5] The difference of scholarly opinion as to whether the Basmalah counts as a verse of al-Faatihah does not come under the heading of distortions of the Qur’aan

5]
The Holy Qur’aan was transmitted to us by mutawaatir reports (in which it was narrated by so many from so many that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed upon a lie), with nothing added or taken away, and no doubt concerning it, and Falsehood cannot come toit from before it or behindit (cf. 41:42). This is what we have learnt and grown up with.
My question is: how comethere was a difference of opinion among the scholars of the early generations as to whetherthe Basmalah (the phrase “Bismillah ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem”) is a verse of Soorat al-Faatihah or whether it is a verse at all? Does this difference ofopinion matter? I am not looking for the evidence of one group or the other,and I am not looking for additional information about this issue from a fiqhi point of view. I have read a great deal of information and research. Rather my question here is: how can we justify differences of opinion concerning a verse of the Holy Qur’aan that was transmitted to us via mutawaatir reports, by large numbers (of narrators) from large numbers, and so on, as to whether it is a verse or not? Is it not the case thatthere should be no difference of opinion concerning this matter?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Muslims did not disagree that Allah, may He be exalted, has preserved His Book from additions and subtractions, in fulfilment of His words (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quran) and surely,We will guard it (from corruption)”
[al-Hijr 15:9].
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that anyone who disagrees with this and claims that there is something in the Book of Allah that is not part of it, or that something that Allah revealed has been taken away from it, is a disbeliever.
Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad (may Allahhave mercy on him) said:
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Qur’aan which is recited in all parts of the world and is written in the Mushaf that the Muslims have, that is contained between the two covers, from the first soorah “All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” to the last soorah, “Say: "I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind”, is the Book of Allah and His Revelation that He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that everything in it is true, and that anyone who deliberately takes away a single letter from it or changes one letter for another or adds a letter toit, that is not included in the Mushaf on which there is consensus, and there is consensus that it is not part of the Qur’aan – the one who does any of these things deliberately is a disbeliever. End quote.
ash-Shifa bi Ta‘reef Huqooq al-Mustafa, 2/304,305
With regard to the difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether the Basmalah is counted as a verse of the Qur’aan or not, this does not come under this heading, because the scholars of Qur’aan recitation did not differ with regard to reciting it at the beginning of the soorahs. And the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were unanimously agreed that it must be written at the beginning of all soorahs apart from Soorat at-Tawbah, and that is in the Mushaf that was written by ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allah be pleased with him) and sent to all regions.
Ash-Shawkaani (may Allahhave mercy on him) said, when discussing the Basmalah:
It should be noted that the ummah is unanimously agreed that neither the one who affirms it nor the one whodenies it is to be described as a disbeliever,because of the difference of scholarly opinion concerning it. This is different from the case of a person who denies a letter on which there is consensus or who affirms something that no one said; he is to be regarded as a disbeliever according to scholarly consensus.
There is no difference of opinion concerning the fact that it is a verse in Soorat an-Naml, or that it is a line to be written at the beginning of the soorahs in the Mushaf, apart from the beginning of Soorat at-Tawbah.
Nayl al-Awtar, 2/215
Some of the scholars regard the difference of opinion as to whether theBasmalah is a verse of theQur’aan as being like the difference of opinion among the leading scholars of recitation about some words and letters that may be proven in some recitations and not in others.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy onhim) said: :->
:-* key word:- The Quraan and its Sciences