َّ ‫الر ْح َمـن‬ ‫ه‬

‫الر ِح ِيم‬ ِ ِ ‫ِب ْس ِم‬

َّ ‫اَّلل‬

Al Rahman: Surah 55 78 verses

Background:
Makki Surah
Hadith:
Al-Bazzar, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Al- Mundhir, Daraqutni (in Al Afrad), Ibn Marduyah and
Ibn Al Khatib (in Al- Tarikh) have related, on the authority of Hadrat Abdullah
bin Umar, that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) recited Surah Ar-Rahman himself, or heard it recited before him : then he
said to the people: How is it that I am not hearing from you the kind of good
answer that the jinn had given to their Lord?When the people asked what it
was he replied: "As I recited the Divine Words, Fa bi- ayyi alaa'i Rabbi-kuma
tukadhdhiban, the jinn in response would repeat the words La bi shai'in min
ni'mati Rabbi- na nukadhdhib : "We do not deny any of our Lord's blessings."
A similar theme has been related by Tirmidhi, Hakim and Hafiz Abu Bakr al-
Bazzar from Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah. Their tradition contains these words:
"When the people kept silent on hearing the Surah Ar-Rahman, the Holy
Prophet said 'I recited this very Surah before the jinn in the night when they
had gathered together to hear the Qur'an. They responded to it better than
you have. As I recited the Divine Words, Fa bi ayyi alaa'i Rabbikuma
tukadhdhiban ("O jinn and men, which blessings of your Lord will you deny?")
they would respond to it, saying: O our Lord, do not deny any of your blessings
Praise is for You alone'!"

Only Surah of 114 that named after Allah’s attributes.

Manifestation of Allah’s mercy on us.
Reason for revelation: Nothing mentioned directly only deduction. Some used
to deny the attribute Al Rahman.
1)
25:60
‫الر ْح َم ُن أَنَ ْس ُج ُد ِل َما تَأ ْ ُم ُرنَا‬
َّ ‫لر ْح َم ِن قَالُوا َو َما‬
َّ ‫َو ِإذَا قِي َل لَ ُه ُم ا ْس ُجدُوا ِل‬
ً ُ‫َوزَ ا َد ُه ْم نُف‬
‫ورا‬
And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!'' They say:
"And what is Ar-Rahman Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you
command us'' And it increases in them only aversion.)

Hudaibiyah: Suhail ibn Amru’s refusal to rcognise the name Al Rahman

When Suhayl bin `Amr came, he said to the Prophet , `Please conclude a peace
treaty with us.' So, the Prophet called `Ali bin Abi Talib and said to him,
َّ ‫الر ْحمن‬
»‫الر ِحيم‬
‫ه‬
َّ ‫اَّلل‬ ‫م‬ ْ ‫بب‬
‫س‬ ْ ‫« ْاك ُت‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
(Write: In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim.) Suhayl bin `Amr said, `As
for Ar-Rahman, by Allah, I do not know what it means. So write: By Your Name,
O Allah, as you used to write previously.' The Muslims said, `By Allah, we will
not write except: By the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim.' The Prophet
said,
ْ َ ْ ْ ُْ
»‫اس ِمك الل ُهم‬‫«اكتب ِب‬

2) to refute those who claimed SAW was taught by

‫ان الَّذِي يُ ْل ِحد ُونَ ِإلَ ْي ِه‬

ُ ‫س‬َ ‫َولَقَ ْد نَ ْعلَ ُم أَنَّ ُه ْم يَقُولُونَ ِإنَّ َما يُعَ ِل ُمهُ بَش ٌَر ِل‬

ٌ ‫ي ُّم ِب‬
‫ين‬ ٌ ‫س‬
ٌّ ِ‫ان َع َرب‬ ٌّ ‫أ َ ْع َج ِم‬
َ ‫ي َوهَـذَا ِل‬
16:103 And, indeed, full well do We know that they say, "It is but a human
being that imparts [all] this to him! [129] -[notwithstanding that] the tongue of
him to whom they so maliciously point is wholly outlandish, [130] whereas this
is Arabic speech, clear [in itself] and clearly showing the truth [of its source

Introduction:
Al Rahman mentioned 57 times, 16 times in Surah Maryam
Extremely merciful, derived from Al Rahm (womb)- baby takn care off
Al Rahman : Rose over the throne: Unlike kings and presidents with their
pageantry and pomp..
Ayats are manifestation of His mercy. Single verse repeated 31 times in surah:
Rhetorical question repeated to deal with stubborn nature of Mushrikeen and
to show Allah’s anger.

