Ar-Ra'uf

The One who shows abundant compassion and mercy, who greatly spares and who provides ease. Allah Almighty says: "Indeed, He is to them Kind and Merciful." (At-Tawbah, 117) "And if it had not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy... and because Allah is Kind and Merciful." (An-Nur, 20) "Indeed, Allah is Kind and Merciful to the people." (Al-Baqarah, 143) "Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful." (An-Nahl, 47) Although at first glance the meaning of Ra'uf may seem the same as that of "Raheem," in the places where they occur in the Noble Qur'an Allah Almighty has, whenever He mentions both attributes together, placed Ra'uf before Raheem. Ar-Ra'uf means the One who provides ease for His servants — for Allah Most High has not laid upon His servants acts of worship and burdens they cannot bear. In conditions such as old age, illness and weakness He has exempted them from many acts of worship. All the living beings Allah created sustain their lives thanks to a flawless, superior creation and a complex structure. This is evidence of His compassion and mercy — for no living being expended any effort in order to live in the manner most suitable and most favourable for it; it has simply submitted to Allah's supreme wisdom. He has already given it everything it might need. For example, all living beings have different abilities for defending themselves. Some have an utterly frightening appearance; some spray poisonous, foul-smelling or burning gases. Some are quick and agile and flee swiftly from their enemies; those that are not are instead covered with durable armour as a different form of defence. Some have an appearance that allows them to hide their bodies from their enemies, and others were created able to deceive an enemy by feigning death. Without doubt living beings did not attain all these qualities by chance or by their own wish. Every Muslim should know that there is no possessor of absolute compassion besides Allah. That Allah gives His servants abundant blessings, protects them from various dangers and prevents them from chasing after the desires of their lower selves, is from His compassion and mercy toward them. That He sometimes sends an affliction and, by causing them to stumble, brings them onto the right path, is a requirement of His compassion and mercy. These trials and afflictions may appear so from the outside; but in reality they are compassion and mercy for them. Have mercy on your own soul: Whoever knows this name of Allah should — just as Allah shows him compassion and mercy — have mercy on his own soul, not burden it beyond its strength, and not hold it responsible for what exceeds its nature. To have mercy on the soul means to carry out Allah's commands and to protect it from His prohibitions and from dangers. And just as you have mercy and show compassion to your own soul, you should have mercy on other people and extend to them the hand of compassion. Thus you come to possess a compassionate heart and ensure that Allah's compassion and mercy encompass you in both worlds.

The noble name Ar-Ra'uf is recited 286 times as "Ya Ra'uf, jalla jalaluhu" so that love, tenderness, mercy and humane feelings may take root in one's heart. Whoever, at the moment of anger, recites the noble name Ar-Ra'uf ten times, saying "Ya Ra'uf, jalla jalaluhu", together with ten invocations of blessing upon the Prophet, his anger subsides.