ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ 1
Translations
The Most Merciful
Transliteration
Ar-Rahman
Tafsir (Explanation)
This opening word of Surah Ar-Rahman establishes Allah's attribute of Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful/The Beneficent), one of His supreme names. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this ayah introduces the theme of Allah's overwhelming mercy as the foundation for all creation and revelation. The surah begins by asserting that mercy is the defining characteristic through which Allah relates to His creation, encompassing all blessings and guidance.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rahman is a Medinan surah that opens with this emphatic invocation of Allah's mercy attribute. This opening serves as the thematic introduction to the entire surah, which repeatedly emphasizes the signs of Allah's mercy in creation and warns of the consequences of rejecting it. The surah's structure of "So which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?" appears 31 times, all flowing from this initial establishment of Ar-Rahman's mercy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah created mercy in one hundred parts, and He retained ninety-nine parts with Him, and sent down one part to earth.' (Sahih Muslim 2108). This hadith contextualizes the boundless nature of the mercy invoked in this opening ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's mercy is the primary lens through which we should understand our relationship with the Divine—it precedes justice, encompasses all creation, and is the basis for hope and redemption. For modern readers, recognizing Ar-Rahman as foundational encourages extending mercy to others and approaching life's challenges with trust in Divine compassion.