Challenges the stubborn/ challenging nature of Mushrikeen who were now

very hostile,

َ‫آن َو ْالغ َْوا فِي ِه لَعَلَّ ُك ْم ت َ ْغ ِلبُون‬

ِ ‫َوقَا َل الَّذِينَ َكفَ ُروا ََل ت َ ْس َمعُوا ِل َهذَا ْالقُ ْر‬
41:26 NOW THOSE who are bent on denying the truth say [unto one another]: �Do
not listen to this Qur�an, but rather talk frivolously about it, so that you might
gain the upper hand!

Incident with Abdulla Masud reciting the qurn in front of th qurasih:

Mention who ibn Masud was (skinny legs, SAW made dua for him to master
Taweel)

Surah mentions: bounties, punishment, jannat, naar followed by a rhetorical

question…

‫الر ْح َمـن‬
َّ

the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Attribute of Allah that is part of His essence. Extends to all creatures…
َ ُْ ‫ه‬
‫َعل َم الق ْر َءان‬
He has taught the Qur'an.)
First bounty : best bounty is the quran. Mentioned bfore the creation of
man. Why?
Body needs nourishment = food
Soul needs nourishment = quran
Without quran man is nothing…worse than animals
He taught the quran: Process takes time….23 year with prophet….never
to late to study..small steps/..
Purpose of creation precedes creation of man
َ ‫َخ َل َق اإل‬
‫نس َـن‬ ِ
He created man
Purpose: worship
َ َ ُ َ‫َه‬
‫الب َيان‬ ‫علمه‬
He taught him Al-Bayan (eloquent speech)
Ability to utilise the thought process / reflection/make judgments/ ability
to distinguish is what differentiates us and the jinn from animals.
َ ْ ُ ْ َّ
‫س َوالق َم ُر ِب ُح ْس َبان‬ ‫الشم‬
The sun and the moon (run) on fixed courses. No deviation
As in surah Yasin
َ ََ ِ ُ َّ ُ ‫َ ه‬ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ
﴾ ‫س َي َنب ِ ِغ ل َهآ أن تد ِرك الق َم َر َوال ال ْي ُل َس ِابق الن َه ِار َوك ٌّل ِف فلك َي ْس َب ُحون‬
ُ ‫الش ْم‬ ‫ال‬

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.
They all float, each in an orbit.)(36:40

State of submission through natural laws.

Human beings should follow the legal path defind by revelation.

َ َّ َّ
‫َوالن ْج ُم َوالش َج ُر َي ْس ُجد ِان‬
And the Najm and the trees prostrating.) Ibn Jarir commented, "Scholars of
Tafsir disagreed over the meaning of Allah's statement, `And the Najm.' They
agreed, however, that the trees mentioned here are those that stand on
trunks.''`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "An-Najm refers to
the plants that lay on the ground.'
Plants without stalks.
Some said it means stars:
 َّ ُ ‫وم َو ْالج َب‬ ُّ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َّ َ
ُ ‫الن ُج‬ ٌّ ِ َ َ َ َ َّ ِ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ‫َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ه‬
‫ال َوالش َج ُر‬ ِ ‫و‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ال‬‫و‬ ‫س‬ ‫م‬‫الش‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬
ِ ‫ر‬ْ ‫اال‬ ‫ألم تر أن اَّلل يسجد له من ِف السمـو ِت ومن ِف‬
َّ َ ِّ ٌ َ َ ُّ َ َّ َ
﴾‫اس‬
ِ ‫والدوآب وك ِث ري من الن‬
(See you not that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and
the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and
the moving creatures, and many of mankind prostrate themselves to
Allah.)(22:18)

َ ْ َ َ
﴾ ‫الس َم َآء َرف َع َها َو َوض َع ال ِم ر َِيان‬
َّ ‫َو‬

(And the heaven He has raised high, and He has set up the balance

He said in another Ayah,

ْ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َِ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ِّ َ ْ َ َ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ
﴾‫اس ِبال ِق ْس ِط‬‫﴿لقد أرسلنا رسلنا ِبالبين ِـت وأنزلنا معهم ال ِكتـب وال ِم ريان ِليقوم الن‬

(Indeed, We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with
them the Book and the balance that mankind may keep up equity.

