Q. I would like to know if your salaah is invalid if “bismillah……” is not recited before every Fatiha and before every surah.
A. If Bismillah is not recited before every Faatiha or before every Sura, your Salaah will not be invalid. It will be valid and accepted. Scholars have stated that ‘Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem’ is not a part of every Sura (except Sura An Naml) and hence, not reciting it, will not be considered as if one has left out a verse of the Quran. It is evident in some traditions that the Prophet (SAS) at times, recited it aloud, and at times did not recite it aloud. On account of his action, the jurists have stated that the act of reciting the Tasmiya (Bismillahi Rahmanir Raheem) before Sura Faatiha and before a Sura is a Sunnah and without it, the Salaah will still be valid. (Fathul Qadeer col. 1 pg. 253; Al Fiqhul Islami wa Adilatihi vol.2 pg. 831).
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan