of Nokounam, (Thirtieth Session)
The phrase بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ, like a golden key, is the gateway to the boundless knowledge of the Holy Qur'an. This phrase, which appears at the beginning of most chapters of this divine scripture except for the chapter of Repentance (At-Tawbah), not only served as a marker to distinguish chapters at the time of revelation but also harbours a treasury of divine truths and mysteries. The miracle of this phrase manifests in two dimensions, apparent and esoteric, visible and hidden, and in its position as Mift al-Maft (the Key of Keys). This book, adopting a scientific and exegetical approach, analyses the miraculous, spiritual, jurisprudential, and historical aspects of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ to present a structured and profound text for researchers and erudite audiences. In this endeavour, the content of the lectures is integrated with supplementary analyses to portray a comprehensive picture of this luminous phrase.
The Holy Qur'an, as the Divine Word, possesses a multifaceted miracle which is uniquely embodied in بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ. This phrase, despite its apparent simplicity, contains inner secrets whose comprehension requires profound reflection beyond mere literal analysis.
Analysis and Explanation
The miracle of the Holy Qur'an is not confined to a single dimension but extends across linguistic, semantic, scientific, and spiritual realms. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ, as the gateway to the chapters, encapsulates this miracle. Its outward meaning is intelligible to the general public, but its inward dimension, which alludes to divine realities and instances, necessitates a deeper insight. This paradox of the manifest and the concealed reveals itself by virtue of its extreme clarity and its profound hiddenness, constituting part of the phrases miraculous nature.
Conclusion of the Section
The multifaceted miracle of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ renders it a peerless jewel within the Quranic system. This phrase, with its apparent simplicity and profound depth, serves as a guide to divine knowledge.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ, as the Mift al-Maft, is a key that opens the doors of knowledge and truths of the Quranic chapters. Each chapter, through this phrase, connects to its distinct status and specific manifestation.
Analysis and Explanation
This phrase, as a point of connection between chapters and divine truth, acts as an intermediary in conveying meanings to the audience. Although this phrase is repeated in the chapters appearances, from jurisprudential and historical perspectives, each repetition holds an independent status and distinct manifestation. For instance, the recitation of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ in Surah Al-Fatiha cannot substitute its recitation in Surah Al-Baqarah, which itself indicates the manifestational distinction.
Conclusion of the Section
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ, as the Mift al-Maft, is not only the gateway to the chapters but also manifests the meanings and truths of each chapter with a particular dignity.
At the time of revelation, بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ was a marker for distinguishing chapters, with its descent at the beginning of each chapter signalling the end of the preceding chapter and the commencement of a new one.
Analysis and Explanation
Contrary to the assumption of some that this phrase was an addition by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), historical evidences and narrations indicate that بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ was revealed as a divine message and served as a marker to separate chapters. This function, beyond its practical aspect, underscores the significance of this phrase as an integral component of the Qur'anic structure.
Conclusion of the Section
The historical role of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ in chapter differentiation, alongside its revelatory status, renders this phrase a fundamental element within the Quranic system.
Although بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ is repeated in various chapters, this repetition is not merely formal; rather, each instance is revealed with a distinct status and manifestation.
Analysis and Explanation
The meaning and concept of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (denoting commencement in the Name of the Compassionate and Merciful God) remain constant in all chapters; however, its manifestations vary according to each chapters content. For example, in Surah Al-Fatiha, the phrase refers to the universal mercy of God in guidance and worship, while in Surah An-Nasr, it pertains to the specific mercy related to the victory of the believers.
Conclusion of the Section
The manifestational distinction of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ across the chapters demonstrates the depth and dynamism of this phrase within the Qur'anic system, rendering each chapter manifest with its unique dignity.
Although بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ is the key that unlocks knowledge, it is itself a lock requiring another key, namely spiritual intimacy and knowledge, for comprehension. In the era of occultation, the effects of this phrase are limited.
Analysis and Explanation
This phrase, like a chest containing the keys to knowledge, is itself locked. During the occultation period, the absence of perfect intermediaries of guidance has restricted access to its spiritual and extraordinary effects. Only through divine intimacy and nearness can one reach the depths of its meanings.
Conclusion of the Section
The locked status of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ in the era of occultation emphasises the necessity of spiritual intimacy for the unlocking of its knowledge, making full comprehension of this phrase reliant upon sincerity and proximity.
The inner depth of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ is not found in the wording or concept but in its manifestations and dimensions. The distinction of this phrase across chapters pertains to its manifestations rather than its wording or meaning.
Translation: Praise belongs to God, the Lord of the Worlds.
Translation: The Qur'an has an apparent (exoteric) aspect and a hidden (esoteric) aspect.
This hadith emphasises the multilayered nature of Qur'anic meanings. The terms ٱلرَّحْمَٰن and ٱلرَّحِيم on the surface refer to Divine mercy; however, the manifestations of this mercy differ in each Sra. For instance, in Sra al-Ftiah, بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ refers to the general mercy of God in guidance, whereas in Sra al-Kahf, it relates to a specific mercy in the protection of the Companions of the Cave.
Some exegeses, such as Tafsr Tasnm, attribute the difference between بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ solely to lexical distinctions, whereas this difference fundamentally lies in the domains and manifestations of mercy. This confusion leads to conjecture and diminishes the scholarly precision of the exegesis.
Comprehension of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ cannot be achieved through purely literary analysis; rather, it necessitates spiritual intimacy, Divine proximity, and sanctity.
Hadith: لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَبْعَدَ مِنْ عُقُولِ الرِّجَالِ مِنْ تَفْسِيرِ الْقُرْآنِ
Translation: Nothing is further from the intellects of men than the interpretation of the Qur'an.
This hadith, narrated from Imm diq (peace be upon him), highlights the limitations of intellect and knowledge in grasping the profound understanding of the Holy Qur'an. Even literary scholars possessing high verbal and semantic knowledge, without spiritual intimacy, remain deprived of access to the Qur'anic secrets.
The Holy Qur'an resembles a sophisticated device that responds only to the voice of its owner (a believer endowed with intimacy and sincerity). Unlike material systems requiring repeated code input, the Qur'an responds spiritually to a single recitation of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ accompanied by sincerity.
Each letter in بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ carries a specific legal ruling and unique light, which in combination with other letters shapes the meaning of the word.
The letters of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ, such as ب, س, and م, each possess distinct spiritual and legal attributes. Unlike the disjointed letters (Muqattaat) such as
Some mystical exegeses, such as Tafsr Qushayr, assign meanings like blessing to letters such as ب, but these assertions lack Qur'anic or hadith foundations and are scientifically untenable.
The Sras of the Holy Qur'an are divided into two categories: one-opening (having only بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ) and two-opening (having both بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ and Muqattaat). Although Sra al-Tawbah lacks an explicit بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ, the presence of the letter ب in بَرَآءَةٌ indicates the ruling and light of this letter.
Verse: بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ (At-Tawbah: 1)
Translation: It is a declaration of disassociation from God and His Messenger.
Verse: ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا (At-Tawbah: 26)
Translation: Then He sent down tranquillity into the hearts of those who believed.
Verse: قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ (At-Tawbah: 129)
Translation: Say, "God is sufficient for me; there is no deity except Him. On Him I rely, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne."
Sra al-Tawbah, commencing with بَرَآءَةٌ, signals the indirect presence of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ. The verses of tranquillity and reliance manifest Divine mercy and sufficiency, which substitutes for the explicit بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ.
Religious knowledge must be cultivated such that no claim is accepted without reasoning and evidence. This strengthens the scholarly foundation of exegesis.
The necessity of reasoning in exegesis prevents confusion and unfounded conjectures. For instance, the claim of derivation of the letters of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ without reference to authentic sources undermines the scholarly credibility of the exegesis. Religious knowledge must employ rigorous methodology to produce valid interpretations.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ, like a radiant jewel in the crown of the Qur'an, serves as the gateway to the boundless knowledge of this Divine book. The miracle of this phrase manifests in its dual aspects: apparent and hidden, explicit and implicit, and its status as the master key (mift al-maft). Its multiplicity across Sras lies not in wording or meaning, but in its manifestations and domains, which harmonise with each Sra's content. The key's locked state in the era of occultation renders its comprehension dependent on intimacy and spiritual proximity. Each letter of this phrase carries a ruling and light which collectively unveil Divine knowledge. The division of Sras into one-opening and two-opening, and the indirect presence of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ in Sra al-Tawbah, demonstrate the depth and dynamism of the Qur'anic system. Religious knowledge must be reasoned and precise to avoid conjecture and produce authentic exegeses. Ultimately, profound understanding of بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ requires intimacy, sincerity, and closeness to the Qur'anic reality, enabling this golden key to open the doors of knowledge to the believers.
Supervised by diq Khdami