Scale = justice opposite to zulm

Harmony no chaos

Hadith:
َ َ َ ََ َ ُ ََْ ُ ُْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ُّ ُ ْ َّ َ ِ َ َ
‫س َوج َعلته بينك ْم ُمح َّر ًما فل تظال ُموا‬
ِ ‫قال هللا تبارك وتعاىل يا عبادي إ ِن حرمت الظلم عل ن‬
‫ف‬

I made injustice haram on me

ْ ِ ْ َ ْ َ َّ َ
﴾ ‫أال تطغ ْوا ِف ال ِم ر َِي ِان‬

(In order that you may not transgress the balance.) meaning, He created the
heavens and earth in justice and truth so that everything is founded on, and
observing, justice and truth. Allah's statement,
َ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ َ
﴾ ‫ِسوا ال ِم ر َِيان‬ ْ ْ َ َْْ ْ ُ ََ
ِ ‫﴿وأ ِقيموا الوزن ِبال ِقس ِط وال تخ‬

(And observe the weight with equity and do not make the balance deficient.)
meaning, do not cheat in the weights and measures, but rather observe justice
and fairness, DON’T SHORT CHANGE
 َ ‫َو ْي ٌل ِل ْل ُم‬
َ‫ط ِف ِفين‬
َ‫اس يَ ْست َ ْوفُون‬ ِ َّ‫الَّذِينَ ِإذَا ا ْكتَالُواْ َعلَى الن‬
َ‫َو ِإذَا َكالُو ُه ْم أَو َّوزَ نُو ُه ْم يُ ْخ ِس ُرون‬
WOE UNTO THOSE who give short measure those who, when they are to
receive their due from [other] people, demand that it be given in full but
when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give
less than what is due!
َ ْ َ ْ ْ ْ ُ َ
﴾ ‫اس ال ُم ْست ِق ِيم‬
ِ ‫و ِزنوا ِبال ِقسط‬
(And weigh with the true and straight balance

َ ٌّ َ َ ْ ٌّ َ
﴾ ‫ض َوض َع َها ِلالن ِام‬‫واالر‬

(And the earth He has put down (laid) for Al-Ana'm.) Allah raised the heavens
and put down, or laid, the earth and balanced it with firm mountains, so that it
would be stable for its residents that live on it, i.e. the various types and kinds
of creatures, different in species, shape, color and language. Ibn `Abbas,
Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said that Al-An'am means the creatures

ٌ َ
﴾‫ِف َيها ف ِـك َهة‬

(Therein are fruits,) of various colors, taste and scent,

ْ ٌّ ُ َ ْ َّ َ
﴾‫﴿والنخ ُل ذات االك َم ِام‬

(and date palms producing Akmam.) Allah mentioned the date tree here
specifically because of its benefit, both fresh and dry. Ibn Jurayj reported that
Ibn `Abbas said said Al-Akmam, means sheathed fruit stalks. Similar was said
by more than one of the scholars of Tafsir, it refers to the stalks that the seeds
grow in to become a cluster of dates, unripe green dates then they ripen and
ripen more
 ُ َّ ‫ب ُذو ْال َع ْصف َو‬
﴾ ‫الر ْي َحان‬ ُّ ‫َو ْال َح‬
ِ

(And also corn, with (its) `Asf), `Asf means straw.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn
`Abbas, "`Asf is green leaves cut from the stem, so it is called `Asf when it dries
out.'' Similarly, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Abu Malik said that `Asf means straw.
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others said that Rayhan means leaves, while Al-Hasan
said that it means sweet-scented plants

ِّ َ ُ ُ
﴾‫االء َ ِّربك َما تكذ َب ِان‬ َ ِّ َ َ
ِ ‫ف ِبأى ء‬

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny) meaning, "O
mankind and Jinn, which of the favors that Allah has given to you do you deny''

َّ َ ْ َ ْ َ ‫َخ َل َق اإل‬
– ‫نس َـن ِمن َصل َصـل كالفخ ِار‬ ِ
He created man from sounding clay like the clay of pottery.

Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said that Allah's Messenger said,

ُ َ َ
»‫ف لكم‬
َ َ ُ َ ُّ ْ َ ُ
‫ َوخ ِلق آد ُم ِم َّما ُو ِص‬،‫ َوخ ِلق ال َجان ِم ْن َم ِار ٍج ِم ْن ن ٍار‬،‫ور‬
ُ ْ ُ َ ََْ َ ُ
ٍ ‫خ ِلق ِت المال ِئكة ِمن ن‬ «
(The angels were created from light, the Jinns from a smokeless flame of fire,
and `Adam from what was described to you.) Muslim also collected this Hadith.

Ayah: From His signs He created

Lesson:

Puts man in his place. Created from dirt / insult to be compared to dirt.

Mushrikeen of Mecca very proud / arrogant

َّ َّ ْ َ َ َ
‫َوخلق ال َجآن ِمن َّم ِار ٍج ِّمن ن ٍار‬

And the Jinn He created from a smokeless flame of fire.

