الرحيم
AR-RAHIM
Who treats believers with a special, particular mercy
Meaning and Explanation
Ar-Rahim also comes from the root for mercy, but unlike Ar-Rahman, most commentators read it as pointing to the continuity of that mercy — a mercy directed specifically at believers, one that continues into the hereafter. This pairing — Ar-Rahman's general, worldly mercy alongside Ar-Rahim's particular, lasting mercy — appears side by side in the Fatiha's third verse, expressing that God's mercy is both all-encompassing and enduring. Because the Fatiha is recited in every prayer cycle, this is the most frequently repeated pair of names in the Quran.
Traditional Note — Abjad Value
This name's abjad (letter numerical value) calculation is 258.
Letter-by-letter abjad calculation (root "رحيم"): ر (200) + ح (8) + ي (10) + م (40) = 258.
This number is not a religious prescription or a guarantee of any outcome.
This Name in the Quran
Dhikr Counter
Dhikr Counter
Historical abjad note: this name's abjad value is 258; reciting a specific count carries no religious obligation.
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Dhikr Tradition
Reciting it alongside Ar-Rahman (as in the Basmala and the Fatiha) sits at the center of Islamic worship life; beyond that, a separate count-based dhikr practice has no strong hadith basis.
Remembrance (dhikr) through the beautiful names is a foundational act of worship in Islam. However, reciting a name a specific number of times (based on its abjad value) or at a specific day/time carries no religious obligation, and scholars are not unanimous on this point — some accept it as a traditional practice, others hold it has no basis in the primary sources. The information on this page does not constitute religious ruling.
Understanding This Name
A name repeatedly joined with forgiveness
Ar-Rahim conveys enduring and particular mercy. In Quranic passages it often appears beside Al-Ghafur or At-Tawwab, placing mercy near forgiveness and return. This pattern keeps the name from becoming a vague feeling. Mercy meets human failure with a way back, while repentance asks the person to leave the wrong and repair its effects. The name supports hope without authorizing anyone to issue a private certificate of acceptance.
What reflection can change
Remembering Ar-Rahim can make a believer slower to humiliate someone who has failed and quicker to open a responsible route for change. Compassion still requires boundaries. In abuse, fraud, or repeated harm, mercy toward the victim and the wider community may require distance, reporting, and accountability. Gentleness is not the removal of consequences, and firmness does not have to become cruelty.
Other Names
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Ar-Rahim related to Ar-Rahman?
Both come from the language of mercy. Scholars discuss nuances of scope and continuity, but the names should not be reduced to a rigid formula that exhausts divine mercy.
Sources
- Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Kur'an Yolu Tefsiri (Bakara 2:163)
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, "Rahîm" maddesi
- Gazzâlî, el-Maksadü'l-Esnâ fî Şerhi Esmâillâhi'l-Hüsnâ, Er-Rahîm bahsi
- English Translation — Noor International Center (v1.1.2)
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam — Esmâ-i Hüsnâ — in Turkish
- Diyanet High Council of Religious Affairs — The 99 Names of God — in Turkish
Prepared by: Kadir Özbek · Updated: