Printing the Basmala on wedding invitation cards

Question

ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

What is the general opinion on writing the Basmala/Tasmiyyah on wedding invitation cards, if the recipients potentially fail to store such cards with the utmost respect?

— Fizaan Zaman, Preston, UK

Answer

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

It is permissible to write the tasmiyah/basmalah and other sacred wordings on wedding invitation cards. While such cards are in the possession of the host, the responsibility of respectfully handling the cards is upon them, and once the recipient has received the card, the responsibility then becomes theirs. Writing the tasmiyah is a practice of many blessings and should not be abandoned due to the probability of mishandling as this probability exists even in the case of ‘Islāmic literature – but printing and distributing such works will not be abandoned due to the slight probability that someone may mishandle them.

Moreover, this is a practice which finds its roots in the traditions of the pious predecessors. This is evident in a narration wherein ‘Anas bin Sīrīn states:

كتبت لابن عمر فقال اكتب بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أما بعد إلى فلان

“I wrote for ‘Ibn `Umar, he said, ‘Write: Allāh’s name to commence with, the Most Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful. Thereafter, to so-and so.’”

[al-‘Adab al-Mufrad: 1125]

This narration demonstrates that Sayyidunā `Abd Allāh ‘ibn `Umar, may Allāh Almighty be pleased with them, had ordered for the tasmiyah to be written in a letter. Thus, it is upon the recipients of such cards and letters to practice caution in their handling, and there is no issue in writing these words on such cards, and Allāh knows best.

Faqīr Sayyid `Abdul Ṣamad al-Qādirī · (may he be pardoned) · Muḥarram 17, 1446 AH