---
title: "What Does Bismillah Mean? | Islam Is Mercy"
description: "Bismillah means \"in the name of God\". Muslims say it before eating, travelling, reading the Qur'an and starting almost anything."
lang: en
url: https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/bismillah/
---

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3.  What Does Bismillah Mean?

# What Does Bismillah Mean?

Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 1 min readAwaiting scholar review

## The short answer

Bismillah means "in the name of God". Muslims say it before beginning almost anything — eating, studying, travelling, reading the Qur'an — to begin with God's blessing and remember that every good thing comes from Him.

## On this page

1.  Meaning
2.  How Muslims use it
3.  Example

**Bismillah** (Arabic: بسم الله) is pronounced *bis-mil-LAAH*. It is short for *Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim*, the full phrase that opens every chapter of the Qur’an but one (1:1). It begins “in the name of God” and then calls Him by two names of mercy, *ar-Rahman* and *ar-Rahim* — the Entirely Merciful and the Especially Merciful.

## Meaning

*Bi* means “with” or “in”, *ism* means “name”, and *Allah* is God. To say *bismillah* is to begin an action by God’s name — seeking His help and blessing, and reminding yourself that you are doing it for good and with His permission.

The full phrase opens every chapter of the Qur’an except one. It even appears in the story of Solomon (peace be upon him), whose letter to the Queen of Sheba began with it:

> إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيْمَٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴿٣٠﴾

> Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

[Qur'an, An-Naml 27:30](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=30&translations=20)Saheeh International

It is striking that, of all God’s names, the two chosen to accompany every beginning are names of mercy.

## How Muslims use it

Muslims say *bismillah* before eating and drinking, before reading the Qur’an, when getting into a car, entering the home, starting work or an exam, and in many small moments of the day. Children often learn it before almost any other phrase. It turns ordinary actions into small acts of remembrance.

## Example

*“Bismillah,”* a mother says softly as the family begins dinner.

To discover why mercy stands at the start of everything in Islam, read [Why Islam Is Called a Religion of Mercy](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/why-islam-is-mercy/).

## Key takeaways

-   Bismillah means "in the name of God".
-   Muslims say it before eating, travelling, studying and many daily tasks.
-   Its full form names God as the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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## Sources

-   [Qur'an, An-Naml 27:30](https://quran.com/27?startingVerse=30&translations=20)

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## Keep reading

[Glossary

### What Does Alhamdulillah Mean?

Alhamdulillah means "all praise is for God". Muslims say it to express gratitude many times a day — in good times and in hard times.

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### What Is Rahmah? Mercy in Islam

Rahmah means mercy — the quality God names Himself by most often. Muslims are called to show it to people, animals and all creation.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/rahmah/)[Start Here

### Why Is Islam Called a Religion of Mercy?

Mercy is at the heart of Islam — in God's names, in the Prophet's mission, and in how Muslims are taught to treat people, animals and the earth.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/why-islam-is-mercy/)