Q:

Assalam alaikum,

Surah At-Tauba is the one surah from the Holy Qur’an which does not start with “Bismillah”. Does it mean that we should not memorize this surah or recite its ayats during As-salat? Just when we pray we should say “Bismillah” before every ayats we say.

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Surat At-Tawbah, like other surahs of the Quran, may be read in daily prayers. Its memorization is as recommendable as the rest of Quranic chapters. Just when reciting it from the beginning we should not say “Bismillahi, arrahmani, arraheem“; though one may say the Basmalah formula, if he starts reading from any other place than its beginning, according to the opinion of a group of scholars.

Allah Almighty knows best.