How to start reciting Quran: isti‘adhah and basmalah
How to start reciting Quran: you begin by seeking refuge in Allah (the isti‘adhah), then say the basmalah at the start of a surah. How you join or separate them from the first verse follows clear rules, and there is one surah where the basmalah is never said. Here is the whole picture.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
The command to seek refuge
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ﴿٩٨﴾
The most common wording is أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ. Say it aloud if you are reciting aloud, especially to others, and quietly in private or in salah.
The basmalah
The basmalah, بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful”), is said at the start of every surah except At-Tawbah. In the middle of a surah it is optional.
Four ways to begin a surah
| Way | How it sounds | Ruling |
|---|---|---|
| Stop after each (qat‘ al-jami‘) | Isti‘adhah · pause · basmalah · pause · first verse | The clearest way, recommended for learners |
| Join the first two, stop before the verse | Isti‘adhah + basmalah · pause · first verse | Allowed |
| Stop, then join the last two | Isti‘adhah · pause · basmalah + first verse | Allowed |
| Join all three (wasl al-jami‘) | Isti‘adhah + basmalah + first verse in one breath | Allowed |
All four are accepted in the recitation of Hafs. Beginners usually pause after each, which gives time to breathe and keeps each part clear.
Moving from one surah to the next
| Way | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Stop at the end of the surah, the basmalah and then begin | Allowed |
| Stop at the end of the surah, then join the basmalah to the next surah | Allowed |
| Join all three: end of surah + basmalah + next surah | Allowed |
| Join the end of the surah to the basmalah, then stop | Not allowed: the basmalah sounds like the end of the previous surah |
Starting Surah At-Tawbah
At-Tawbah is the only surah with no basmalah. If you start reading at its beginning, say the isti‘adhah and go straight to the first verse. If you are moving into it from Al-Anfal, you may stop, pause briefly without breathing (sakt), or join, but you never say the basmalah between them.
Before you begin
Good adab before reading includes wudu if you will touch the mushaf, a clean place and a moment of intention; see the etiquette of reading the Quran and how to perform wudu. The basmalah’s first word, بِسْمِ, is a good example of a dropped connecting hamzah; see hamzat al-wasl. All the rules are gathered in our tajweed rules guide, and the full method of beginning, stopping and restarting is part of our tajweed course.
Frequently asked questions
What do I say before reading the Quran?
Begin with the isti‘adhah, أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ (“I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed”), then the basmalah if you are starting at the beginning of a surah.
Do I say the basmalah in the middle of a surah?
It is optional. If you start part-way through a surah, you may say the basmalah after the isti‘adhah or leave it out. Most teachers say it.
Why does Surah At-Tawbah have no basmalah?
It is the only surah without one in the mushaf. Scholars mention that it opens with a declaration of disassociation, and that the Companions did not write a basmalah there because the Prophet ﷺ had not told them to.
Is the isti‘adhah part of the Quran?
No. It is a supplication said before reading, as commanded in An-Nahl 16:98. The basmalah, by contrast, is a verse of the Quran in An-Naml 27:30, and is counted as the first verse of Al-Fatihah in the way of counting used in the Madinah mushaf.
Begin your recitation with a teacher
Three free one-to-one lessons in UK time, from your first isti‘adhah onward.