ِّ َ ُ ُ
– ‫االء َ ِّربك َما تكذ َب ِان‬ َ ِّ َ َ
ِ ‫ف ِبأى ء‬

Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny
 ِ ‫ي َو َر ُّب ْال َم ْغر َب ْر‬
–‫ي‬ ِ ‫َر ُّب ْال َم ِْْس َق ْر‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
((He is) the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests.) meaning the
sunrise of summer and winter and the sunset of summer and winter. Allah said
in another Ayah,
َ ْ َ ْ َُْ َ
﴾‫﴿فال أق ِس ُم ِب َر ِّب ال َمش ِـر ِق َوال َمغ ِـر ِب‬

(So, I swear by the Lord of all the points of sunrise and sunset in the east and
the west.)(70:40), referring to the different places from which the sun rises and
then sets on people every day.
ِّ َ ُ ُ
﴾ ‫االء َ ِّربك َما تكذ َب ِان‬ َ ِّ َ َ
ِ ‫ف ِبأى ء‬

Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny
َْ ْ
-‫َم َر َج ال َب ْح َر ْي ِن َيلت ِق َي ِان‬

Made two seas of flowing water meet

ً ً ً َ َ ٌ ‫ات َو َه َـذا م ْل ٌح ُأ َج‬

﴾ ‫اج َو َج َع َل َب ْين ُه َما َب ْرزخا َو ِح ْجرا َّم ْح ُجورا‬
ٌ َُ ٌ ْ َ َ َ َْ ْ َْ َ ََ ‫ُ ه‬
‫َوه َو ال ِذى مرج البحري ِن هـذا عذب فر‬
ِ

(And it is He Who has let free the two seas: one palatable and sweet, and the
other salty and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition
between them.)(25:53)

‫سائِ ٌغ ش ََرابُهُ َو َهذَا ِم ْل ٌح أ ُ َجا ٌج‬ ِ ‫َو َما يَ ْست َ ِوي ْالبَ ْح َر‬
ٌ ‫ان َهذَا َع ْذ‬
ٌ ‫ب فُ َر‬
َ ‫ات‬
hus, the two great bodies of water [on earth] are not alike [11] the one sweet,
thirst-allaying, pleasant to drink, and the other salty and bitter:
َّ ٌ َ َ
-‫َب ْين ُه َما َب ْرزخ ال َي ْب ِغ َي ِان‬

Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress.

ّ َ ُ َ َ
-‫ف ِبأ ّى ءاآلء َ ّربك َما ِتكذ َب ِان‬

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)
ُ َ ‫َي ْخ ُر ُج م ْن ُه َما ُّال ْلؤ ُل ُؤ َو‬
-‫الم ْر َجان‬ ِ
 (Out of them both come out pearls and Al-Marjan. ) pearls are well-known. As
for Marjan they say it means small pearls
َّ ُ ُ َ َ َ
-‫ف ِبأ ّى ءاالء َرّبك َما تكذ َب ِان‬

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)

َْْ َ ْ ِ ُ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َ
-‫َوله ال َج َو ِار ال ُمنشئات ِف ال َب ْح ِر كاالعل ِـم‬

And His are Al-Jawar Al-Munsha'at), meaning the ships that float in the sea like
mountains
َّ ُ ُ َ َ
﴾‫ف ِبأ ّى ءاآلء َرّبك َما تكذ َب ِان‬

Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)

َ َ ُ
‫ك ُّل َم ْن َعل ْي َها فان‬
Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.
ُ َّ ٌ َ ْ َْ ُّ ُ
﴾‫شء ه ِالك ِإال َو ْج َهه‬ ‫كل‬

(Everything will perish save His Face.)(28:88)

ْ ْ ْ ُ َ ُ َ
‫َو َي ْبق َو ْجه َ ِّربك ذو ال َجل ِـل َو ِاإلك َر ِام‬
And the Face of your Lord Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram will remain forever.)

ُ َ ُ ِّ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ‫َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ه‬
﴾‫ش ُي ِريدون َو ْج َهه‬ِ ‫واص ِ ْي نفسك مع ال ِذين يدعون رب ـهم ِبالغد ِاة والع‬

(And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and
afternoon, seeking His Face.)(18:28), And as He said about those giving charity:
‫ُ َ ْ ه‬ ْ ُ َّ
ِ ‫﴿إن َما نط ِع ُمك ْم ِلوج ِه‬
﴾‫اَّلل‬ ِ
(We feed you seeking Allah's Face only.)(76:9
Ibn `Abbas commented on the meaning of Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram, by saying,
"Owner of greatness and pride

ِّ َ ُ ُ
‫االء َ ِّربك َما تكذ َب ِان‬‫ء‬َ ‫َفب َأ ِّى‬
ِ ِ

Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)