Bismillahi Fi Awwalihi Wa Aakhirihi Meaning, Arabic & Hadith
Is it prescribed to say Bismillahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi if you did not say or forget to say Bismillah before eating. In this post, we will learn the meaning of this zikr in English, Arabic text, Hadith, and many more.
Bismillahi Fi Awwalihi Wa Aakhirihi Meaning in English
Bismillahi fi awwalihi wa akhirihi means In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end.
It is prescribed for the one who forgets to say Bismillaah when he first starts to eat to say when he remembers, Bismillaah awwalahu wa aakhirahu (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end) or to say Bismillaah fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end).
Bismillahi Fi Awwalihi Wa Aakhirihi in Arabic Text
Here is the Arabic text of this remembrance:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَآخِرِه
Bismillaah Awwalahu Wa Aakhirahu Hadith
From Abdullaah bin Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) who said the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever forgets to mention Allah when he first begins to eat should say when he remembers: ‘Bismillaah fee awwalihee wa Aakhirihee.’ (In the name of Allah in the beginning and the end); because after having said Bismillaah he is receiving new food, and preventing the evil Shaytaan from taking from the food.”
[Ibn Hibbaan (5213), Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah (198).]
According to another version:
Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“When one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allah at the beginning, let him say: In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end (Bismillahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu).”
(It was narrated by Abu Dawood (3767), at-Tirmidhi (1858) and Ibn Maajah (3264) Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
According to IslamQA, food and drink are all the same in this regard.
The phrase “and if he forgets to remember Allaah at the beginning, let him say…” includes both the one who remembers to say Bismillaah whilst eating, or at the end, or shortly after he has finished eating, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth.
It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (5/173): The apparent meaning is even if that is after he has finished eating.
It says in Mughni al-Muhtaaj (4/411):
If he forgets to do it (i.e., say Bismillaah) at the beginning, he may say it partway through, and if he forgets it partway through, he may say it at the end. End quote.
It says in al-Haashiyah ‘ala Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj:
Meaning, that if the time between finishing his meal and remembering is not too long, he may say it. What is too long is to be determined by what is customary. End quote.
The hadeeth also indicates that saying Bismillaah fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end) takes the place of saying Bismillaah at the beginning, and the reward for seeking the help of Allaah when starting to eat will be recorded for the Muslim, as a honour and a bounty from Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted.
Al-Munaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer (1/296):
How can it be true that one has sought the help of Allaah at the beginning when he did not do that at the beginning?
Because we say that the phrase indicates that this is the case, thus the one who utters this phrase becomes like one who sought help at the beginning and will get the same blessing as one who sought help at the beginning. End quote.
The Sunnah for the one who has finished eating is to praise Allaah for it in different ways.
So if a person forgets to say Bismillaah when he starts to eat, then he remembers it when he has finished eating, it is mustahabb for him to say Bismillaah fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end) and then praise Allaah.
Thus he will have acted in accordance with both hadeeths, and obeyed the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
There is no contradiction in saying both dhikrs after one has finished eating, and it seems that there is nothing wrong with saying al-hamdu-lillaah before saying Bismillaah fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and the end), in sha Allaah, because the aim is to say both dhikrs, the Tasmiyah (saying Bismillaah) and praising Allaah, so it does not matter which of them one starts with.
And Allaah knows best.
Explanation taken from IslamQA.
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