Key Takeaways
- Isti'adha, seeking refuge in Allah before reciting, is instructed directly in the Quran itself, in Surah An-Nahl, 16:98.
- Basmalah, "Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem," is said at the start of nearly every surah, directly after Isti'adha.
- Surah At-Tawbah is the one exception where Basmalah is left out, even though Isti'adha is still said before it.
- If you're continuing recitation without a genuine pause, Isti'adha only needs to be said once, not repeated before every surah.
- Both phrases are short and simple to learn correctly, and a teacher can check your wording and timing within the first lesson or two.
Isti'adha and Basmalah are the two short phrases said before reciting the Quran, seeking refuge in Allah from Satan, followed by beginning in Allah's name. Both are said at the start of nearly every surah, with one well known exception.
What Isti'adha Means and When to Say It
Isti'adha is the phrase "A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytanir-rajim," meaning "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed." This isn't simply a cultural habit. It comes directly from an instruction in the Quran itself: "So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]" (Surah An-Nahl, 16:98, Sahih International).
It's said before you begin reciting, whether you're starting a full session or beginning a specific surah or passage.
What Basmalah Means and When to Say It
Basmalah is the phrase "Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem," meaning "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate." It's said directly after Isti'adha, at the start of nearly every surah, and it also appears as part of the text itself at the beginning of most surahs in the mushaf.
Together, the two form a short, consistent opening: seeking refuge first, then beginning in Allah's name, before the actual recitation starts.
The Surah At-Tawbah Exception
There's one clear exception: Surah At-Tawbah. Reciters still say Isti'adha before it, but Basmalah is left out at its opening, unlike every other surah. One commonly cited explanation is that Surah At-Tawbah deals with the ending of treaties with those who broke their agreements, a serious and stern subject, while Basmalah carries associations of mercy and peace that were considered unsuited to that particular opening. Scholars have offered a few different explanations for this specific exception over time, so if you'd like the fuller reasoning, a knowledgeable teacher or your local imam can walk you through it properly.
In practice, this exception is simple to apply once you know it: every surah gets both Isti'adha and Basmalah, except Surah At-Tawbah, which gets Isti'adha only.
Do You Need to Repeat Isti'adha Every Time?
This depends on how you're reciting. If you're reading continuously through several surahs in one sitting without a real pause, many reciters say Isti'adha once at the start and continue from there. If you stop for a genuine break and come back to recite separately later, saying it again when you resume is common and reasonable. There isn't one single rigid rule that applies to every situation, so a teacher's guidance on your specific reading habits is more useful than trying to apply an abstract rule strictly.
Getting the Wording Right
Both phrases are short, and most students learn them accurately within the first couple of lessons. A teacher will check your pronunciation the same way they would for any other part of recitation, since getting a few key words slightly wrong is an easy, fixable habit rather than anything to worry about.
If you'd like to start building this habit properly from the beginning, it's usually one of the first things covered in a Tajweed course, alongside Noorani Qaida if you're not yet reading confidently. A free trial lesson is a simple way to get started.