English

What does “Bismillah” mean?

Short answer“Bismillah” means “I begin in the name of God, seeking His help.” A Muslim says it at the start of every task: eating, drinking, wudu, getting in a car, writing a message, and it opens the chapters of the Quran. The full form is “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.”

The phrase and its pronunciation

Hadith
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Bismillāh

In the name of God

The phrase and its pronunciation

Meaning

I begin seeking the help and blessing of God’s name.

When to say it

  • Before eating and drinking.
  • Before wudu, and entering or leaving.
  • At the start of dua and any task.

How to reply

No special reply.

The evidence

Quran
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allāh,[2] the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Al-Fatihah 1:1
Hadith
يَا غُلَامُ، سَمِّ اللَّهَ، وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ، وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيكَ

Young man, mention God’s name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is nearest to you.

Al-Bukhari 5376, Muslim 2022

Frequently asked questions

What if I forget at the start of a meal?

Say “Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirah.”

Texts and translations are under scholarly review.