HOPEFUL BEGINNING

Bismillah hir rehman ir rahim is the first verse of the Quran. It is repeated no less than one hundred and fourteen times. This repetition shows that, according to the Quran, this verse has great importance in the scheme of things given in the Quran.

The translation of this verse is: “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” The Prophet of Islam said that at the beginning of everything you do you should recite this verse. So, one can say that this is the word of beginning.

Beginning in this way is very important. It gives you great hope. After reciting this, you can believe that you are starting your work in a world that is controlled by God Almighty and that, if you follow the right path, you will have divine help bestowed upon you.

This belief, freeing you of tension and despair, gives you great psychological courage. It inculcates the spirit of positivity. The recitation of this verse is not simply lip-service: it shows your conviction about the creation plan of God.

Recitation of this word not only gives you courage but it also helps you to build a positive mode in your personality. This positivity makes you able to plan your life on a realistic basis. This removes all the negative thoughts from your mind. It enhances your creativity.

Saying Bismillah is, thus, an acknowledgement of the higher authority—that without God’s blessings you could not achieve anything in this world.

When you say, “I begin in the name of God Almighty,” you establish a relationship with the greatest power of the universe. You feel that you are not alone in this world. God Almighty is on your side. You feel that you are not an alien in this world, but an integral part of your surroundings.

Saying bismillah hir rahman ir rahim is not a ritual. It is a real part of belief. It is a conscious act. On the one hand, it is an acknowledgement of the Creator of the Universe and, on the other, it is a solemn expression of honesty and sincerity.

‘I begin in the name of God’ means I ask for the help of God Almighty in my work and in my life. Reciting these words amounts to refining your soul and engineering your mind on the lines of modesty. It is an acknowledgement from the creature to the Creator. Saying Bismillah is, thus, an acknowledgement of the higher authority—that without God’s blessings you could not achieve anything in this world.

In the chapter Al-Qalam (the Pen), the Quran narrates the story of certain horticulturalists who omitted to say Bismillah. This event is referred to in the Quran as follows:

We have tried them as we tried the owners of a certain orchard, who vowed to harvest all its fruits the next morning, without saying, ‘If it be God’s will.’ A calamity from your Lord befell the orchard as they slept. And by morning it lay as if it had already been harvested. (68:17- 20)

This means that no one can achieve anything in this world without it being God’s will. God is the Lord of this universe. When one says Bismillah, one invokes God to provide His help. This is like seeking the permission of God Almighty. So, saying Bismillah ensures the success of any task in this world.