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Why is there no Bismillah at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah?

Published in Quranic Exegesis 2 mins read

The absence of Bismillah at the start of Surah At-Taubah in the Quran is due to a specific reason. Here's a breakdown:

The Unique Case of Surah At-Taubah

  • Surah At-Taubah is the only chapter (Surah) in the Quran that does not begin with the phrase "Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful).

The Reason Based on Islamic Tradition

According to the reference, the primary explanation for this omission is:

the Holy Prophet himself did not dictate it at the beginning of the Surah.

  • This signifies that the inclusion or exclusion of Bismillah is based on divine instruction to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In the case of At-Taubah, he did not instruct or recite it at the beginning, and hence, it was not included by his companions, who were very careful to maintain the exact words that he revealed.

Summary

Here's a summary of the reason:

Feature Description
Bismillah Absence Surah At-Taubah is the only Surah without it.
Key Reason The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not dictate or recite it at the beginning of this surah
Origin The practice of Bismillah inclusion was based on divine instruction relayed by Prophet Muhammad

No Other Divine Command

  • It is important to note that this is not because of some inherent attribute of the Surah itself. The exclusion of Bismillah was simply because the Prophet did not instruct or recite it at the start of Surah At-Taubah.

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