The Basmala

Whenever we recite a verse from the Holy Qur'an, we start with the Basmala, that is:

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the most Merciful.)

In the Fatiha, the first chapter of the Holy Qur'an, this Basmala is a verse all by itself, whereas in all other chapters, with the exception of Bara'ah or Tawbah where it is not recited, it serves as an introduction to other verses. On pp. 39-40, Vol. 1, of his Tafsir, al-Qummi chronologically arranges the isnad of one particular statement made by Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq (as) and recounts the longest list of narrators we have ever come across. The list of narrators ends with Abu Busayr, a well-known companion of this great Imam (as), saying that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (as) about the tafsir of Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem, so he said, and we would like to quote his statement as well as its isnad in its original text as follows:

After the long list of the said narrators, the Imam (as) indicates the derivation of each letter of the Basmala as follows:

The "ba" is derived from "baha-Allah," the Splendor of Allah;
the "seen" is derived from "sanna-Allah," the Majesty of Allah;
the "meem" is derived from "mulk-Allah," the Kingdom of Allah;
"Allah" is the God of everything;
"al-Rahmaan" is the One Who is Merciful to all His creation;
"al-Raheem" is the One Who singles out those who believe in Him to receive the greatest share of His mercy.

On p. 506 of Misbah al-Kaf'ami, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is quoted as saying that when a teacher teaching a child to recite the Holy Qur'an tells the child to recite "Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem," and the child recites it, Allah will decree a clearance for the child, for his parents, and for the teacher, from hell, and that it is comprised of nineteen letters, the same number corresponding to the number of the keepers of the gates of hell; therefore, whoever pronounces it, Allah will permit these letters to close the gates of hell against him.

Now let us research and find out how each of the 114 chapters of the Holy Qur'an stands out among the rest, and what rewards the faithful will Insha-Allah receive from the most Generous One for reciting it. Following is a translation from the Arabic of most of the original text on pp. 506-542 of Vol. 2 of Misbah al-Kaf'ami by Shaykh Taqi al-Deen Ibrahim ibn Ali ibn al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Salih al-'Amili al-Kaf'ami, in addition to selected texts included in Vol. 89 of al-Majlisi's Bihar al-Anwar.