Rahman
Image by Quranic Resources
The word Rahmat includes in it worldly provisions necessary to keep living beings alive, appointment of night for rest and day for earning livelihood, compassion and mercy towards parents, love and tranquility derived from mates, the Qur’an and Prophet Mohammad SAWS following whom makes the worldly life and the hereafter successful, paradise the greatest benefit and forgiveness of sins the greatest mercy. Rahmat is an item of enjoyment opposite to loss, punishment, harm, evil and destruction. Rahmat, therefore conveys the sense of benefit, reward, safety out of mercy, good and construction. Rahmat being constructive, beneficial, full of mercy, etc., is also supported by the fact that the Arabic word for womb, where the child develops, is Raham from the same root alphabets used for Rahmat. The child in the womb is provided with all that is necessary for its growth by the mother without its demanding it and it is carefully protected from all harmful things – the feeling of the mother towards the child is that of compassion, beneficence, mercy, safety, etc., and these feelings explain the term Rahmat about which Allah states in Al Qur’an:
He has prescribed Rahmat on himself (Chapter 6: Verse 12)
My Rahmat extends towards everything (Chapter 7: Verse 156)
In view of the above let us try to understand the Attributes Ar Rahman and Ar Raheem which exhibit Rahmat.
The Quran in (Chapter 17: Verse 82) and Prophet Mohammad SAWS (Chapter 21: Verse 107) are said to be Rahmat and the Attribute associated with the teaching of the Quran is Ar Rahman.
Ar Rahman, He taught the Quran (Chapter 55: Verses 1-2)
All believers know that the greatest benefit for mankind is implementing the Quran practically in their lives in accordance with the instructions given by Prophet Mohammad SAWS. The Attribute associated with the source of achieving this greatest benefit, i.e., the Quran, is Ar Rahman.
The Forsterer of the skies and the earth and that which is between them, Ar Rahman… (Chapter 78: Verse 37)
The Attribute associated with the fostering of the universe, which is beneficial for the creation and without which the universe cannot exist, is again Ar Rahman. In view of this Ar Rahman can be translated as The Beneficent, it is the first Attributes used with Allah’s name.
The frequent association of the Attribute Ar Rahman with Al Gafoor (Protector and forgiver of sins), Al Tawwab (Acceptor of repentance) and Ar Raoof (one full of pity), indicates that Allah’s mercy in exhibited through it, therefore it can be translated as The Merciful, it is the second Attribute used with Allah’s name.
