Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār 1, narration 7

Translation

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan al-Saffar, from Abbas bin Ma’ruf, from Safwan bin Yahya, from the one who told him, from Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, that he was asked about «Bism-il-Laah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem», so he said: The Baa’ is the Magnificence of Allah, the Seen is the Sublimity of Allah, and the Miim is the Kingdom of Allah. He said: I said: Allah? He said: The Alif is the Bounties of Allah upon His creation from the bliss of our Divine Authority, and the Laam is the Binding of Allah for His creation to our Divine Authority. I said: And the Haa’? Then he said: Ignominy to he who opposes Muhammed and the Family of Muhammed, upon whom are Allah’s blessings. I said: The Rahmaan? He said: (The Merciful) With all the world. I said: The Raheem? He said: (The Merciful) With the believers in particular.

Translation: Basel Kadem — published with the edition, reproduced verbatim.