The Name ar-Rahman occurs frequently in the Qur’an, for example in Surat al-Fatiha. It says here that Allah is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. For example, Allah says: “My Mercy encompasses all things.” ((1)). So Allah is also merciful to non-Muslims. However, this Mercy of Allah is only for this world. This is in contrast to the Naam ar-Rahim [The Merciful] which refers to the Mercy of Allah to the Muslims in the afterlife.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The Rahma of Allah [figuratively speaking] is divided into a hundred parts, 99 of which are with Allah and one is given to all creation, by which they exercise mercy among themselves, and Allah will manifest the remaining 99 parts on the Day of Judgment in the Hereafter.”2
By this the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم means that the mercy of all creation is nothing compared to the mercy of Allah.
In another tradition we read that a woman was in a panic looking for her child on a battlefield. When she found it, she wanted to breastfeed out of mercy for her child. Thereupon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked the Companions if it was possible that she would throw her child into the fire. The Companions replied: “No.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Allah is more Merciful to His creation than this woman is to her child.
The Mercy of Allah is so great that even Muslims will marvel in the Hereafter. In a Hadith Qudsi we read that Allah says: “My Mercy will prevail over My Evil.”3
We should also have this mercy in our own lives. Don’t look angry and don’t push people away from yourself through bad character. Thus says Allah: “Because of expressions of love and mercy from Allah you [Prophet] have been meek; if you had been hard-handed and rough-hearted, they would certainly have removed themselves from you.”4
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم dealt with difficult people, but was always merciful. That’s how we should be. If we do not do this, people will not associate with us and we will live a lonely life. You don’t need money or beauty for friendship. All you need is that you are beautiful inside. If the heart is beautiful, then someone also radiates beauty. If you live according to Islam, you will be loved. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah tells us that He will love someone who is a good Muslim and command the angels to love that person too. The angels will go to the creation and will make it known that Allah loves that person.
Be merciful to everyone on earth, so that the Merciful will also be merciful to you on the Day of Judgment.5 This mercy can turn a bad person into a person of the people of Jannah. Once upon a time there was a prostitute in the Sahara who found a well. The water was difficult and dangerous to reach, but she still made it to drink water. When she got back upstairs, she saw a dog that was thirsty. With this she went back into the well to fill her shoe with water for the dog. Allah has forgiven her for this act of mercy and she will go to Jannah because of it. On the other hand, there was a woman who locked up a cat, causing the cat to die. By this merciless act she will go to the Jahannam.
We should be especially merciful with our parents. Allah says: “Your Lord has prescribed to worship none other than Him and to show kindness to one’s parents. If one or both of them reach old age with you, never say “phew” to them, do not rebuke them and speak to them in a kind manner. Have mercy on them in a kind and humble way and pray as follows: My Lord, grant them mercy, because of the way they raised me when I was little.”
We deal with the Mercy of Allah every day, but we do not always realize this very well. Thus, the fact that there is a night to rest is a favor from Allah. Allah says: “And He has appointed for you the night and the day from His Mercy, that you may rest therein and that you may look forward to His bounty and that you may be thankful.”
Allah also says: “It is He Who sends forth the winds as good news for His mercy, and We send down pure [rain] water from the sky.”8
For example, there are several verses that show us how Merciful Allah is. There is even an entire chapter in the Qur’an called “Surat ar-Rahman”. This chapter mentions many favors that man has received from Allah.
1 Surah al-A’raf, verse 156
2 Bukhari
3 Muslim & Bukhari
4 Surat al-‘Imran, verse 159
5 Based on the Hadith: السماء في من يرحمكم الأرض أهل أرحموا الرحمن ، يرحمهم الراحمون
6 Surat al-Israa, verse 23 and 24
7 Surah al-Qasas, verse 73
8 Surat al-Furqan, verse 48
