The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 433
The Holy Qur'ān 433. Given below are a few points of wisdom and verities in the commentary of this Surah by way of illustration. بسم الله الرّحمنِ الرَّحِيمِ 249 is the first verse of this Surah and of all other Surahs of the Holy Qur'an and also occurs in the Holy Qur'ān at another place. It is repeated in the Holy Qur'an more often than any other verse. It has become a practice among the Muslims that at the beginning of every action in which good and blessing is sought, this verse is recited as a sign of blessing and as a supplication for help. Thus it has become well known among enemies and friends and among old and young, so much so that even if a person is entirely unaware of all other verses of the Qur'an, there is a strong hope that he would not be unaware of this verse. . Of the perfect verities that this verse comprises, one is that the purpose of this verse is to teach the humble and unaware servants of God that there are many attributes of the Great name of God which is Allāh, and which in the. Divine idiom of the Qur'an is comprehensive of all perfect qualities, and is free from all defects, and is used for the True God, One without associate, and is the fountainhead of all grace, and that two of those attributes which are set out in the verse Bismillah, namely Raḥmāniyyat and Rahimiyyat, demand the revelation of the Word of. God and the spread of its lights and blessings. . The descent of the Holy Word of God into the world and its being made known to God's creatures is the demand astray. al-Fatihah, 1:1-7 [Publisher] 249 In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. ”—al-Fātiḥah, 1:1 [Publisher]