Answer
Salam (Peace) Dear Jason,
Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.
We greet you, too, with the Muslim greeting of peace and begin this answer with Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Compassionate.” Many thanks for your question.
I am intrigued just where you came across these Arabic words, but since you don’t tell us this, we will just have to remain curious. It is very encouraging, though, that you have a deep respect for Islam, and these words in answer to your question are offered in the same respectful manner.
The word “Islam” comes from an Arabic root word that means both “submission” and “peace.” Submitting to Allah Almighty is of the very essence of Islam. Muslims are those who submit to Him in all things. In doing so, they find peace.
There is a very lovely story about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He was the constant Companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and was the one who succeeded him as the leader of the Muslim faithful.
Abu Bakr and Prophet Muhammad were at a meeting with other Muslims. Abu Bakr’s clothes were quite shabby, because he had spent all his money on Islam and on the poor, so that he didn’t have any money left to spend on himself.
During the meeting, the Angel Gabriel (Jibreel in Arabic) spoke to Prophet Muhammad and said that he had a question for Abu Bakr about the way he was dressed.
When Abu Bakr explained the reason for wearing shabby clothes, Gabriel said that he had a direct message for Abu Bakr from Allah. He said that, first of all, Allah Almighty wished Salam (peace) to Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was so overcome with emotion that Allah would have a personal message for him that he began to weep.
Gabriel then said that Allah wanted to know if Abu Bakr was displeased with Allah for the state it had brought him to, or if he was pleased. Abu Bakr could only repeat again and again that he was pleased, that he was pleased, that he was pleased.
Submitting to Allah, then, had brought Abu Bakr to almost poverty, yet it had made him the happiest of men. This is what Islam does and this is why Muslims begin every sentence they utter and every action they perform with the words Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim, which translates to mean: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Compassionate.
When Muslims get onto a bus or enter a room or eat a piece of cake, they will say these words. When they answer a question, they will say them first. Why do they do this? Because they want all of their actions to be pleasing to Allah and to be guided by His will.
By saying these words, the words and the actions of the Muslim are kept within the limits of what is right and proper. No one would think of drinking a glass of whisky, for example, “in the name of Allah,” or of doing anything hateful to Islam, in His name.
On the contrary, these words encourage Muslims to live to a very high standard indeed. It is as though their words and actions are blessed by Allah when they do them with the intention of being pleasing to Him.
So, your delight in these words, then, is highly commendable. If any Muslim were to hear you uttering them their hearts would melt towards you at once, since these are of the very essence of Islam.
Tattooing them on your arm, however, is rather different. Muslims do not tattoo themselves, since this is seen as a kind of self-mutilation of the body which Allah has given us. Nor do they wear charms or amulets or anything which might claim to give them protection, or be seen by others as doing so. The protection for Muslims comes from Allah Alone.
You are not Muslim, so you can do whatever you wish. If you are asking, though, how Muslims would feel, I think it best to say that they would not be impressed by such a thing.
I don’t think it would offend them or not be allowed in Islam for you to do so, since you are not Muslim, but it just wouldn’t seem appropriate. In fact, it would probably just seem rather strange.
It is kind of you to want to know if such an action might give offence. There might be some Muslims who might think you were mocking Islam by doing such a thing, but Allah Alone will know the intention of your heart.
Since you have respect for Islam and Muslims it is probably best that you don’t have such a tattoo. The words themselves would not give offence, but the fact of them being tattooed onto your body would indeed seem strange.
Of course, you don’t tell us why you would want to do such a thing. Is it because you think it would look nice? Is it because these words might protect you? Is it because they are foreign words and would attract attention?
I think the most beautiful thing you can do is to keep cherishing these beautiful words in your heart, maybe uttering them often and pondering on their meaning, but tattooing yourself with them is really settling for second best. Islam is perfect and Muslims strive in all things to be as good people as they can be.
We hope you will make the right decision and continue having respect for Islam and for these words which appear so often in the Quran.
I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.
Salam.