Islamic Studies

How to Receive Allah's Special Mercy: Amatullah

Bismillah

The two Names of Allah ta’ala, Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem, denote the vast mercy of our Rabb. These two Names of Allah have the same root which emphasizes that Allah is really The MOST Merciful and that there is no one else who is more merciful than Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

What exactly is the difference between these two Names? The scholars say that Ar-Rahmaan indicates the One who has extensive and great mercy and applies to all of Allah’s creation, including disbelievers. On the other hand, the Name Ar-Raheem is the One who has extensive and great mercy but He expresses it on the ones whom He chooses; this is Allah’s special mercy only for the believers.

So, how is it that one can receive this special Mercy from Ar-Raheem? Let’s look through the Qur’an and Sunnah:

  • Obedience to Allah and His Messenger. and obey Allah and His Messenger so that you all may receive Mercy.” [3:132]
  • Following the Qur’an. “And this is a book, We have sent it down as one blessed, so follow it and fear Allah so that you all may receive Mercy.[6:155]
  • Taqwa of Allah ta’ala, fear and consciousness of Allah. “O you who believe! Fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger, He will give you a double portion of His mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight). And He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [57:28] Similarly, Allah says: and My Mercy encompasses all things, so soon I will write it for those who have taqwa.” [7:156]
  • Doing ihsaan (utmost good) towards Allah and the creation. “Indeed the Mercy of Allah is near to those who do utmost good.” [7:156]
  • Praying four rak’aat before ‘Asr prayer. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: “May Allah have mercy on one who prays 4 raka’aat before the ‘Asr Prayer.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi no. 395 and he declared it a hassan, Al-Albany rated the Hadith as hassan in Sahih al-Jami’ No. 3493.]
  • Listening to the Qur’an attentively and remaining silent. “And when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it with attention, that you may receive Mercy.” [7:204]
  • Being merciful towards the creation of Allah. A hadith in Musnad Ahmad states, Show mercy so that you may be shown mercy, forgive and Allah will forgive you.”  When the son of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam passed away and he began to cry, one of the companions said to him “what is this?” (referring to his crying) and he replied: “This Is mercy which Allah has embedded in the hearts of whomever He wished of His slaves. And Allah does not bestow His mercy, except on the merciful among His slaves. [Bukhari] There is another hadith narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood that states, “The merciful will be give mercy by the Most Merciful. Have mercy to those on earth and the one in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”  Also, Allah ta’ala says in the Qur’an, “Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?”  [24:22] So if you want mercy, show mercy to others.
  • Enjoining Good, Forbidding Evil, Praying and Giving Zakat. The believers, men and women, are close protecting friends of one another; they enjoin the good, and forbid from evil; they perform the prayer, and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [9:71]
  • Making Reconciliation between Brothers. The believers are nothing else than brothers. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy. [49:10]
  • Leniency in Business. Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: Allah’s Apostle sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “May Allah’s mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.” [Bukhari]

Can anyone think of anymore verses and ahadith that tell us how to receive Allah’s Mercy?
May Allah ta’ala shower His mercy upon us, Ameen.

About the author

Suhaib Webb

Suhaib Webb

Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator, activist, and lecturer. His work bridges classical and contemporary Islamic thought, addressing issues of cultural, social and political relevance to Muslims in the West. After converting to Islam in 1992, Webb left his career in the music industry to pursue his passion in education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and received intensive private training in the Islamic Sciences under a renowned Muslim Scholar of Senegalese descent. Webb was hired as the Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, where he gave khutbas (sermons), taught religious classes, and provided counselling to families and young people; he also served as an Imam and resident scholar in communities across the U.S.

From 2004-2010, Suhaib Webb studied at the world’s preeminent Islamic institution of learning, Al-Azhar University, in the College of Shari`ah. During this time, after several years of studying the Arabic Language and the Islamic legal tradition, he also served as the head of the English Translation Department at Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.

Outside of his studies at Al-Azhar, Suhaib Webb completed the memorization of the Quran in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has been granted numerous traditional teaching licenses (ijazat), adhering to centuries-old Islamic scholarly practice of ensuring the highest standards of scholarship. Webb was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in 2010.

10 Comments

  • Jazkillah khayra.

    More verses on obtaining Allah's rahma:

    Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah – those expect the mercy of Allah . And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [2:218]

    And if you are killed in the cause of Allah or die – then forgiveness from Allah and mercy are better than whatever they accumulate [in this world]. [3:157]

    So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path. [4:175]

    But among the bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allah and of [obtaining] invocations of the Messenger. Unquestionably, it is a means of nearness for them. Allah will admit them to His mercy. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [9:99]

    He said, “O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?” [27:46]

  • Bismillah
    Ameen
    Assalaamualekum and Jazakh Allah Khair for this beautiful reminder

    { Hadith on Allah's (swt) special mercy on the Day of Judgement}

    The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] said:

    Seven types of people will be under the shelter of Mercy on the Day whenthere will be no shade other than that of Allah’s Mercy:

    1. A just ruler

    2. A young person who kept busy in Allah’s worship.

    3. A person whose heart was attached to the mosque.

    4. Two persons who loved each other for Allah’s sake, met each other for Allah’s sake and then departed for Allah,s sake

    5. A man who was tempted by a beautiful woman but declined her offer out of fear of Allah.

    6. A person who gave charity so secretly that his left hand did not know what was given by his right hand , and

    7. A person who remembered Allah secretly and tears flowed from his eyes.

    (Bukhari and Muslim)

  • Bismillah
    Ameen
    Assalaamualekum and Jazakh Allah Khair for this beautiful reminder

    { Hadith on Allah's (swt) special mercy on the Day of Judgement}

    The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] said:

    Seven types of people will be under the shelter of Mercy on the Day whenthere will be no shade other than that of Allah’s Mercy:

    1. A just ruler

    2. A young person who kept busy in Allah’s worship.

    3. A person whose heart was attached to the mosque.

    4. Two persons who loved each other for Allah’s sake, met each other for Allah’s sake and then departed for Allah,s sake

    5. A man who was tempted by a beautiful woman but declined her offer out of fear of Allah.

    6. A person who gave charity so secretly that his left hand did not know what was given by his right hand , and

    7. A person who remembered Allah secretly and tears flowed from his eyes.

    (Bukhari and Muslim)

  • JazakAllahu Khair my brother,
    I encountered 3 verses of Quran saying what happens to the one who doesn’t have the mercy of Allah on him, which terrified me.

    So, I started looking to find all the references possible as to how to get Allah’s mercy.
    And I was long time ignoring the hadith about praying 4 Rakah, but after those terrifies verses I make niyah not to leave them anymore.

    Then, instantly other One was, being lenient in dealing about business, actual thing is, making the seller happy when you buy and making the buyer happy when you sale, so you reconcile with your situations keeping the this basic in mind and of course not to hunt people for the dues is one great akhlaq.

    and finally have mercy family and people around you make everything about life just better and better.

    But I will be more attentive for Quran listening InShaaAllah.

    Jazak Allahu Khair to put things together.

    N.B The verses were:
    http://tinyurl.com/Quran-12-53
    http://tinyurl.com/Quran-11-118-119

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