Al-Fatiha: (3) The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

The First Benefit

Al-Rahman (The Most Gracious): He is the Bestower of that which is impossible for creation to bestow. Al-Rahim (The Most Merciful): He is the Bestower of that which creation can bestow.

It is narrated from Ibrahim ibn Adham that he said: I was a guest of some people, and when the dining cloth was spread, a raven descended and snatched a loaf of bread. I followed it in amazement. It landed on a hillock where I saw a man shackled and tied up. The raven dropped that loaf onto the man's face.

It is also narrated from Dhu al-Nun that he said: While I was in my house, a turmoil struck my heart, and I lost control of myself. I went out and reached the bank of the Nile. I saw a strong scorpion running, so I followed it. It reached the edge of the Nile, where I saw a frog standing on the bank. The scorpion leaped onto the frog's back, and the frog began to swim away. I boarded a boat and followed them. The frog reached the other side of the Nile, the scorpion got off its back, and continued running. I followed it and saw a young man sleeping under a tree. I saw a snake heading towards him. As the snake approached the young man, the scorpion reached the snake, leaped onto it, and stung it. The snake also stung the scorpion, and both died, saving the human.

It is also recounted that the young of a raven, when it hatches from the eggshell, emerges featherless, like a piece of red flesh. The parent raven flees from it and does not tend to its upbringing. Then, mosquitoes gather around it because it resembles dead flesh. When the mosquitoes arrive, the young raven devours them and feeds on them. It remains in this state until it gains strength, its feathers grow, and its flesh is hidden beneath them. At that point, its mother returns to it. For this reason, the Arabs have a supplication: "O Provider of the caw in its nest."

From these examples, it becomes clear that God's bounty is general, His kindness is comprehensive, and His mercy is vast.

Know that events are of two types:

1. What appears to be mercy but is, in reality, punishment and wrath.
2. What appears outwardly as punishment and wrath but is, in reality, grace, kindness, and mercy.

Regarding the first type: When a father neglects his son, allowing him to do whatever he wishes without discipline or compelling him to learn, this is outwardly mercy but inwardly wrath.

Regarding the second type: When a father confines his son to the maktab (school) and compels him to learn, this is outwardly wrath but inwardly mercy. Similarly, if a person's hand becomes gangrenous and it is amputated, this is outwardly torment but inwardly ease and mercy.

The simple-minded person is deceived by appearances, while the intelligent person looks into the hidden realities.

Once you know this, understand that every tribulation, affliction, pain, and hardship in the world, although seemingly torment and pain, is wisdom and mercy in reality. The realization of this is captured in the wisdom: "Leaving much good for the sake of little evil is great evil."

The purpose of the religious obligations (takalif) is to purify the souls from bodily attachments, as the Almighty says:

"If you do good, you do good for yourselves." (Al-Isra: 7)

The purpose of creating Hellfire is to divert the wicked toward the deeds of the righteous and draw them from the abode of flight to the abode of permanence, as the Almighty says:

"So flee to Allah." (Adh-Dhariyat: 50)

The closest example to this principle is the story of Moses and Al-Khidr, peace be upon them. Moses judged based on the outward appearances of matters, thus disapproving of the piercing of the boat, the killing of the boy, and the repairing of the leaning wall. Al-Khidr, however, based his judgments on realities and secrets, saying:

"As for the boat, it belonged to poor people working at sea, and I intended to cause a defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] boat by force. As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief. So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy. As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord." (Al-Kahf: 79)

From this story, it is evident that the true sage is the one who bases his affairs on realities, not on appearances. Therefore, when you see something that your nature dislikes and your intellect recoils from, know that beneath it lie hidden secrets and profound wisdom, and that His wisdom and mercy necessitated it. At that point, the effect of the seas of His saying, Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim, will become clear to you.

The Second Benefit

Al-Rahman is a name specific to God, while Al-Rahim applies to Him and others.

If one asks: "If Al-Rahman is greater, why is the lesser mentioned after the greater?"

The answer is: The great and mighty one is not asked for trivial, small matters. It is narrated that someone went to a great scholar and said, "I have come to you for a small matter." The scholar replied, "Seek a simple man for a simple matter." It is as if the Almighty is saying: "If I had only mentioned Myself as Al-Rahman, you would have felt too shy to ask Me, and it would have been difficult for you to ask for minor things. But since you know Me as Al-Rahman, you ask Me for great things, so I am also Al-Rahim; ask Me for the strap of your sandal and the salt for your pot." This is like what the Almighty said to Moses: "Ask Me for the salt for your pot and the fodder for your sheep."

The Third Benefit

He described Himself as Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim. Then, He granted Mary (peace be upon her) a single mercy when He said:

"And a mercy from Us. And it was a decree established." (Maryam: 21) That mercy became the means of her salvation from the reproach of the impious disbelievers.

Furthermore, we describe Him every day thirty-four times as Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim. This is because the obligatory prayers (Salawat) consist of seventeen rak'ahs (units), and the phrase Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim is recited twice in every rak'ah: once in the Basmalah, and once in the verse: "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful."

If the mention of mercy just once was the cause of Mary's salvation from distress, will not the mention of mercy these many times throughout a lifetime be the cause of the Muslims' salvation from the Fire, disgrace, and ruin?

The Fourth Benefit

He is Al-Rahman because He creates what the servant is incapable of creating. He is Al-Rahim because He does what the servant is incapable of doing in kind. It is as if the Almighty is saying: "I am Al-Rahman because you entrust Me with a mere drop of fluid, and I return it to you in a beautiful form," as He says:

"And He formed you and perfected your forms." (Ghafir: 64) "And I am Al-Rahim because you entrust Me with deficient acts of obedience, and I return to you a pure Paradise."

The Fifth Benefit

It is narrated that a young man was near death, and his tongue was paralyzed from uttering the testimony, "There is no god but Allah." They informed the Prophet (peace be upon him). He came to the young man, presented the testimony to him, but the young man only moved and trembled without his tongue speaking. The Prophet (PBUH) asked: "Did he not pray? Did he not fast? Did he not give Zakat?" They replied: "Yes." He asked: "Did he disobey his parents?" They replied: "Yes."

The Prophet (PBUH) then said: "Bring his mother." She came, an old, one-eyed woman. The Prophet (PBUH) asked her: "Will you not forgive him?" She replied: "I will not forgive him because he slapped me and blinded my eye." The Prophet (PBUH) then said: "Bring firewood and fire." She asked: "What will you do with fire?" He replied: "I will burn him with fire in front of you as retribution for what he did to you." She immediately said: "I forgive, I forgive! Did you carry him in your womb for nine months for the fire? Did you nurse him for two years for the fire? Where is the mercy of the mother?"

At that moment, his tongue was loosened, and he testified, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah."

The subtle point here is that the mother was merciful (Rahimah) but not Rahmanah (possessing comprehensive grace). Because of that small measure of mercy, she did not permit him to be burned by fire. How, then, could the Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim, who is not harmed by the sins of His servants while caring for them, permit the burning in the Fire of a believer who consistently affirmed the testimony of La ilaha illa Allah for seventy years?

The Sixth Benefit

It is well-known that when the Prophet (PBUH) had his front tooth broken, he said: "O Allah, guide my people, for they do not know." This shows that on the Day of Resurrection, he will say: "My Ummah, my Ummah." This is immense generosity from him in this world and the Hereafter. This generosity and kindness were achieved because he is a mercy, as the Almighty says:

"And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds." (Al-Anbiya: 107)

If the effect of a single mercy is this great, how much greater is the generosity of the One who is Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim?

It is also narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "O Allah, let the reckoning of my Ummah be in my hands." Then, he refrained from praying over a deceased person because he owed two dirhams, and he allowed Aisha to be expelled from the house due to the slander (Ifk). It is as if the Almighty said to him: "You have one mercy, which is the verse, 'And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.' And that single mercy is not sufficient to rectify the creation. So leave Me with My servants and leave your Ummah to Me, for I am Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim. My mercy is endless, and their disobedience is finite. The finite, in the presence of the infinite, becomes annihilated. Thus, the sins of all creation will inevitably perish in the seas of My mercy, for I am Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim."

The Seventh Benefit

The Qadariyyah sect said: How can He be Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim if He created creation for the Fire and eternal punishment? How can He be Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim if He creates disbelief in the disbeliever and punishes him for it? How can He be Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim if He commands belief but then prevents it?

The Jabriyyah sect said: The greatest form of blessing and mercy is faith (Iman). If faith were from the servant and not from God, then the name Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim would be more appropriate for the servant than for God. And Allah knows best.

Chapter Four

Concerning the Exegesis of His Saying: Master of the Day of Recompense

And in it are several benefits.