| Key Takeaways |
| Surah An-Naml (Chapter 27) contains two Bismillahs — one at the start and one within verse 30. |
| Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9) is the only surah in the Quran that begins without a Bismillah. |
| The Bismillah at the start of each surah is considered a separator between chapters, not a numbered verse, in the majority scholarly view. |
| The total count of Bismillahs in the Quran is 114 — matching the number of surahs exactly — when counting An-Naml 27:30. |
The phrase بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ appears in Surah An-Naml not once, but twice — making it unique among all 114 chapters. Understanding why requires knowing where Bismillah belongs, what it means, and what its absence in Surah At-Tawbah tells us about the Quran’s divine architecture.
Table of Contents
Which Surah in the Quran Has 2 Bismillahs?
Surah An-Naml (Chapter 27) is the surah that contains two Bismillahs. The first Bismillah appears at the very beginning of the surah as its opening. The second Bismillah appears within verse 30, where Prophet Sulayman (AS) quotes the letter he sent to Queen Bilqis, which began with the Bismillah.
This is the consensus of classical scholars of Quranic sciences. The second Bismillah is part of the Quranic text itself — a quoted phrase within a narrative verse — not a surah separator. It reads:
إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيْمَٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Innahu min Sulaymaana wa innahu bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim
“Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: ‘In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,'” (An-Naml 27:30)
This verse recounts that Prophet Sulayman began his royal letter to the Queen of Sheba with the Bismillah — making it the only place in the Quran where the phrase appears embedded within a numbered verse as a quotation.
At Riwaq Al Quran, our Azhari-certified tutors make a point of teaching this distinction early.
Students enrolled in our Online Quran Memorization Course frequently ask about this verse when they reach Juz 19 — and the explanation opens a wider appreciation for the Quran’s internal structure.
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How Many Bismillahs Are There in the Quran?
The total number of Bismillahs in the Quran is 114. There are 113 surahs that begin with the Bismillah (Surah At-Tawbah being the exception), plus the one that appears as part of verse 30 in Surah An-Naml. Together, these equal 114 — the same as the total number of surahs.
This numerical alignment is not coincidence in the eyes of scholars of Quranic sciences — it reflects the Quran’s precise, preserved structure.
The count of 114 Bismillahs corresponding to 114 surahs has been noted by scholars in the field of ‘Ulum Al-Quran (Quranic sciences) as a point of structural harmony.
| Type of Bismillah | Location | Count |
| Surah openers | Beginning of 113 surahs (excluding At-Tawbah) | 113 |
| Mid-surah verse | An-Naml 27:30 (Sulayman’s letter) | 1 |
| Total | Across the entire Quran | 114 |
The grand total of 114 matches the total number of surahs — a structural detail that underscores the Quran’s meticulous preservation.
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What Is the Difference Between Bismillah and Bismillahirrahmanirrahim?
“Bismillah” is the shortened, colloquial form of the complete phrase. “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim” is the full, Quranic phrase: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ — meaning “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” In formal recitation and Islamic scholarship, only the complete phrase is referenced.
The full phrase contains three divine names or attributes:
- Allah — the proper name of God
- Ar-Rahman — the Most Gracious (an all-encompassing mercy)
- Ar-Rahim — the Most Merciful (a specific, active mercy directed toward believers)
The distinction between Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim is a point of classical tafsir discussion. In brief: Ar-Rahman refers to the vast, encompassing mercy Allah extends to all of creation, while Ar-Rahim refers to the specific mercy He directs toward the believers. This is the explanation found in the tafsir of Ibn Kathir and corroborated by numerous classical exegetes.
Which Surah in the Quran Has No Bismillah?
Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9) is the only surah in the Quran that does not begin with the Bismillah. This omission is deliberate and well-documented in classical Quranic scholarship, with scholars offering several explanations rooted in the surah’s content and revelation context.
This fact is not a scribal error or a lost verse. It is the transmitted text as received from the Companions (Sahabah), may Allah be pleased with them. The Mus-haf compiled under Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan (رضي الله عنه) preserves this opening exactly as it was conveyed.
Why Does Surah At-Tawbah Not Start with Bismillah?
Several scholarly explanations have been transmitted through classical Quranic sciences. These are not speculative — they are opinions recorded by major scholars of tafsir and ‘ulum al-Quran:
Explanation 1 — A Declaration, Not a Mercy:
Surah At-Tawbah was revealed as a declaration dissolving the treaty between the Muslims and the polytheists of Makkah. The Bismillah is associated with mercy and blessing.
Scholars like Ibn Kathir (in his Tafsir) recorded the opinion that beginning such a stern declaration with the phrase of mercy would be incongruent with its content.
Explanation 2 — Surah Al-Anfal and Surah At-Tawbah Were So Closely Related in Theme:
Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه), as reported in classical sources, explained that Surah Al-Anfal and Surah At-Tawbah were so closely related in theme that some Companions were uncertain whether they were one surah or two.
No Bismillah was written between them as a separator, and no Bismillah was added at the start of At-Tawbah as a result. This was then preserved in the Uthmanic Mus-haf.
Explanation 3 — The Bismillah Signals Safety:
The Bismillah begins in Allah’s name — a phrase of security and divine protection. Surah At-Tawbah opens by revoking security from those who broke their covenants, making the omission theologically appropriate according to this scholarly reading.
