Name 1 of 99
الرَّحْمَٰنُ
Ar-Rahman – The Most Gracious, the Entirely Merciful
- Transliteration
- Ar-Rahman
- Meaning
- The Most Gracious, the Entirely Merciful
- Arabic root
- ر ح م
- Theme
- Mercy and love
Meaning of Ar-Rahman
Ar-Rahman describes a mercy that is vast and all-encompassing, reaching every created being in this world, believer and unbeliever alike. The word comes from the same root as rahm (womb), a reminder of the closeness and care that mercy implies. It is used in the Quran almost like a proper name for Allah, and it opens every surah but one in the Basmalah.
Ar-Rahman in the Quran
Ar-Rahman appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. Two of the verses where it occurs:
ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
The Beneficent, the Merciful.
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
He is Allah, than Whom there is no other Allah, the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible. He is the Beneficent, Merciful.
Reflection
Every breath, meal and kindness we receive is a trace of this mercy. Remembering it softens the heart and encourages us to show mercy to others.
Related names: mercy and love
Frequently asked questions
What does Ar-Rahman mean?
Ar-Rahman (الرَّحْمَٰنُ) means "The Most Gracious, the Entirely Merciful". Ar-Rahman describes a mercy that is vast and all-encompassing, reaching every created being in this world, believer and unbeliever alike. The word comes from the same root as rahm (womb), a reminder of the closeness and care that mercy implies. It is used in the Quran almost like a proper name for Allah, and it opens every surah but one in the Basmalah.
Is Ar-Rahman mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Ar-Rahman is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah Al-Fatihah 1:3 and Surah Al-Hashr 59:22.
The list of 99 names follows the order of the narration in Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3507, without the name “Allah”, and adds Al-Ahad from Sunan Ibn Majah 3861. The hadith that Allah has ninety-nine names is in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677. Quran text: Tanzil (Uthmani); translation: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930, public domain).