Nur al Din

Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim are two names derived from Ar-Rahmah (the mercy), but Rahman has more meanings that pertain to mercy than Ar-Rahim. There is a statement by Ibn Jarir that indicates that there is a consensus on this meaning. Further, Al-Qurtubi said, ”The proof that these names are derived (from Ar-Rahmah), is what at-Tirmidhi recorded – and graded Sahih from 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say,

”Allah the Exalted said, I Am Ar-Rahman. I created the Rahman (womb, i .e . family relations) and derived a name for it from My Name. Hence whoever keeps it, I will keep ties to him, and whoever severs it, I will sever ties with him.”

He then said, ”This is a text that indicates the derivation.” He then said, ”The Arabs denied the name Ar-Rahman, because of their ignorance about Allah and His attributes.” Al-Qurtubi said, ”It was said that both Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim have the same meaning, such as the words Nadman and Nadim, as Abu 'Ubayd has stated. Abu 'Ali Al-Farisi said, Ar-Rahman, which is exclusively for Allah, is a name that encompasses every type of mercy that Allah has. Ar-Rahim is what effects the believers, for Allah said,

[And He is ever Rahim (merciful) to the believers.] (33:43)

Also, Ibn 'Abbas said – about Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, ”They are two soft names, one of them is softer than the other (meaning it carries more implications of mercy.” Ibn Jarir said; As-Surri bin Yahya At-Tamimi narrated to me that 'Uthman bin Zufar related that Al-'Azrami said about Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, ”He is Ar-Rahman with all creation and Ar-Rahim with the believers.” Hence Allah's statements,

[Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His majesty), Ar-Rahman] (25:59)

[Ar-Rahman (Allah) rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His majesty).] (20:5)

Allah thus mentioned the Istawa – rising over the Throne – along with His Name Ar-Rahman, to indicate that His mercy encompasses all of His creation. Allah also said,

[And He is ever Rahim (merciful) to the believers], thus encompassing the believers with His Name Ar-Rahim. They said, ”This testifies to the fact that Ar-Rahman carries a broader scope of meanings pertaining to the mercy of Allah with His creation in both lives. Meanwhile, Ar-Rahim is exclusively for the believers.” Yet, we should mention that there is a supplication that reads,

”The Rahman and the Rahim of this life and the Hereafter”

Allah's Name Ar-Rahman is exclusievly His. For instance, Allah said,

[Say (O Muhammad): ”Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names] (17:10) and,

[And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: ”Did We ever appoint alihah (gods) to be worshipped besides Ar-Rahman (Most Gracious, Allah)?”] (34:45)

Further, when Musaylimah the Liar called himself the Rahman of Yamamah, Allah made him known by the name 'Liar and exposed him. Hence, whenever Musaylimah is mentioned, he is described as 'the Liar'. He became an example for lying among the residents of the cities and villages and the residents of the deserts, the bedouins.

Therefore, Allah first mentioned His Name – Allah – that is exclusively His and described this Name by Ar-Rahman, which no one else is allowed to use, just as Allah said,

[Say (O Muhammad): ”Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names.”] (17:110)

Only Musaylimah and those who followed his misguided ways described Musaylimah by Ar-Rahman. As for Allah's Name Ar-Rahim, Allah has described others by it. For instance, Allah said,

[Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammed, saw) from amongst yourselves (i.e. Whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammed, saw) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided) for the believers (he is) kind (full of pity), and Rahim (merciful)] (9:128).

Allah has also described some of His creation using some of His other Names. For instance, Allah said,

[Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (drops) of mixed semen (sexual discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so We made him hearer (Sami') and seer (Basir) (76:2).

In conclusion, there are several of Allah's Names that are used as names for others besides Allah. Further, some of Allah's Names are exclusive for Allah alone, such as Allah, Ar-Rahman, Al-Khaliq (the Creator), Ar-Raziq (the Sustainer), and so forth.

Hence, Allah started the Tasmiyah (meaning, 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious Most Merciful') with His Name, Allah, and described Himself as Ar-Rahman, (Most Gracious) which is softer and more general than Ar-Rahim. The most honorable Names are mentioned first, just as Allah did here. A Hadith narrated by Umm Salamah stated that the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (saw) was slow and clear, letter by letter,

[In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Owner of the Day of Recompense] (1:1-4).

And this is how a group of scholars recite it. Others connected the recitation of Tasmiyah to Al-Hamd.

[2. Al-Hamd be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.]

Källa: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, s66-69

Allah is the Name of the Lord, the Exalted. It is said that Allah is the Greatest Name of Allah, because it is referred to when describing Allah by the various attributes. For instance, Allah said,

[He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, The King, The Holy, the One free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the Almighty, the Wise] (59:22-24)

Hence, Allah mentioned several of His Names as Attributes for His Name Allah. Similarly, Allah said,

[And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them] (7:180), and,

[Say (O Mohammed (saw) : ”Invoke Allah or invoke the Most Gracious (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for Him belong the Best Names.”] (17:110)

Also, the Two Sahihs recorded that Aby Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said,

”Allah has ninety-nine Names, on hundred minus one, whoever counts (and perserves) them, will enter Paradise.”

