecting between two Surahs (Basmala, Silah, Sakt), each attributed to a group of Quraa’, however, now:

Anyone who was previously reading Silah (Hamzah, Warsh, Ibnu Amir, and Abu ‘Amr) now reads Sakt. Anyone who was previously reading Sakt (Warsh, Ibnu Amir, and Abu ‘Amr) now reads Basmala. Anyone who was previously reading Basmala (Qaloon, Kisa’i, ‘Asim, Ibnu Kathir, Warsh, Ibnu Amir, and Abu ‘Amr) will continue reading the Basmala.

*Please note that since Warsh, Ibnu Amir, and Abu ‘Amr have choice between these three methods, it depends on which one you are reading in at the time; hence why they are listed on all 3 scenarios.

The Imam also adds that there is again, a difference of opinion regarding whether or not this should be practiced because there is does not exist any direct from the Quraa’ that they ever did this. It is only one of the transmitted opinions containing the Ijtihaad of our respected Quranic Scholars. However, the opinion of Imam As-Shatibi is that the concept of the “Four Pairs” should be practiced.

The Imam then begins to wrap up the chapter with a few points:

ومهما تصلها أو بدأت براءة

لتنزيلها بالسيف لست مبسملا

And whenever you connect it with another Surah or start Baraa’ah (by itself), then it shall not be given a Basmala because of it’s revelation with the command of the sword.

The Imam is now explaining the ruling regarding Surah Tawbah.

He states that fact that one should not recite the Basmala when starting Surah Tawbah, either when starting it by itself or when connecting Surah Anfaal with it. The reason for this as the Imam mentions is because the Surah was revealed at a time in the life of the Messenger (saw) where a severe order was given by Allah (swt) to take up the sword.

Therefore, the 7 Quraa’ are unanimous when it comes to this ruling.

The Imam now begins to emphasize some basic rules we have already mentioned:

ولا بد منها في ابتدائك سورة

سواها وفي الأجزاء خير من تلا

And it is required to recite it (i.e the Basmala) when starting at the beginning of a Surah that is not it (i.e Surah Tawbah), and when starting in the middle of a surah, the reciter is given a choice.

Since we have already mentioned this, there is no need to give an in-depth explanation.

The Imam is simply stating that the Basmala is obligatory in the beginning of every Surah in the Quran besides Surah Tawbah. He also states that the person reading has a choice pertaining to whether or not he wants to recite the Basmala when starting in the middle of the surah (anything other than the first verse is considered the ‘middle’).

The Imam concludes:

ومهما تصلها مع أواخر سورة

فلا تقفن الدهر فيها فتثقلا

And whenever you connect two surahs together, then do not stop at it (i.e the Basmala) lest people will get confused.

This is one of the basic rules of Tajweed. There is one thing that is forbidden when connecting between two Surahs with the method of Basmala and it is when someone recites the last verse of the first Surah and the Basmala and stops there (and doesn’t recite the first verse of the second Surah). This method was forbidden by the scholars because it makes people assume that the Basmala was part of the previous verse, hence, so that people don’t get confused, the scholars forbade this method.

Here is where باب البسمله concludes. In this chapter, we learned that it is obligatory to recite the Basmala outloud for all 7 recitors at the start of the Surah. We also learned that when beginning in the middle of a Surah, it is optional for all 7 once again. Finally, we learned the rulings of each group of recitors when it came to connecting between two Surahs and the methods of Basmala, Silah, and Sakt.

And Allah knows best.