, “Eat in the name of Allah,” and “Ride in the name of Allah,” it means: mention Allah’s name when you do so. Thus, when He said:

“Recite in the name of your Lord,”

He was commanding the reciter to mention Allah’s name by saying, “In the name of Allah.” This is even more fitting than mentioning his Lord’s name when slaughtering, eating or drinking. He has also commanded seeking refuge when reciting. When someone says, “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful,” he has fulfilled the command by mentioning his Lord’s name when reciting.

Gabriel did not mention it at the outset only because the Prophet had not yet learned any of the Quran. Instead, he taught him this passage and, through it, instructed him to mention his Lord’s name when reciting. Thereafter, whenever he recited a surah, he would recite, “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.” Thus, it is established in Sahih Muslim that he said, “A surah has just been revealed to me,” then recited:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Indeed, We have granted you abundance.
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.
Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.”

Yet this indicates that the basmala accompanies the Quranic passage that is the principal object of recitation, because of the remembrance of Allah it contains. For this reason, it was written in copies of the Quran separately from the surah, not incorporated into it. It is therefore Quran, written in copies of the Quran, but it was revealed as an accompaniment to other passages, which are the principal focus.

This is why it was kept separate in both writing and recitation. In writing, it is written separately; in recitation, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would not recite it aloud. Nor did he include it among the Quranic passages whose recitation is obligatory, as shown by his words in the authentic hadith:

“Allah Most High says: ‘I have divided the prayer