Can one say “Bismillah” while killing an insect?

The Details of the Question

- I saw an insect on the wall and I said “Bismillah” before killing it. I thought what I did was haram or shirk.
- Is it haram to say “Bismillah” before killing an insect?

The Answer

Dear Brother / Sister,

- Bismillah turns simple and normal customs into worship.

“There is no good and blessing in the work that does not begin with bismillah.” (Munawi, Faydul-Qadir, 5/13)

By acting according to the hadith, one opens the door to goodness and blessings.

- It is very appropriate to say bismillah in good and beneficial deeds. When it becomes a habit, it brings a great thawab. Therefore, it is sunnah to say bismillah at the beginning of every good deed.

There are many things that Islam forbids and that Muslims should keep away from, such as drinking and gambling, which harm our material and spiritual lives. It would be very inappropriate and wrong to say bismillah at the beginning of things that are considered sinful in religion. (see al-Mawsuatul-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaytiyah, 8/92)

- Since it is a sin to kill non-harmful animals, one should not say bismillah while killing a harmless or non-harmful animal.

- In principle, it is not sinful to kill insects and animals that cause harm to humans.

Accordingly, it is permissible to kill a pest in the house that is obviously a nuisance if it is advised by experts to be killed. In that case, it is permissible to say bismillah.

If the experts say that it is not a nuisance or that there is a way to get rid of it without killing it, it is a sin to kill it.

This last decree depends on the decision of the expert.

To sum up, if an animal falls into the category of those whose killing is sinful, it is - not shirk or unbeliefbut sinful to say bismillah at the time of killing it.

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