בשמ אלה הרחמן הרחום
A version of the basmala in Hebrew
Possible Jewish roots of the Islamic basmala
In part or as a whole the basmala very probably has Biblical roots most likely as mediated through the influence of pre-Islamic Jewish or Christian literary and / or ritual practices. Its first element Bi-sm Allah (=bi+ism = “In the Name of God”) is paralleled in several biblical texts. Its closely related second and third apects, the two Divine attributes al-Raḥmān (the Merciful) and al-Raḥīm (the Compassionate) may well make a non-trinitarian statement – not in the name of (1) the Father, (2) the Son and the (3) the Holy Ghost - being a pair of attributes which express the comprehensive Mercifulness of the single Divinity named Allah.
Calling on God “in His Name” : Origins.
Genesis 4:26 (King James Version)
וּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו אֱנֹ֑ושׁ אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃
26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”
