Saying Bismillah aloud in loud recitations of Surah Fatiha

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is agreed upon that Surah Fathiha needs to be read by Imam in loud prayer like Fajr, Magrib and Isha. There is no difference of opinion regarding this.

However there is a difference of opinion regarding whether Bismillahirrahma nirraheem needs to be read aloud or not.

I was of the opinion that Bismillahirrahma nirraheem needs to be read silently, this is after browsing some fatwas from IslamQA.

Recently had a discussion with one of my relative who is a Quran teacher in a local school after which I changed my decision that Bismillahirrahma nirraheem needs to be read aloud for Surah Fatiha alone.

The reasons are as follows:
1. ALLAH Azwajal says :
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ
And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven of Al-Mathâni (seven repeatedly recited Verses), (i.e. Sûrat Al-Fâtihah) and the Grand Qur'ân.  [Soorah al-Hijr , Chapter 15: 87]

2.  Bismillahirrahma nirraheem is the FIRST verse of Surah Fathiha.

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ ﴿1:1﴾ اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ ﴿1:2﴾ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِۙ ﴿1:3﴾ مٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ الدِّيۡنِؕ ﴿1:4﴾ اِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَاِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِيۡنُؕ ﴿1:5﴾ اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَۙ ﴿1:6﴾ صِرَاطَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ۙ غَيۡرِ الۡمَغۡضُوۡبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيۡنَ ﴿1:7﴾

This is the only chapter in Quran where the first Bismillahirrahma nirraheem is counted as first verse.  and when we say Fathiha should be recited loudly then the FIRST VERSE should also be read loudly.

3. This is supported by saying of Pious companions of Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wasallam:
 قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى
وَقَدْ قَالَ بِهَذَا عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهُمْ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَابْنُ عُمَرَ وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ رَأَوُا الْجَهْرَ بِـ ‏(‏بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ‏)‏ 

Imam Tirmidhi (rah) says "The people of knowledge and the noble companions of Prophet salalahu alaihi wasallam  like Abu Huraira, Ibn Umar, Abdhullah ibn Abbas, Abdhullah Ibn Zubair Radhiyallahu Anhum they start with  Bismillahirrahma nirraheem LOUD for Surah Fathiha".

4. Regarding the Hadith in Bukhari:
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ كَانُوا يَفْتَتِحُونَ الصَّلاَةَ بِ ـ ‏{‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏}‏
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet, Abu Bakr and `Umar used to start the prayer with "Al hamdu li l-lahi Rabbi l-`alamin (All praise is but to Allah, Lord of the Worlds). [Bukhari 743]

 قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ إِنَّمَا مَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ كَانُوا يَفْتَتِحُونَ الْقِرَاءَةَ بِـ ‏(‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ‏)‏ مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَبْدَءُونَ بِقِرَاءَةِ فَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ قَبْلَ السُّورَةِ وَلَيْسَ مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ ‏(‏ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ‏)‏ ‏.‏ وَكَانَ الشَّافِعِيُّ يَرَى أَنْ يُبْدَأَ بِـ‏(‏ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ‏)‏ وَأَنْ يُجْهَرَ بِهَا إِذَا جُهِرَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ ‏.
Imam Shafee(rah)  says "The proof that Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman opened the Salah with (Al-Hamdu-lillahi rabbil-alamin)  means, they started the salah with Surah Fathiha before any Surah and it is not a proof that they didn't read Bismillah aloud"

Note:
Some scholars says that "Bismillahirrahma nirraheem is not part of al-Faatihah". This goes against the statement of ALLAH Azwajal in Surah Hijr verse 87  "And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven of Al-Mathâni (seven repeatedly recited Verses), (i.e. Sûrat Al-Fâtihah) and the Grand Qur'ân". It would be six verses only Bismillahirrahma nirraheem is not part of Surah Fathiha.


ALLAH Knows Best!