Surah Ar-Rahmaan: Verse 1 - الرحمن... - English

Linkage of the Surah and the Wisdom of Repeating the words, 'Which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?'

The preceding Surah Al-Qamar was mainly concerned with some of the rebellious nations of antiquity who were punished for rejecting the Divine Message. The description of every punishment was followed by the sentence: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ‌ (Then how was My torment and My warnings? ...54:16). This sentence was repeated many times in order to warn people against similar Divine punishment. Another verse that was repeated as a refrain at telling intervals is وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْ‌نَا الْقُرْ‌آنَ لِلذِّكْرِ‌ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ‌ “ And indeed We have made the Qur'an easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to seek advice?...54:17). This verse urges people to accept the Qur'anic Message, believe in it and follow its right guidance.

Surah Ar-Rahman, on the other hand, mainly describes the boons and bounties of Allah, of this world as well as of the Hereafter. Thus when a particular bounty of Allah is described, the verse: فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ fa-bi-ayyi' ala'i Rabbikuma tukadhdhiban (So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) is used deliberately as a refrain in order to awaken the people and urge them to give thanks to Allah for His favours. This verse is repeated thirty-one times in the Surah. According to the rules of stylish usage, repetition of an expression serves the deliberate purpose of 'emphasis'. Especially, the repetition in these two Surahs of the Qur'an is repetition only in apparent form. In reality, the repeated sentence is each time related to a new subject, and having its own significance, cannot be taken as redundant. In Surah Al-Qamar, the فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ‌ (Then how was My torment 54:16) has followed the description of each new torment. Likewise, in Surah Ar-Rahman, after the description of every new bounty the verse فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (So, (0 mankind and Jinn,) which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) is repeated, which being related to a new subject is not redundant. ` Allamah Suyati (رح) terms this device of repetition as At-tardid. Arab masters of eloquence, regard this device as aesthetically beautiful, polished, effective, moving, forceful and persuasive use of language. The device is used both in prose as well as in poetry. It is used not only in Arabic but [ almost in all the languages of the world, as for instance ] the most accomplished and consummate poets of Persian and Urdu have used them. This is no occasion to collect samples of their compositions here. Tafsir Rah-ul-Ma` ani has collected its several examples on this occasion.

Was Surah Ar-Rahman Revealed in Makkah or Madinah?

On the basis of a few narratives Imam Qurtubi concluded that this Surah was revealed in Makkah, and he prefers this view. Tirmidhi records from Sayyidna Jabir ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this Surah before some people who remained silent. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

"I recited this Surah to the Jinns, on the night of Jinn, and their receptive response was better than yours! Whenever I recited Allah's statements فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (So, (0 mankind and Jinn,) which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) They said: لَا بِشیءِ مِّن نِّعَمِکَ رَبَّنَا نُکَذِّبُ فَلَکَ الحَمد 'None of your bounties do

we deny, our Lord! All praise is due to You'.

This narrative indicates that this Surah was revealed in Makkah, because 'the night of the Jinn' refers to the night when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ met the Jinns to convey to them the Message of the Qur'an and impart knowledge to them. This incident took place in Makkah. Likewise, Imam Qurtubi refers to a few more narratives which indicate that this Surah was revealed in Makkah.

The opening word of the first verse of the Surah is Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful). One of the reasons for beginning the Surah with this name of Allah is presumably that the infidels of Makkah were unaware of this name of Allah. They used to say, وَمَا الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنُ "What is Ar-Rahman? " [ as mentioned in 25:60] This name has been selected here to let them know it.

The second reason could be to indicate that teaching the Qur'an, which has been mentioned in the next verse as Allah's act, was a sheer gift flowing from Allah's beneficence, and not because this or any other act is obligatory on Allah for which He could be held responsible, nor because He is in need of anyone.

In the entire Surah, Allah's bounties - worldly as well spiritual - are continuously recounted. The greatest of all bounties is the knowledge of the Holy Qur'an, because it is an all-comprehensive Book directing man in temporal and spiritual matters and in matters relating to this world and the next. Those who heeded the Holy Qur'an and fulfilled its right, like the blessed Companions, Allah raised their status in the Hereafter and blessed them with inconceivable bounties and favours. In this world too they are promoted to such high stations as the greatest of kings were not able to attain.

Which was revealed in Makkah

Imam Ahmad recorded that Zirr said that a man said to Ibn Mas`ud: "How is this recited: "Ma'in Ghayri Yasin or Asin" He asked him, "Are you that proficient in reciting the whole Qur'an" He replied, "I recite the Mufassal section in one Rak`ah." So he said, "Woe to you! Do you recite the Qur'an in haste, as if it is poetry I know that the Prophet used to recite two Surahs from the beginning of the Mufassal section (in one Rak`ah)." And Ibn Mas`ud considered Surat Ar-Rahman to be the beginning of the Mufassal section. Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhi recorded that Jabir said, "The Messenger of Allah went to his Companions and recited Surat Ar-Rahman from beginning to end for them, but they did not say anything. The Prophet said,

(I recited it to the Jinns, on the night of the Jinns and their response was better than yours! Whenever I recited Allah's statement: (Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)( They said, "None of Your favors do we deny, our Lord! All praise is due to you.") At-Tirmidhi recorded it and he said, "This Hadith is Gharib." Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar also collected this Hadith. Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah recited Surat Ar-Rahman, or it was recited before him, and he said,

(Why do I hear the Jinn giving a better response to their Lord than you) They said, "Why is that, O Allah's Messenger" He said,

(Whenever I recited the statement of Allah the Exalted, (Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)( The Jinn responded by saying, "None of the favors of our Lord do we deny.")" Al-Hafiz Al-Bazzar also collected this Hadith.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Ar-Rahman revealed and taught the Qur'an

Allah informs of His favors and His mercy for His creatures, for He revealed the Qur'an to His servants, He made memorizing and understanding of it easy for those on whom He has bestowed His mercy,

(Ar-Rahman! He has taught the Qur'an. He created man. He taught him Al-Bayan.) Al-Hasan said: "Eloquent speech." This refers to Allah teaching the Qur'an, that is, teaching the servants how to recite it by making it easy for them to speak and pronounce letters with the various parts of the mouth, such as the alveolar bridge, the tongue and the lips

Among Allah's Signs: the Sun, the Moon, the Sky and the Earth

Allah said,

(The sun and the moon (run) on fixed courses.) They move in their orbit in perfect succession, according to precise calculation that is never delayed nor disturbed,

(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),

((He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for calculating. Such is the measuring of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.) (6:96), Allah said,

(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." Similar was said by Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi and Sufyan Ath-Thawri. This is what Ibn Jarir preferred, may Allah have mercy upon him. Mujahid said, "An-Najm (the star); the one that is in the sky." Al-Hasan and Qatadah said similarly. This is the saying that is the most obvious, and Allah knows best, for Allah the Exalted said,

(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) Allah's statement,

(And the heaven He has raised high, and He has set up the balance.) meaning the justice, as He said in another Ayah,

(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.)(57:25) Allah said here,

(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,

(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,

(And weigh with the true and straight balance.)(26:182) Allah said,

(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.

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

(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. Allah said,

(And also corn, with (its) `Asf, and Rayhan.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that in,

(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. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that Rayhan means green leaves. The meanings here, and Allah knows best, are the various crops that produce straw, such as wheat and barley, and Rayhan are the leaves that grow on the stems.

Mankind is surrounded by Allah's Favors

(13. 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" Muj ahid and others said this, and itis apparent when one reads what comes af ter it . Meaning the favors that are obvious to youwhile you are surrounded by them, you cannot deny or rej ect them. So we say, just as thebelievers among the Jinns said, "O Allah! None of Your favors do we deny. All praise is due toYou. " Ibn ` Abbas used to say, "Nay, our Lord! " meaning, "None of Your favors do we deny. "