Surah Al-Rahman – Abdul Bari Mohammed

Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful) is the 55th surah of the Quran. It has 78 verses and is counted as Meccan by most scholars; in the traditional order of revelation it is the 97th, after Ar-Rad. Named after the divine name with which it opens, it lists God's favours to humans and jinn, asking 31 times: "Which, then, of the favours of your Lord will you both deny?"

Meccan or Medinan?

Most early authorities held it to be Meccan, while others, such as Muqatil, counted it Medinan, a view reflected in its late place in the traditional chronology. Al-Qurtubi preferred the Meccan view, citing the report that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was beaten by Quraysh for reciting it aloud near the Ka'ba.

Themes

• The Most Merciful taught the Quran, created man and taught him clear speech (55:1–4), and set up the Balance so that people should not cheat in weighing (55:7–9).
• Humans created from clay like pottery and jinn from smokeless fire (55:14–15); the two seas that meet without mixing and yield pearls and coral (55:19–22).
• "All that is on earth will perish, and there remains the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honour" (55:26–27).
• The challenge to jinn and humans to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth (55:33).
• Two gardens for whoever fears standing before his Lord (55:46), and two more besides them (55:62): "Is the reward of goodness anything but goodness?" (55:60). In al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ describes two gardens of silver and two of gold.

The jinn's response

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet recited the whole surah to his Companions, who stayed silent; he told them the jinn had responded better, answering each refrain with "We deny none of Your favours, our Lord; all praise is Yours" (al-Tirmidhi, graded hasan). The popular saying that Al-Rahman is "the bride of the Quran" comes from a narration graded weak.

Related surahs

It follows Al-Qamar, also built on a refrain, and precedes Al-Waqia, which continues its portrayal of the Judgment and Paradise.