Allah The Exalted — Page 37
Allah the Exalted 37 people who strive truly in the cause of God and withdraw from every darkness and disorder. By virtue of this grace, in the Holy Qur'an, God's name is Rahīm. Because the attribute of Rahīmiyyat is special and follows upon the fulfilment of certain conditions, it is mentioned after Rahmāniyyat, for Rahmāniyyat was manifested before Rahīmiyyat manifested itself. On account of this natural order Rahīmiyyat is mentioned after Rahmāniyyat in Sūrah Fatihah and Allah the Exalted says: الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ 42 This attribute is mentioned at several places in the Holy Qur'an. For instance, at one place it is said: و كَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا 43 This means that God's Rahīmiyyat is confined to the be- lievers and that a disbeliever and a rebellious one have no share in it. It is worthy of note that the operation of the attribute of Rahīmiyyat has been confined to the case of believers, but Rahmāniyyat is not so limited. Nowhere is it stated that God is Rahman towards believers. The mercy which is specially related to the believers is always described as Rahīmiyyat. At another place it is said: انَّ رَحْمَتَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ 44 The Rahīmiyyat of Allah is close to those who do their duty to the utmost. At another place it is said: انَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ 42 The Gracious, the Merciful' al-Fatihah, 1:3 [Publisher] 43 'And He is Merciful to the believers' al-Ahzāb, 33:44 [Publisher] 44 al-A'raf, 7:57 [Publisher]