Surah Al-Rahman

The All-Beneficent

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Rahman and its name comes from the very first verse of this chapter.

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Rahman is the 55th chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

This chapter has 78 verses.

Place of Revelation

Some of the commentators consider Surah Al-Rahman to be a Makki chapter, or find its context similar to the Makki chapters. Other exegetes consider it to have been revealed in Medina.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-31

A discussion about Allah’s blessings given to people and the unified order in this world. The initial verses of Surah Al-Rahmaan start by counting the different blessings of Allah in this world including religion, the Quran, science, creation, etc... These verses describe the existing order within the bounties of Allah from the earth, the sky, human beings and the jinn in such a way that it becomes clear that this universe, from this world until the hereafter, has ONE unified order. All of the workings and dimensions of this universe are directly connected with the workings and dimensions of the next world in such a way that this world is another pillar leading to the completion and improvement of the next.

Verses 32-78

Describe the resurrection, and mention the rewards for those who do good and the punishments for those who commit evil. The final verses of this chapter describe the group of jinn and humans which will return to Allah and then see the rewards for all of their actions. Allah will count the blessings which He had given to them. Just as Allah’s benedictions were described in the previous section, they are mentioned in these verses as well. These verses also describe what the state of the sinners will be on that day.

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Benefit of Reciting this Surah

عن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله عليه و سلم: من قرأ سورة الرحمن أدّى شكر ما أنعم الله عليه

The Prophet of Allah has said: “Whoever recites Surah al-Rahmaan will be considered to have thanked Allah for whatever blessings He has given him.”

Verse 15: “And created the jinn out of a flame of a fire.”

وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ١٥ و قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرزاق، حدثنا معمر عن الزهري عن عروة عن عائشة، قالت: قال رسول‌الله صلی‌الله عليه و سلم: «خلقت الملائكة من نور و خلق الجان من مارج من نار و خلق آدم مما وصف لكم»

Imam Ahmad said that Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us from Mamar, from al-Zahri, from Urwah, from Aisha. She said that the Prophet of Allah said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and humans were created from whatever has been described for you.”

Verse 29: “Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him. Every day He is engaged in some work.”

يَسْأَلُهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ٢٩ عن منيب بن عبد الله بن منيب الأزدي عن أبيه قال: تلا رسول‌الله صلی‌الله عليه و سلم هذه الآية كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ‏ فقلنا: يا رسول‌الله و ما ذاك الشأن؟ قال: «أن يغفر ذنبا و يفرج كربا و يرفع قوما و يضع آخرين»

Munib ibn Abdullah narrates from Ibn Munib al-Azadi, from his father that the Prophet recited this verse “Every day He is engaged in some work.” We asked, “O Prophet of Allah! What is that ‘work?’” He replied: “It is forgiving sins, solving difficulties, and replacing one group of people with another.”

Verse 46: “For him who stands in awe of his Lord will be two gardens.”

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ٤٦ قال البخاري رحمه الله: حدثنا عبد الله بن أبي الأسود، حدثنا عبد العزيز بن عبد الصمد العمي، حدثنا أبو عمران الجوني عن أبي بكر بن عبد الله بن قيس، عن أبيه أن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله عليه و سلم قال: «جنتان من فضة آنيتهما و ما فيهما و جنتان من ذهب آنيتهما و ما فيهما و ما بين القوم و بين أن ينظروا إلى ربهم عز و جل إلا رداء الكبرياء على وجهه في جنة عدن

Al-Bukhari said that Abdullah ibn Abu al-Aswad reported from Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd al-Samad al-Ami, from Abu Imran al-Jawni, from Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Qays, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah said: “There are 2 gardens made of silver: their containers and whatever is in both of them; and there are 2 gardens made of gold: their containers and whatever is in both of them. Nothing stands between the people and them looking at their Lord, the Exalted and most Honoured, except the covering of glory on His face in the Garden of Eden.”

According to the Shia Traditions

Benefit of Reciting this Surah

عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ: لَا تَدَعُوا قِرَاءَةَ سُورَةِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَ الْقِيَامَ بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَقِرُّ فِي‏ قُلُوبِ‏ الْمُنَافِقِينَ‏ وَ يَأْتِي بِهَا رَبُّهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ وَ أَطْيَبِ رِيحٍ حَتَّى يَقِفَ مِنَ الله مَوْقِفاً لَا يَكُونُ أَحَدٌ أَقْرَبَ إِلَى الله مِنْهَا فَيَقُولُ لَهَا مَنِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَقُومُ بِكِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا يُدْمِنُ قِرَاءَتَكِ فَتَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ فَتَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهُهُمْ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمُ اشْفَعُوا فِيمَنْ أَحْبَبْتُمْ فَيَشْفَعُونَ حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى لَهُمْ غَايَةٌ وَ لَا أَحَدٌ يَشْفَعُونَ لَهُ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَ اسْكُنُوا فِيهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ.