These Names were mentioned in a Hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, and there are several differences between these two narrations.

Basmalah (reciting Bismillah) is recommended before starting any action or deed. For instance, Basmalah is recommended before starting a Khutbah (speech).

The Basmalah is also recommended before one enters the place where he wants to relieve himself, there is a Hadith concerning this practice. Further, Basmalah is recommended at the beginning of ablution, for Imam Ahmad and the Sunan compilers recorded that Abu Hurayrah, Sa'id bin Zayd and Abu Sa'id narrated from the Prophet (saw),

”There is no valid ablution for he who did not mention Allah's Name in it.”

This Hadith is Hasan (good). Also, the Basmalah is recommended before eating, for Muslim recorded in his Sahih that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said to 'Umar bin Abi Salamah while he was a child under his care,

”Say Bismillah, eat with your right hand and eat from whatever is next to you.”

Some of the scholars stated that Basmalah before eating is obligatory. Basmalah before having sexual intercourse is also recommended. The two Sahihs recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said,

”If anyone of you before having sexual relations with his wife says, 'In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Protect us from Satan and also protect what, you grant us (meaning the coming offspring) from Satan, and if it is destined that they should have a child then, Satan will never be able to harm that child.”

Källa: Tafsir Ibn Kathir s.64-65

The Companions started the Book of Allah with Bismillah: [In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.]

The scholars also agree that Bismillah is a part of an Ayah in Surat An-Naml (chapter 27). They disagree over whether it is a separate Ayah before every Surah, or if it is an Ayah, or a part of an Ayah, included in every Surah where the Bismillah appears in its beginning. Ad-Daraqutni also recorded a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (saw) that supports this Hadith by Ibn Khuzaymah. Also similar statements were attributed to 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas and others.

The opinion that Bismillah is an Ayay of every Surah, except Al-Bara'ah (chapter 9), was attributed to (the Companions) Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Abu Hurayrah and 'Ali. This opinion was also attributed to the Tabi'in: 'Ata', Tawus, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Makhul and Az-Zuhri. This is also the view of 'Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad bin Hanbal, (in one report from him) Ishaq bin Rahwayh and Abu 'Ubayd Al-Qasim bin Salam. On the other hand, Malik, Abu Hanifah and their followers said that Bismillah is not an Ayah in Al-Fatihah or any other Surah. Dawud said that it is a separate Ayah in the beginning of every Surah, not part of the Sura itself, and this opinion was also attributed to Ahmad bin Hanbal.

Tafsir ibn Kathir s.61

The Muslim woman who is obedient to the command of her Lord naturally accepts His will and decree, because this is one of the greatest signs of faith, obedience, taqwa and righteousness in a person. So the Muslim woman who is guided by the teachings of Islam always accepts whatever befalls her in life, whether it is good or bad, because this attitude of acceptance is good for her in all cases, as the Prophet (saw) explained:

"How amazing is the affair of the Muslim! His affairs are all good. If he experiences hardship, he faces it with patience and perseverance, and that is also good for him."

The Muslim woman is convinced that whatever befalls her in life could not have been avoided, and whatever does not befall her could not have been made to happen. Everything happens according to the will and decree of Allah, so her affairs are all good. If something good happens to her, she voices her praise to Allah, the Munificent Bestower, and she becomes one of those who are grateful, obedient and successfull; if something bad happens to her she faces it with patience and fortitude, so she becomes of those who are patient, redeemed and victorious.

With this deep faith, the Muslim woman faces the upheavals and calamities of life with a calm soul that accepts the will and decree of Allah. She seeks His help with patience, prayer and hope for reward from Him. She voices her praise to Allah ('Azza wa jall) for what He has willed and decreed, as Al-Khansa' did on the day when she heard the news about her four sons and said:

"Praise be to Allah Who has honoured me by their martyrdom; I hope that Allah will gather me with them under His Mercy."

She goes to the places where she usually prays, and seeks Allah's help with prayer and patience, as Asma' bint 'Umays used to do when disasters and tragedies stuck one after the other. She lost her first husband, Ja'far ibn Abi Taalib (radiAllahu anho), then she was stricken by the death of her second husband, Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (radiAllahu anho), and of her son, Muhammed ibn Abi Bakr (radiAllahu anho).

There are many other examples in history of Muslim woman who had faith, hoping for reward from Allah and facing difficulties with patience and fortitude. Allah ('Azza wa jall) will reward them greatly:

"Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!" (Qur'an 39:10)

The Ideal Muslimah, s.83-84

By: Muhammed Ali Al-Hashimi