The Bismillah Sheet: What Each Design Means

The Bismillah Sheet from Hyder Collections carries seven gold Arabic calligraphy designs. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, across the top, means "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." Beneath it are the name of Allah and the names of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, Imam Ali, Lady Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. These five are the Panjtan Pak, the Five Pure Ones of the Prophet's household, the Ahl al-Bayt. Each design is labeled with its name in English.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." The phrase opens every chapter of the Qur'an but one, and Muslims say it before beginning almost anything. It runs across the top of the sheet as its crown.

Allah

The name of God in Arabic, written here in a single sweeping form.

Muhammad

The Prophet of Islam. The name means "the praised one".

Ali

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law. The name means "exalted" or "high".

Fatima

Lady Fatima al-Zahra, the Prophet's daughter and the wife of Imam Ali.

Hasan and Husayn

Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, the Prophet's grandsons. Hasan means "good" or "beautiful", and Husayn is a gentler, smaller form of the same word, "the little good one". Imam Husayn is remembered above all for his stand at Karbala.

Why Every Name Has an English Label

Each sticker pairs the Arabic with its English name so that children, new Muslims and friends of other faiths can read and recognize it at a glance.