NAMES OF ALLAH: RAHMAN AND RAHIM

“Allah” is a unique Arabic name, which has no gender and no plural form, to refer one and only God. It refers specifically to God, rather than being a translation of the word “God” into Arabic. Even though not all Muslims around the world speak Arabic, they universally use the name “Allah”.  Muslims’ understanding of Allah is not based on physical attributes, as Allah is beyond human comprehension. To let Muslim know about Him, Allah introduces himself in the Quran with 99 names, attributes, or adjectives. These names help people to understand God and make it easier to form a conception of God. In addition, it is necessary to know the Creator in order to worship Him in the best way possible.

To know Allah, to whom nothing can be compared, it is necessary to understand how He describes Himself in the Qur’an. Among these names, Rahman (Most Compassionate) and Rahim (Most Merciful) are the most frequently mentioned. The names Rahman and Rahim are used at the beginning of all suras except one. They hold significant importance in the lives of Muslims, who begin their daily activities by saying, “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate (Rahman) and the Most Merciful (Rahim).”

The name Rahman means “Compassion and mercy, pitying”. When attributed to Allah, it signifies “He who bestows grace and mercy with His infinite mercy”. While human beings can also be merciful, their mercy has limits, whereas Allah's mercy is boundless. His mercy is too great to be compared with the mercy of other beings. Allah favours and treats not only those who believe in Him but also those who do not. In addition, His mercy encompasses all, guiding individuals throughout their lives and fulfilling their physical and spiritual needs in countless, often unrecognized ways. As for the name Rahim, it means “most merciful”. Although it is very similar to the name Rahman, it is widely believed that the difference between them is that the name Rahman refers to the divine mercy that covers everyone in this world, while Rahim refers to the divine mercy that is reserved for believers in the Hereafter.

These two names, Rahman and Rahim, are often used together in many verses of the Qur'an. For instance, in the verse, “Your God is (only) One God. There is no god (worthy of worship) except Him—the Most Compassionate (Rahman), Most Merciful (Rahim)” [The Quran 2:163]. After declaring that His Mercy encompasses everything, Allah also declares that He will give it to those who believe in the last Prophet and possess certain qualities with the verse “(...) Allah replied, “I will inflict My torment on whoever I will. But My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain mercy for those who shun evil, pay alms-tax, and believe in Our revelations.” [The Quran, 7:156] In addition, Allah says in verse “Ask (them, O Prophet), “To whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth?” Say, “To Allah!” He has taken upon Himself to be Merciful. (...)” [The Qur'an, 6:12] indicating that He has decreed mercifulness upon Himself. In another verse ‘’Say, (O Prophet), that Allah says, “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [The Quran 39:53] He has told us that His Mercy will not be despaired of. These verses, among others, illustrate how the names Rahman and Rahim are used in the Qur'an. They highlight the greatness and comprehensiveness of Allah's mercy, encouraging people to always have hope in His boundless compassion.

People have much to learn from Allah’s attributes of Rahman and Rahim. Those who wish to benefit from these attributes should warn his brother or sister in religion who has done wrong with compassion and mercy, accepting the sins committed in the world as challenges to be addressed rather than reasons for condemnation. They should view sinners with empathy rather than insult, recognizing that sins create a distance between individuals and Allah, making such people most deserving of pity. In addition, trying to fulfil the needs of the poor, praying for the poor if one’s wealth and influence are not enough to help directly, and being concerned with their troubles are also among the blessings to be taken from these names.