Abu Baseer narrates from Abu Abdillah that he said: “Do not request people to recite Surah al-Rahmaan and do not insist on them reciting it because it will not stick with the hearts of hypocrites. Allah will bring it forth on the Day of Judgement in the form of the most beautiful human and with the most beautiful fragrance until it stands before Allah in a place nearest to Allah such than no one else can come close to it. Then Allah will say to it, ‘Who were the ones who stood by you in their lives and constantly recited you?’ It will answer, ‘O Allah! So and so did.’ Then, the faces of those people will turn white. Allah will say to them, ‘You may intercede on behalf of those whom you love.’ Then they will intercede on behalf of them until there is no one left. Then Allah will say to them, ‘Enter the Heaven and stay in whatever part of it that you like.’”

Verse 46: “For him who stands in awe of his Lord will be two gardens.”

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ٤٦ قال الصادق مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ الله يَرَاهُ وَ يَسْمَعُ مَا يَقُولُهُ وَ يَفْعَلُهُ مِنْ خَيْرٍ أَوْ شَرٍّ فَيَحْجُزُهُ‏ عَنْ‏ ذَلِكَ‏ الْقَبِيحِ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ

Imam al-Sadiq said: “Whoever knows that Allah is watching him, listening to whatever he says, and that Allah knows whether he performs good or bad actions, this should restrain one from performing evil actions.”

Verse 60: “Is the requital of goodness anything but goodness?”

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ٦٠ روى العياشي بإسناده عن الحسين بن سعيد عن عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سَالِمٍ‏ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله يَقُولُ: آيَةٌ فِي كِتَابِ الله مُسَجَّلَةٌ قُلْتُ مَا هِيَ قَالَ قَوْلُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ‏ هَلْ جَزاءُ الْإِحْسانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسانُ‏ جَرَتْ‏ فِي‏ الْكَافِرِ وَ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَ الْبَرِّ وَ الْفَاجِرِ مَنْ صُنِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَعْرُوفٌ فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُكَافِئَ بِهِ وَ لَيْسَتِ الْمُكَافَاةُ أَنْ يَصْنَعَ كَمَا صُنِعَ بِهِ بَلْ حَتَّى يَرَى مَعَ فِعْلِهِ لِذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُ الْفَضْلَ الْمُبْتَدَأَ

Al-Ayyashi narrates from al-Husayn ibn Saeed, from Uthman ibn Isa, from Ali ibn Saalim, that he said, “I heard Abu Abdullah saying: ‘There is a verse in the Book of Allah which is universal and completely inclusive.’ I asked, ‘Which verse is that?’ He said: ‘‘Is the requital of goodness anything but goodness,’ because it applies to disbelievers, believers, good people, and evil people. If someone is treated well, then he should return the favour. Returning the favour should not be done by simply treating the person just like you were treated; but rather, they should be treated better and given more. If you would have treated them the same, then they would have done more for you since that person had initiated (the kindness).’”

Verse 62: “Beside these two, there will be two [other] gardens”

وَمِنْ دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ٦٢ في قوله تعالى: «وَ مِنْ دُونِهِما جَنَّتانِ‏»: عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ سَيَابَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَتَعَجَّبُونَ‏ مِنَّا إِذَا قُلْنَا يَخْرُجُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ جَهَنَّمَ فَيَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ فَيَقُولُونَ لَنَا فَيَكُونُونَ مَعَ أَوْلِيَاءِ الله فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَقَالَ يَا عَلَاءُ إِنَّ الله يَقُولُ‏ وَ مِنْ دُونِهِما جَنَّتانِ‏ لَا وَ الله لَا يَكُونُونَ مَعَ أَوْلِيَاءِ الله‏

Al-Ala ibn Sayabah narrates from Abu Abdillah that he had said to him in regards to this verse that, “Surely people are amazed with us when we say that some people will leave hell and enter heaven. They say to us, ‘So these people will be with Allah’s most chosen people in heaven?’ He replied: ‘O Ala! Surely Allah says ‘Beside these two, there will be two [other] gardens.’ They will not, I swear to Allah, they will not be with Allah’s most chosen people.’”