Overview - Surah 55: ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful )
The Surah clearly indicates that Prophet Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet and Messenger for both human beings as well as Jinns. Allah's many blessings and favors are mentioned in this Surah. Human beings and Jinn are invited to remember these favors and not to deny Allah's blessings.
Sections:
- The various bounties of Allah.
- Everything is finite, but Allah is infinite. Everyone depends on Allah. The warnings to the guilty.
- The rewards for the righteous.
This Surah takes its name after the name of Allah mentioined in the first Ayat, الرَّحْمَـٰنُ "The Most Merciful" (55:1). This is the only Surah of the Qur'an that begins with a name of Allah, in this case, ar-Rahman.
There are 78 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 78 |
| Total Words * | 351 |
| Root Words * | 110 |
| Makki / Madani | Madani |
| Chronological Order* | 97th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
Astronomy (celestial mechanics) (solar and lunar orbits), Astronomy (sunrise) , Astronomy (sunset) , Date palms, Earth, Grain, Heaven (several) , Heaven (virgin mates of modest gaze) , Hell, Humankind, Humankind (creation of) (from clay), Hur al-Ayn, Jinn, Jinn (created of fire) , Judgement (Day) (flash of fire followed by smoke), Judgement (Day) (red like burning oil), Judgement (Day) (rent asunder), Pearls, Pomegranates, Qur’an, Ruby, Sea, Ships, Trees, Water (two great bodies of)
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This is the only Surah of the Qur’an in which besides men, the Jinn - who are the other creation of the earth endowed with freedom of will and action - have been directly addressed. Both men and Jinn have been made to realise the wonders of God’s power, His countless blessings, their own helplessness and accountability before Him, and have been warned of the evil consequences of His disobedience and made aware of the best results of His obedience. At several other places in the Qur’an there are clear pointers to show that like the men, the Jinn too are a creation who have been endowed with freedom of will and action and are accountable, who have been granted the freedom of belief and unbelief, of obedience and disobedience, and among them too there are the believers and the unbelievers, the obedient and the rebellious, as among human beings. And among them too there exist such groups as have believed in the Prophets sent by God and in the Divine Books. This Surah clearly points out that the message of the Prophet and the Qur’an is meant both for men and for Jinn and that his Prophethood is not restricted to human beings alone.
Although in the beginning of the Surah the address is directed only to human beings, for to them only belongs the vicegerent of the earth, among them only have the Messengers of God been raised, and in their tongues only have the Divine Books been revealed, yet from verse 13 onwards both the men and the Jinn have been addressed and one and the same invitation has been extended to both.
- The Ayat revolve around the manifestation of the Rahmah [mercy] of Allah.
- The Surah begins with the name of Allah and ends guiding the reader to glorify His name:
الرَّحْمَـٰنُ "The Most Merciful." (55:1)
تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ "Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor." (55:78)
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
- There are 55 Ayat in Surah al-Qamar. Surah ar-Rahman is Surah no. 55.
- Surah al-Qamar ends with mentioning that the Believers will be with the King. Surah ar-Rahman begins with who this King is - He is ar-Rahman [the Most Merciful]
فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٍ مُّقْتَدِرٍ "In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour) (54:55)
الرَّحْمَـٰنُ "The Most Merciful." (55:1) - Both Surah al-Qamar and ar-Rahman end with the mention of Paradise.
- Both Surah ar-Rahman and al-Waqiah end with similar Ayat
تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ "Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor." (55:78)
فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ "So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great." (56:96)
- حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ وَاقِدٍ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ السَّعْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُورَةَ الرَّحْمَنِ مِنْ أَوَّلِهَا إِلَى آخِرِهَا فَسَكَتُوا فَقَالَ " لَقَدْ قَرَأْتُهَا عَلَى الْجِنِّ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ فَكَانُوا أَحْسَنَ مَرْدُودًا مِنْكُمْ كُنْتُ كُلَّمَا أَتَيْتُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِِ : ( فبأَىِّ آلاَءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ) قَالُوا لاَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ نِعَمِكَ رَبَّنَا نُكَذِّبُ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّ
Muhammad bin Al Munkadir narrated that, "Jabir [may Allah be pleased with him] said: “The Messenger of Allah came out to his Companions, and recited Surat Ar-Rahman from its beginning to its end for them, and they were silent. So he said: ‘I recited it to the Jinns on the ‘Night of the Jinns,’ and they had a better response to it than you did. Each time I came to Allah’s saying: ‘Which of your Lords favor do you deny.’ They said: “We do not deny any of Your favors our Lord! And Yours is praise.” Tirmidhee no. 3291
- This Surah address both Mankind and Jinn together - فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ "So which of the favors of your Lord would you [both] deny?" (55:16)
- The following Ayat has been repeated 30 times in this Surah, فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ "So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?" (55:16)
- (55:33) is the longest Ayat of this Surah with 16 words,
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ "O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah]" (55:33)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = * | ||
Tafsir Zone
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Sayyid Qutb Overview (Verses 37 - 45) The Last Day The surah devotes its remaining part to images and scenes of the Last Day, starting with a universal upheaval, followed by images of reckoning, requital and reward. This commences with an image of the universe that fits with the opening of the surah: "When the sky is rent asunder and becomes rose-red like [burning] oil." (Verse 37) We are introduced to a picture of the sky turning rose-red or looking like a red rose and flowing like oil. The sum of the verses describing the universe on the Day of Judgement confirm the total destruction of all celestial bodies, after they break loose of the system which controls their operation and coordinates their orbits and movements. One of these verses is the one we are now discussing. Others may be cited, such as: "When the earth is violently shaken and the mountains crumble away and scatter abroad into fine dust." (56: 4 6) "When eyes are dazzled, and the moon eclipsed, and the sun and the moon are brought together." (75: 7-9) "When the sun is darkened, when the stars fall and disperse, when the mountains are made to move away, when the winds-, ten months pregnant, are left untended, when the wild beasts are brought together, when the seas are set alight." (81: 1-6) "When the sky is cleft asunder, when the stars are scattered, when the oceans are made to explode..." (82: 1-3) "When the sky is rent asunder, obeying her Lord in true submission; when the earth is stretched out and casts forth all that is within her and becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission!" (84: 1-5) All these verses, and many others, refer to this great event that will overcome the entire universe, the nature of which is known only to God. "When the sky is rent asunder and becomes rose-red like [burning] oil." (Verse 37) The same question is again asked: "Which, then, of your Lord's blessings do you both deny?" (Verse 38) No denial can then be either contemplated or uttered. "On that day neither mankind nor jinn will be asked about their sins." (Verse 39) This applies to a particular situation on that day when all will be present. It is a day with different situations: in some people will be questioned and in some others no question will be put to them. In some, every soul will argue its own case, trying to put the blame on its associates, and in others no word of argument or dispute will be allowed. It is a long, extended day, with many positions and situations, each of which is awesome, and each is witnessed by multitudes of creatures. This verse speaks of a particular situation when no human or jinn will be asked about their sins. Everything is already well known, and the deeds of all are out in the open. Signs of misery appear as black on some faces, and signs of triumph appear white on others. Every face tells of what is going to happen. Can there by any denial on that day? "The guilty ones will be known by their mark and shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet." (Verse 41) This is a scene that combines force with humiliation: forelocks and feet are tied together and the guilty are so cast into hell. Can there be any denial then? As this is going on, the surah addresses its audience, as if they are witnessing this continuing process of casting the guilty, with their forelocks and feet combined, into hell: "This is the hell which the guilty deny." (Verse 43) It is present here, as you are now seeing it. "They will go round between its flames and scalding water." (Verse 44) It is exceedingly hot; they have nowhere to go other than round and between the flames and scorching fluids. Look at them as they go round now: "Which, then, of your Lord's blessings do you both deny?" (Verse 45) This is all that is said about those enduring this most painful suffering. The surah then turns its attention to those enjoying honour and bliss. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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- Surah 55. Ar-Rahman - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJ3k0YTBs8&index=55&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 55. Ar-Rahman Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g3KMzGZ_EI&index=55&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 55. Ar-Rahman Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3q29pvDkl4
- Idris Akbar Surah Ar-Rahman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vua7KTHLF_M
- Surah 55. Ar-Rahman Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otW1VxWD5EE&index=55&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
