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First: Seeking Refuge (Isti’adhah) :
It is recommended for the readers of the Holy Quran to begin their recitation with Isti’athah, whether they start the recitation from the beginning of the surah or from the middle, in accordance with the saying of Allah Almighty: ﴿فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ﴾ [1].
The famous formula for Isti’athah is: "I seek refuge with Allah from the rejected Satan" [2]. It is permissible to add to it, such as: "I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the rejected Satan" [3].
The reader should recite Isti’athah silently if reading silently and aloud if reading aloud. If reading in a group, the first reader recites aloud and the rest continue without Isti’athah [4].
If the reader is interrupted during recitation, he should repeat Isti’athah unless the interruption is necessary, such as coughing or sneezing, or if it is related to the recitation, such as correcting a tajweed error, interpreting a verse or prostration of recitations(sujood tilawa) [5].
Second: Basmala:
The reader must recite the Basmala at the beginning of every surah except Surah At-Tawbah, which does not have Basmala at its beginning. If the reader starts from a place other than the beginning of the surah, they have the choice to recite the Basmala or not, but reciting it is preferable. This applies to Surah At-Tawbah as well [6].
Forms of Isti’athah and Basmala at the Beginning of Recitation:
If the reader recites Isti’athah and Basmala at the beginning of the recitation, they have four forms to perform it, as follows:
- 1. Separating all: This is done by pausing after Isti’athah, after Basmala, and then starting the surah, as in the following example: (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم) (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) (قل هو الله أحد).
- 2. Separating first and connecting second with third: This is done by pausing after Isti’athah, then connecting Basmala with beginning of surah, as in following example: (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم) (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمِ قُل هو الله أحد).
- 3. Connecting first with second and separating third: This is done by connecting Isti’athah with Basmala, pausing after them, then starting surah, as in following example: (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيمِ بِسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) (قُل هو الله أحد).
- 4. Connecting all: This is done by connecting Isti’athah with Basmala and connecting it with beginning of surah as in following example: (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيمِ بِسم الله الرحمن الرحيمِ قُل هو الله أحد).
Forms of Basmala between Surahs:
When reader moves from the end of one surah to the beginning of next one they start second surah with Basmala as previously mentioned. They have three forms to perform it as follows:
- 1. Separating all: This is done by pausing after the end of previous surah then reciting Basmala then starting next surah as in the following example: (ولم يكن له كفوًا أحد) (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) (قل أعوذ برب الفلق).
- 2. Separating the first and connecting the second with the third: This is done by pausing after the end of previous surah then connecting Basmala with beginning of next surah as in following example: (ولم يكن له كفوًا أحد) (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمِ قُل أعوذ برب الفلق).
- 3. Connecting all: This is done by connecting the end of previous surah with Basmala and connecting it with beginning of next surah as in following example: (ولم يكن له كفوًا أحدٌ بِسم الله الرحمن الرحيمِ قُل أعوذ برب الفلق).
Note:
لا يجوز وصل آخر السورة السابقة بالبسملة مع الوقف عليها، ثم الابتداء بالسورة اللاحقة؛ لأن ذلك يوهم السامع بأن البسملة لآخر السورة السابقة، وإنّما هي لأول السورة التّالية، وذلك كما في المثال الآتي: (ولم يكن له كفوا أحدٌ بِسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) (قل أعوذ برب الفلق).