The ruling on adding “ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem” when mentioning the name of Allah before doing wudoo’
Question

                Previously I used to do wudoo’ and mention the name of Allah by saying “Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem”, but I read something by one of the scholars saying that it is not valid. Is this view correct?
Praise be to Allah.
	We have 
	discussed the issue of it being prescribed to mention the name of Allah when 
	doing wudoo’ in the answer to question no. 21241.

	The format is 
	for the one who wants to do wudoo’ to say “Bismillah.” If he wants to add 
	the words “ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,” there is a difference of scholarly opinion 
	concerning that. Some scholars are of the view that that is more perfect, 
	and others are of the view that it is better not to add these words and to 
	limit it to saying “Bismillah.”

	An-Nawawi (may 
	Allah have mercy on him) said regarding mentioning the name of Allah when 
	doing wudoo’:

	It should be 
	understood that the more perfect way of mentioning the name of Allah is to 
	say “Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem”, but if one says “Bismillah” only, then 
	he has attained the virtue of mentioning the name of Allah, and there is no 
	difference of scholarly opinion on that score.

	End quote from
	al-Majmoo‘ (1/386).

	Shaykh ad-Dardeer 
	al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	Mentioning the 
	name of Allah means saying, when washing the hands up to the wrists, “Bismillah.” 
	With regard to adding the words “ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,” there is a 
	difference of opinion. 

	End quote from
	ash-Sharh as-Sagheer li Aqrab al-Masaalik (1/122).

	Shaykh ‘Abdullah 
	ibn Jibreen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	The Prophet 
	(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no wudoo’ for one 
	who does not mention the name of Allah when doing it.” The point at which 
	that is to be done is when starting to wash the hands, or when starting to 
	rinse out the mouth. One should say, “Bismillah.” Some of the scholars are 
	of the view that it is obligatory, but it is waived in the case of one who 
	forgets or is unaware of it. As for the one who remembers, he should do that 
	by saying, “Bismillah,” and that is sufficient. If he completes it by saying 
	“Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem”, that is permissible.

	End quote from
	Sharh ‘Umdat al-Ahkaam by Ibn Jibreen.

	With regard to 
	the view that if someone says “Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem”, it is not 
	acceptable, we have not come across any of the scholars saying this. Rather 
	their difference of opinion is as to whether it is better to add this phrase 
	or not, and not one of the scholars says that if someone adds it, his wudoo’ 
	is not valid.

	And Allah knows 
	best.