"Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem" (Surah Fatiha Verse 2)
Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem are two names of Allah that stem from mercy. It is usually translated as “The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful.” They both sound similar; what is the distinction between the two? Why are they used one after the other?
When two words are close to each other and similar in meaning, it is to highlight the differences between the two. When two similar words are found apart from each other they can mean the same thing, when they are found close to one another they mean different things.
Ar-Rahman linguistically means mercy that is extreme, temporary, and immediate. For example, thirst is also extreme, temporary (until you do something to remove it), and immediate. Anger is also temporary, extreme, and immediate.
When you say somebody is merciful, its is a quality that person tends to have. When you say that somebody is being merciful, it is immediate. If you are in trouble, you are only soothed if the person has the quality NOW. If you are waiting for a friend and he tends to be punctual, you are still not going to be soothed until you see his car pulling in to pick you up. He could still be late. You wan't to know for sure that he will be punctual today, and now.
Ar-Raheen has the quality of mercy that is dormant. It doesn't necessarily imply action taking place. It implies mercy that is constant and long lasting.
Allah is telling us He is Ar-Rahman to secure our immediate concerns. We know that Allah is merciful, but we want to know that He will shower His mercy on us at this very moment because we are in dire need of it. And He is also telling us that He is Ar-Raheem to secure our future concerns. We want to know that Allah will continue to shower His mercy on us. Allah has covered mercy in all possible ends.
Ibn Abbas said about this ayah that Ar-Rahman is for the creatures of this world (immediate mercy), and Ar-Raheem is for the aakhirah (a constant, long lasting mercy for the hereafter).
The reason Allah uses the name Ar-Rahman in Suratur Rahman is because He mentions specific instances and situations in which He is Ar-Rahman, because the blessings that He has given us in this life are immediate and temporary. It will remain there unless there something to remove it, such as His anger.
In the third verse, Allah says that He is Maaliki Yawmiddeen; Owner and King of the Day of Judgement. He adds this to balance out His Mercifulness and remind His slaves that even though He is the Most Merciful, we are still accountable on the Day of Judgement. Some Muslims have started to develop a way of thinking that even if we sin, it is okay and Allah will forgive us.
Allah's mercy is unfathomable. If you compare Allah's mercy to an ocean that is wild, raging, and unpredictable, that is Ar-Rahman. And you can compare his mercy to a calm and peaceful ocean, that is Ar-Raheem. We cannot fathom an ocean that has both qualities at once. That is Allah's mercy. We cannot comprehend it.
