Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam Alaikum

I would like to know the surahs and ayats in reference to the Sifaats of Allah as REHMAN and RAHEEM. Kindly quote the ayat numbers so that I can show them to some non-muslims who think that Islam is the religion of terrorists.

Your early response will be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

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Answer:

Surahs with Rahmaan & Raheem

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

My beloved brother in Islam, if we were to quote you all the aayahs of the Quran, whereby these two magnificient attributes of the All Merciful Allah is mentioned, it would indeed be a lengthy answer. Every Surah (except the 9^th Surah Taubah) starts with the mention of these two noble Attributes of Allah; Rahmaan and Raheem! That is 114 times when these two magnificient attributes of Allah are each repeated!

Brother, if that is not enough, please do write to us again, and we will forward all the aayahs of the Glorious Quran where these two attributes of Allah are mentioned. The attribute of Rahmaan is mentioned no less than 150 times; and the attribute of Raheem is mentioned no less than 200 times in the Glorious Quran! Please do let us know if you want us to send you all these aayahs!

Please allow us to explain the meanings of these words to you, so that it would be useful in passing on this message of Truth to your family and friends.

“Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem”

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Allah, in His infinite wisdom chose to start the Holy Quran and every Surah in the Holy Quran (except Surah Taubah) with these very words: ‘Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem’. Prophet Mohamed (saws) always said these words before embarking on anything good … and the Prophet (saws) never did anything but good. But what do these words really mean and signify?

The word ‘Bismillah’ literally means, in the name of Allah, or I start in the name of Allah. And the significance of starting anything important or anything good in the name of Allah, is that we acknowledge and re-affirm our belief that He is our Lord, who Created us, who Created the heavens and the earth and everything in between, He is the One who is Alone running the affairs of the universe, He is the One who gave us life and He is the One who will give us death. All Power belongs to Him Alone, and He it is who has allowed us to start the thing we are about to start. We thus also acknowledge by saying ‘Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem’, that since He Alone created everything in creation and is Alone running the affairs of His creation, and All Power belongs to Him Alone, then He Alone deserves our worship, reverence, and absolute obedience.

Allah has given Himself the most beautiful names in the Quran. We cannot see or imagine Allah, but from His given names, we can have an understanding of Allah, His Power, His Significance, His Majesty and His Mercy. He wants us to recognize Him from the names and attributes He has given Himself in the Quran.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Bani Israel verse 110: For to Him (Allah) belong the most beautiful names.

And among his ‘asma ul-husna’ are Rahmaan and Raheem. Rahman means that Allah’s Grace and Mercy is literally overflowing over His creation, and Allah in His divine Wisdom chose Rahmaan as His first introduction. If one reads the Quran, he will realize, how much mercy Allah has showered over us, His slaves. This attribute of Allah is most dominant in the whole of the Quran. Allah explains in the Quran that it is His Rahmat that He has revealed the Holy Quran to mankind for guidance.

Allah says in Chapter 55 Surah Ar-Rahmaan verse 1-2: The Most Gracious! It is He who has taught the Quran.

It is from His Rahmat that He sent Prophets at various stages of time to guide mankind. It is from His Rahmat that He has provided us with everything in this world, that we need … air, water, vegetation, animals, the sun, moon, family, children, wealth, everything!! And it is this attribute of Rahmaan that we look forward to on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (saws), to explain what Rahmaan means, said in one narration that Allah divided “Rahma’ in 100 parts; 1 part He sent to the world, and 99-parts He kept it with Himself!! This is the Rahmaan, our Lord! It is from amongst this 1-part of Rahma that he has given the world, that the animal does not step on its new-born!!! It is from amongst this 1-part of Rahma that He has bestowed on our world, that we have mercy on our children, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and our fellow human beings. The other 99-parts of Rahma are with Allah. This is the Rahmaan, our Lord!

The epitome of Allah’s Grace and Mercy is described by Himself in Chapter 6 Surah Al Anam verse 12: Say: “To whom belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth?.” Say: “To Allah. He hath inscribed for Himself Mercy (Rahmah).”

The attribute Raheem means Allah is All-Merciful or Continously-Merciful. To cite an example, when somebody dies and leaves behind a widow and small, helpless, orphan children, we are moved by mercy in our hearts. But with time, this mercy diminishes, and we go towards other issues. But Allah is the Ar-Raheem. His Mercy never diminishes!! He is continuously Merciful towards his slaves…. There is absolutely no end and no limit to His Mercy.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verse 53-54:(O Prophet (saws)) say: “O My servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy(Rahmat) of Allah; for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Raheem).

Turn ye to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His Will, before the Penalty comes to you; After that ye shall not be helped.

Our Lord Allah is indeed the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. He is the Oft-Forgiving …provided somebody comes and asks for repentance before his appointment of death.

May Allah make us of those who constantly beg Allah to forgive us our sins and take us into His infinite Mercy and Protection. Ameen.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan