Since the name “ar-Rahim” shares the same root as “ar-Rahman”, it becomes essential to elucidate their meanings through comparison. “Ar-Rahman” signifies the One Who extends His mercy to upon all created beings impartially. This mercy is bestowed irrespective of any conditions, circumstances, or on the will of the servant. It suffices that we are created in order to be the recipients of the manifestations of “Ar-Rahman”. However, if Allah’s mercy were solely characterized by Him being Ar-Rahman, there would be no differentiation between the good and the bad, the righteous and the unrighteous. The fact that human beings were given a will would be of no value, the human capacity for choice would be inconsequential, the pursuit of goodness would be meaningless, and moral advancement would remain unattainable.
We know that the names of our Lord are not independent of each other and each of them forms a perfect whole in relation to the others. As a result of the relationship between mercy and justice, the name “ar-Rahim” expresses a second mercy that the servants will attain as a reward for using their wills in the path of goodness. It shows that in His sight, the one who strives and the one who does not strive will not be treated equally (Baqarah, 2:218; Ali ‘Imran, 3:132; Nisa, 4:175; Tawbah, 9:20-21; Naml, 27:46; Nur, 24:56; Ahzab, 33:43; Jathiyah, 45:30; Hujurat, 49:10; Hadid, 57:28). Indeed, in the Qur’an, after declaring that His mercy encompasses all creation, Allah states that those who believe in the Last Prophet and possess certain qualities will also receive divine mercy in the future (A’raf 7:156-157). For this reason, it is widely accepted that “Ar-Rahman” refers to the divine mercy that includes everyone in this world, and “ar-Rahim” refers to the divine mercy that includes only the believers in the Hereafter.
Thus, our Lord, Who surrounds our beginning and our end with this two-way manifestation of His mercy, grants absolute hope to all humanity with His name “Ar-Rahman” and encourages people who fulfill their responsibilities, are diligent and benevolent to continue their good deeds without despairing of the result with His name “ar-Rahim” (Yunus, 10:26-27).
The name “ar-Rahim”, which is mentioned 154 times in the Qur’an to describe Allah and is used by itself in only 3 verses (Nisa, 4:29; Isra, 17:66; Ahzab, 33:43), is usually used in conjunction with one of the other names of our Lord, such as ar-Ra‘uf, al-Ghafur, and al-Tawwab, and is always used in a way that contains glad tidings. The fact that the verses on repentance end with this name in 38 places in the Qur’an reveals the connection between the acceptance of repentance and Allah’s name, ar-Rahim. In verse 167 of Surah al-A‘raf, while describing the horror of the Day of Judgment, Allah’s attributes of Sari’ al-‘Iqab and Ghafur ar-Rahim are mentioned together, and we (thankfully) see that the power to punish is balanced by the attribute of forgiveness. In verse 42 of Surah al-Dukhan, the name ar-Rahim is mentioned again, emphasizing that salvation on the Day of Judgment will be achieved only through Allah’s mercy. In verse 7 of Surah al-Mumtahanah, it is heralded that enmity between people can be transformed into love because Allah is al-Qadir, al-Ghafur, and ar-Rahim. In verse 14 of Surah al-Taghabun, it is recommended that hostile behaviors within the family should be treated with forgiveness, while the names of Allah, al-Ghafur, and ar-Rahim are mentioned again, reminding us that we too need Allah’s forgiveness and mercy and that to deserve it, we must first treat His servants in the same way.
The servants who have been imbued with this name are those who are merciful to those whom Allah commands to be merciful but who are able to maintain a delicate equilibrium between mercy and justice. Even in the face of challenges encountered while aiding others, they endure these difficulties solely for the sake of Allah's satisfaction. Rather than lamenting their circumstances, they consistently express gratitude to Allah for deeming them worthy of possessing this virtue. They remain humble, recognizing that they are merely conduits for goodness, never succumbing to arrogance as chosen instruments of their Lord for righteous deeds. They remain humble, recognizing that they are merely conduits for goodness, and they never succumb to arrogance, knowing that they are only a means to deliver good.
Psychology tells us that compassion, kindness, and emotional empathy have significant benefits for both mental and physical health. These emotions have a calming effect and reduce anxiety.
The debate on how to reconcile the infinite mercy attributed to Allah by His names, Ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim, with the evil seen in nature has always been a problem that challenges people in terms of faith. Al-Ghazali explains this issue by stating that there is no such thing as pure evil in the universe and that there is a good hidden in what is considered evil for human beings that we cannot perceive at the beginning. He emphasizes that there should be no doubt that Allah is Arhamar Rahimin, but that it is not possible to be fully acquainted with all the secrets of divine providence.