These explanations are not mutually exclusive. Classical scholars held multiple opinions, and the transmitted text — without Bismillah at the start — is what every Muslim recites today.
If you are learning to recite correctly, understanding these contextual details deepens your connection to the text.
Our Best Online Tajweed Course covers waqf (stopping) and ibtida’ (starting) rules — including how to properly begin recitation of Surah At-Tawbah without a Bismillah.
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Is Bismillah a Verse in Surah Al-Fatihah?
Whether the Bismillah at the opening of Surah Al-Fatihah counts as verse one is a point of scholarly disagreement (ikhtilaf). The majority position among Shafi’i scholars holds that it is a verse of Al-Fatihah. The Maliki, Hanbali, and Hanafi schools generally hold that it is a separator between surahs, not a numbered verse.
This is not an obscure academic debate — it has a direct recitation implication. In the Hafs ‘an ‘Asim recitation (the most widely used transmission worldwide), the Bismillah is written at the start of Al-Fatihah and every surah except At-Tawbah.
| Scholarly Position | School / Scholars | View on Bismillah in Al-Fatihah |
| It is verse one of Al-Fatihah | Shafi’i, Hanbali majority | Counted as part of the surah |
| It is a separator, not a verse | Maliki, Hanafi majority | Not a numbered verse of the surah |
| It is a verse of the Quran but not of every surah | Some Hanbali scholars | Revealed as a boundary marker |
For practical recitation and Quran memorization, students following Hafs ‘an ‘Asim recite the Bismillah before Al-Fatihah regardless of the counting debate. The verse count of Al-Fatihah varies based on this scholarly position — either 6 or 7 verses depending on the madhab.
In our sessions at Riwaq Al Quran, we present this as an example of legitimate scholarly ikhtilaf — not confusion, but the richness of Islamic legal and exegetical tradition.
Students who understand this are less confused when they encounter different printed Mus-hafs with varying verse numbering.
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When to Say Bismillah?
The Bismillah should be said before beginning any significant action — eating, drinking, entering a home, beginning Quran recitation (at the start of a surah), slaughtering an animal, and many other acts. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged beginning all matters of importance with the name of Allah.
The hadith recorded by Ibn Majah and authenticated by scholars states that any important matter not begun with the Bismillah is cut off from blessing. This motivates the Muslim practice of saying Bismillah before virtually every deliberate action.
Specific recitation rules for Bismillah in Tajweed:
| Situation | Rule |
| Beginning recitation at the start of a surah | Recite Bismillah (except At-Tawbah) |
| Beginning recitation in the middle of a surah | Recite A’udhu billah, then optionally Bismillah |
| Continuing recitation without stopping | No need to repeat Bismillah |
| Beginning At-Tawbah specifically | Recite A’udhu billah only — no Bismillah |
| Reciting An-Naml 27:30 | Bismillah is part of the verse — recite it as normal text |
These rules matter for anyone working on proper recitation. For deeper application, the Quran Recitation Course at Riwaq Al Quran addresses waqf, ibtida’, and Bismillah placement in structured, practitioner-led lessons.
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Understanding the rules of Tajweed — including where and how to recite the Bismillah — is part of treating the Quran with the reverence it deserves.
Read Also: When to Say Bismillah?
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Read Also: Which Surah in the Quran Has No Bismillah?
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The structural details of the Quran — the two Bismillahs in An-Naml, the missing Bismillah in At-Tawbah, the scholarly differences on Al-Fatihah — are not trivia. They are the foundations of reciting with knowledge and intention. Every student deserves to learn them from a qualified teacher, not guess through them alone.
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Conclusion
Surah An-Naml stands alone in the Quran as the chapter containing two Bismillahs — one as its opener, and one embedded in verse 30 as part of Prophet Sulayman’s letter. Surah At-Tawbah stands equally alone as the only chapter without one. These are not accidents — they reflect a precisely preserved, divinely structured text.
Read Also: What Are the Shortest, Longest, First, and Last Surahs in the Quran?
Frequently Asked Questions About Bismillah in the Quran
Which Surah Contains Two Bismillahs?
Surah An-Naml (Chapter 27) contains two Bismillahs. The first is at the beginning of the surah as its standard opening. The second appears in verse 30 as part of the text, quoting Prophet Sulayman’s letter to Queen Bilqis, which he began with بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. This makes An-Naml unique among all 114 surahs in the Quran.
How Many Times Does Bismillah Appear in the Quran?
The Bismillah appears 114 times in the Quran — 113 times as the opening phrase of individual surahs (every surah except At-Tawbah), and once more within Surah An-Naml 27:30 as part of a quoted verse. This total of 114 corresponds exactly to the number of surahs in the Quran, a structural detail noted in classical Quranic sciences.
What Is the Correct Way to Begin Recitation of Surah At-Tawbah?
When beginning recitation specifically at the start of Surah At-Tawbah, a reciter says the Ta’awwudh (A’udhu billahi min al-shaytan al-rajim) without following it with the Bismillah. This is the established ruling in Tajweed science. If a reciter is continuing from Surah Al-Anfal without stopping, they pass directly into At-Tawbah without either. This is one of the recitation distinctions covered in depth by qualified Tajweed instructors.
