Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear brother burhan

Assalaamu alaykum

Ramadan kareem to you n your team.

Brother could you pls. help me since my childhood i have been taught aoudo billahi minasshaitaanirrajeem bismillah hirrahmanirraheem, while reciting quran, saying my salah, for eating, for everything, but i have noticed the quran surahs start with only bismillah.................  and even in the mosque during salah only bismillah..........................

Brother my question is am i adding which is not to be used, as i have been taught?  kindly inform should i recite aou do billahi.................with bismillah................?

Thanks n jazakallah

a sister

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Answer:

When to say bismillah and aoodobillah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 98:

98 When thou do recite the Quran seek Allah's refuge from the Shaytaan, the rejected one.

Allah Subhanah Has Commanded and Guided the believers that whenever they intend to recite the Glorious Quran, one should first seek refuge in Allah Subhanah from the accursed Shaytaan (by declaring ‘Aoodobillahe minas Shaytaan ir-Rajeem) before they begin their recitation.

When reciting the Glorious Quran one should recite the ‘Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem’ only when it appears in the actual text of the recitation; ie. at the beginning of the Surahs.

Thus if one starts the recitation of the Glorious Quran from the middle any other Surah, one should seek refuge in Allah Subhanah from the accursed Shaytaan by declaring ‘Aoodoillahe minas Shaytaan ir-Rajeem’ and begin their recitation; and recite the verse ‘Bismillah ……’ only and whenever it appears in the actual text of the Quran itself.

Although one is Commanded and Guided by Allah Subhanah to specifically seek refuge in Him from the accursed Shaytaan before one intends to recite the Glorious Quran, one is at liberty to seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytaan whenever one wills to do any good or lawful deed, and it would indeed be prudent to do so.

It is also amongst the preferred Sunnah to declare ‘Bismillah’ (In the Name of Allah) whenever one intends to do any good or lawful deed (like eat, drink, wear new clothes, entering a house, etc.). If one chooses to declare ‘Aoodobillahe minas……’ or ‘Bismillah-ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem’ it would be fine, or if one chooses to declare merely ‘Bismillah’, that too would more than suffice.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan