All Surahs
Surah 55Madani

الرحمن

The Most Merciful

Ar Rahman

Also known as: 'Arus al-Quran (The Bride of the Quran)

Verses

78

Revelation

Madani

Period

Madinan

Surah No.

55 / 114

Overview

Ar-Rahman is one of the most celebrated and beautiful surahs of the Quran, named after the divine attribute of boundless mercy. Its distinctive feature is the refrain "So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?" which appears thirty-one times, challenging both mankind and jinn to acknowledge divine blessings. The surah surveys creation – from the rising of the sun and moon to the meeting of the two seas – and contrasts the terrible scenes of the Day of Judgement with the magnificent descriptions of two pairs of paradisiacal gardens awaiting the righteous.

أسباب النزول

Occasion of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

Scholars disagree on whether this is Makkan or Madinan; the majority view leans towards Medinan revelation though some scholars argue for a Makkan origin. It is reported that the Prophet recited this surah to the companions who were moved to respond to each refrain with "And none of Your favours do we deny, our Lord." A celebrated tradition states that the Prophet recited it to the jinn who responded appropriately to each refrain.

Key Themes

The divine attribute of boundless mercy as the surah's foundationDivine blessings in the heavens, earth, and seasThe refrain challenging mankind and jinn to acknowledge favoursThe terrors of Judgement Day for the disbelieversTwo pairs of Gardens of Paradise with their varied pleasures

Notable Verses

55:1

“The Most Merciful.”

The unique one-word opening of the surah, beginning with the name of Allah that encompasses infinite mercy and compassion, making mercy the lens through which everything that follows is to be understood.

55:13

“So which of the favours of your Lord would you both deny?”

The iconic refrain of the surah, addressed to both mankind and jinn, repeated thirty-one times. Its rhythmic repetition is understood as a rhetorical device that mirrors the overwhelming abundance of divine blessings.