The name Ar-Rahman occurs 57 times in the Quran. Typically names of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) occur in pairs. For example, As-sami-il-aleem, Al-ghafoor-ur-raheem etc. But the names Allah and Ar-Rahman rarely occur with other names.
The name Ar-Rahim occurs 114 times in the Quran and it typically occurs with another name of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).
Uniqueness of the name Ar-Rahman:
Ar-Rahman is the only name that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) equated with his primary name of Allah. For example the ayat below translates to “call upon Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) or call upon Ar-Rahman, whichever name you choose know that all the rest of the names belong to him“.
It is the only name on which an entire Surah has been revealed. Every single ayat of Ar-Rahman is an explanation of why Ar-Rahman is Ar-Rahman.
Rahmah:
Both names of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) are derived from the root word “Rahmah” which translates to mercy, or tenderness that is intended to benefit the object of mercy. However, the word mercy is used to describe when we get out of a bad situation. In other words, when we think of the word mercy we think of something negative that we got saved from. For example, the teacher was about to hit me, but then she showed mercy.
If mercy is not the correct translation of Rahmah, then what does Rahmah actually translate to?
While Rahmah may literally translate to mercy in English, it actually has a deeper meaning, in which there is love, care and protection for us. Rahmah or Rahm has nothing to do with a bad situation that got averted. The womb of a mother is called “Rahm”. The child in the womb of the mother doesn’t have any problems. He doesn’t have to worry about food, hunger, exhaustion, cleaning himself, waking up, paying rent etc. All the problems fall on the mother. This child is completely wrapped up in the care of his mother and he has no idea what the mother goes through to take care of him. This child is in a state of Rahmah. So, Rahmah can be thought of as the kind of love, care and protection a mother has for her unborn child even though the child causes her excruciating pain. The rahmah of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is much more than this. It is beyond our imagination. We have no idea in how many ways Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is taking care of us. For example, he is ensuring that our eyes don’t dry out, blood flows continuously all the way till toes etc. We are just as ignorant as the baby in the womb of that mother. Hence mercy just doesn’t describe Rahmah. The closest description of Rahmah is love and care.
By deriving two different names from the same concept, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is emphasizing his Rahmah nature.
Meaning of Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim:
According to some scholars, Ar-Rahman is the one who shows Rahmah to his entire creation at all times i.e. to both believers and the disbelievers in this world and in the next. Ar-Rahim is an extra Rahmah that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) shows only to his believers. In other words Ar-Rahman means Rahmah of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is extreme, it is happening right now to his entire creation but it is available only in this world. Ar-Rahim is for the believers in the next world. Ar-Rahim also means Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is always loving and caring. Hence, by saying Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is taking care of us right now and in the future.
Detailed Explanation:
| 3 qualities of the word Ar-Rahman |
| The “aan” at the end is used to describe something extreme. |
| It is also used to describe something that is happening immediately, right now. |
| Words that have “aan” at the end are temporary i.e. they keep going until something takes it away. |
Hence, Ar-Rahman means Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is extremely loving and caring right now, but it can be taken away.
| 2 qualities of Ar-Rahim |
| It is permanent. |
| It is not necessarily happening right now. |
With Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is telling us that he is extremely loving and caring right now and he will continue to be in the future too.
The third quality of Ar-Rahman is a scary one. We could do something in this world that might take the Rahmah of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) away.
Ordering of the names: The order of the words could have also been Ar-Rahim and Ar-Rahman and it would still mean the same. But Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) knows that human beings are impatient and they want their immediate needs taken care of right away, before they even think about the future. For example, if I’m hungry, I’d want to have food right now rather than think or plan about tomorrow’s dinner. Hence, the order is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim.
By including these 2 names in Bismillah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is indicating how important Rahmah is for him.
Few Hadiths related to Rahmah:
In the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) mentions that his Rahmah surrounds everything. According to Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) when Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) created the creation he wrote a rulebook for himself that he keeps over the throne, and in that book it is mentioned that his Rahmah would always extinguish/overcome his anger.
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari
Narrated Abu Huraira (radi allahu anhu): The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “When Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) created the Creation, He wrote in His Book–and He wrote (that) about Himself, and it is placed with Him on the Throne–‘Verily My Mercy overcomes My Anger.’”
According to a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said that if a kaafir(disbeliever) knew how much Rahmah Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) had, he would be optimistic about entering Jannah.
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi
Abu Hurairah (radi allahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “If the believer knew what is with Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) of punishment, none would hope for Paradise, and if the disbeliever knew what is with Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) of mercy, none would despair of (attaining) Paradise.”
According to another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said verily Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has more Rahmah upon his servants than a mother has on her child (which is the highest level of Rahmah imaginable for a human).
Our creation is a manifestation of the rahmah of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari
Narrated Umar bin Al-Khattab (radi allahu anhu): Some Sabi (i.e. war prisoners, children and woman only) were brought before the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and behold, a woman amongst them was milking her breasts to feed and whenever she found a child amongst the captives, she took it over her chest and nursed it (she had lost her child but later she found him) the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to us, “Do you think that this lady can throw her son in the fire?” We replied, “No, if she has the power not to throw it (in the fire).” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then said, “Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is more merciful to His slaves than this lady to her son.”
According to a Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, those who have rahmah to others will be shown rahmah by Ar-Rahman.
Hadith from Jami’ at-Tirmidhi
Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radi allahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The merciful are shown mercy by Ar-Rahman. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from Who is above the heavens. The womb is named after Ar-Rahman, so whoever connects it, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) connects him, and whoever severs it, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) severs him.”
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) described himself as Nabi-ur-Rahmah. Because Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is Ar-Rahman he has sent Nabi-ur-Rahmah, the best human for us with the best message. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) also mentioned the Quran as the book of Rahmah. Hence we have a religion of Rahmah, a Nabi of Rahmah and a book of Rahmah.