03/31/2026
As-Salaamu Alaykum.
This is Brother Shabazz Abdur-Razzaq of Qur'anic Mind Foundation.
I was speaking to someone, and they told me that the way Imam Warith Deen Mohammed (Rahimahullah) translated the Basmala — Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim — is not the same way others and most scholars translated it.
I told him that there are different ways people translate it, because Arabic carries layers of meaning that do not always fit neatly into one English expression.
So I went to AI and asked it to operate in a serious, investigative way. People do not realize that you can set ChatGPT to entertain you, or you can direct it to focus on serious and intense research. Mine is set to the highest form of use. So I asked AI: What is the best translation of the Basmala based on language, structure unbiased research and meaning?
This is the answer that came back:
1. Bismillah (بِسْمِ اللَّهِ)
The letter bi (بِ) in Arabic can carry more than one shade of meaning. It can mean:
in
with
by
through
All of those are related possibilities depending on the context.
So when we say Bismillah, the meaning is not restricted to one flat English word. It carries the sense of beginning an action in, with, by, and through the Name of Allah.
But when choosing the strongest single English expression, “with” is the better choice, because it reflects dependence, instrumentality, and seeking help. It shows that the servant is not merely labeling the action, but beginning it while relying upon Allah’s Name.
So instead of only saying:
“In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful”
“In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful”
“In the name of Allah, The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful”
a more precise rendering is:
“With The Name of Allah”
or
“With Allah’s Name”
because the meaning is: I begin this action with Allah’s Name, seeking help, blessing, and support through His Name.
2. Ar-Rahman (الرَّحْمَٰن)
This comes from the root rahmah, meaning mercy, but it is on a pattern that indicates intensity, vastness, and abundance.
It refers to Allah’s mercy as universal, overflowing, and extending to all creation.
That is why Ar-Rahman is best understood as:
The Merciful Benefactor
because a benefactor is one who gives, provides, and extends goodness broadly.
3. Ar-Rahim (الرَّحِيم)
This also comes from rahmah, but on a pattern indicating continuity, constancy, and a more specific and ongoing form of mercy.
It refers to Allah’s mercy as personal, continuing, preserving, forgiving, and restoring.
That is why Ar-Rahim is best understood as:
The Merciful Redeemer
because redemption carries the sense of rescue, forgiveness, restoration, and continued mercy.
4. Putting It Together
So the most meaningful rendering is:
With Allah’s Name, The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer.
This captures:
the layered meaning of bi
the vast and universal mercy of Ar-Rahman
the ongoing and redeeming mercy of Ar-Rahim
There are other translations people use, but this one gives a deeper and more functional meaning in English.
Now do your own research, and think about what I just said.
And this translation is from Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, Rahimahullah.
Written by:
Brother Shabazz Abdur-Razzaq of Quranic Mind Foundation.
Whose motto is: “Make The Qur’an the foundation of your mind.”
Once again, As-Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu. Have a great day, Insha’Allah.
