The blessed month of Ramadan is a month of returning—returning to the Qur’an, to worship, and most importantly to a deeper understanding of who Allah, the Most High is. At the heart of that understanding are two of His most repeated and beloved Names: Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem. Nearly every surah of the Qur’an begins with Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem, reminding us that Allah, the Most High, introduces Himself first and foremost through mercy. Allah says, “My mercy encompasses all things” (Qur’an Surat Al-Araf:156), a verse that reflects the vast and all-encompassing nature of Ar-Rahman—the One whose mercy surrounds every part of creation, believers and nonbelievers alike. This mercy is evident in the blessings we often overlook: life, provision, family, guidance, and the alternation of night and day. It is a mercy that existed before we ever turned toward Him and continues regardless of our shortcomings.
Ar-Raheem, however, speaks to a more specific and continuous mercy—one especially connected to those who believe and strive to return to Him. Allah says, “And He is Ever Merciful to the believers” (Qur’an Surat Al-Ahzab:43). This is the mercy that receives repentance with forgiveness and multiplies even the smallest deeds. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, conveyed Allah’s promise in a hadith qudsi: “O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and hope in Me, I will forgive you for what you have done, and I will not mind” (Tirmidhi). In another narration, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child” (Bukhari and Muslim). Together, these teachings show that Allah’s mercy is not something we must earn before approaching Him; rather, it is His mercy that invites us to approach Him in the first place.
Ramadan is the month in which these Names are most vividly experienced. It is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed (Qur’an Surat Al-Baqarah:185), the month in which the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed (Bukhari and Muslim), and the month in which deeds are multiplied. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward will have his previous sins forgiven” (Bukhari and Muslim). Hunger humbles us, prayer softens us, and nightly du‘a reminds us that Allah’s door is always open. We fast not to punish ourselves, but to cultivate taqwa, as Allah says, “O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you… that you may become conscious” (Qur’an Surat Al-Baqarah:183). Our worship in this month is fueled not only by fear of accountability, but by hope in a Lord whose mercy outweighs His wrath.
For families, especially children, these Names become real not through lectures but through lived experience. Children understand mercy instinctively—they recognize it in patience, forgiveness, and gentleness. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Show mercy to those on the earth, and the One above the heavens will show mercy to you” (Tirmidhi). When mistakes are met with guidance instead of anger, when questions are welcomed, and when forgiveness is practiced openly, the Names Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem move from abstract theology into daily life. Allah commands, “Call upon Allah or call upon Ar-Rahman; whichever you call—His are the Most Beautiful Names” (Qur’an Surat Al-Israh:110). Making du‘a aloud using these Names plants seeds of certainty in young hearts and teaches that turning back to Allah is always possible.
To honor Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem is to strive to reflect mercy in our own character. The Prophet, peace and blessing upon him, embodied this quality, and Allah, the Most High, described him as “a mercy to the worlds” (Qur’an 21:107). In Ramadan, as we seek forgiveness and extend kindness, we model for the next generation that Islam is not merely a set of rules, but a relationship with a Lord whose compassion precedes His judgment. Ar-Rahman reminds us that Allah’s mercy surrounds us even when we forget Him, and Ar-Raheem assures us that when we remember Him again, He receives us with forgiveness and love. May this Ramadan deepen our understanding of these Beautiful Names, soften our hearts toward one another, and raise generations who know Allah first and foremost as The Most Merciful.
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