The Beginning of the Basmala

Bed-i Besmele is a religious and social ceremony held in the Ottoman educational tradition to mark a child’s entry into the neighborhood school. During the ceremony, hymns were recited and the congregation would collectively say “âmin”; for this reason, it was also known among the people as Âmin Alayı. This ritual symbolizes the child’s first lesson beginning with the basmala and serves as a rite of passage emphasizing the sanctity of education. In Ottoman society, Bed-i Besmele, which integrated education with worship, also functioned as a social tradition that strengthened neighborhood solidarity.