1. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa`id master of the Bani Hashim reported to us, on the authority of `Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Fuddal, on the authority of his father that

I asked al-Rida `Ali ibn Musa about the meaning of Bismillah: He said: “The meaning of the statement Bismillah is ‘I mark myself with one of the traits of Allah, the Mighty and High’ and that is true service.” I asked him, “What is al-simah?” Therefore, he replied, “It is the mark.”