(p-139) Surah Al-Rahman, glorified and exalted is He.

It is called the Bride of the Qur'an.

Its purpose is to indicate what was concluded in Surah Al-Qamar regarding the greatness of the dominion and the completeness of power, through His general mercy and its precedence over His wrath. This is indicated by the perfection of His knowledge, which necessitates the comprehensiveness of His ability. It is also indicated by the detailed wonders of His creations and the marvelous nature of His creations, in a manner that reminds of His blessings and expresses gratitude for His abundant favors.

This is in a way that leads to knowledge of His encompassing attributes of perfection. Thus, its purpose is to establish the attribute of general mercy, encouraging in His bounties and kindness, and warning against His vengeance by cutting off further favors.

The name Al-Rahman indicates this, as it signifies general favor, and its name, the Bride of the Qur'an, is clear in this regard, as it contains what is in it of adornments and garments, jewels and crowns. The bride is adorned with all blessings, beauty, and joy of its kind and perfection.

(In the name of Allah) whose perfection is evident in the wonders of His creations. (Al-Rahman) whose general mercy is evident in the marvels of His creations and the greatness of His signs and clear proofs. (Al-Rahim) whose specialty is evident for the people of His obedience through what they attain of beneficial humility leading to honor by adhering to His worship.

When glorified and exalted is He completed the moon with the greatness of the kingdom and the eloquence of power, and since the capable king's kingdom cannot be complete except with mercy, and His mercy cannot be fulfilled except with its universality, He limited this surah to the enumeration of His blessings upon His creation in both abodes. This is from the effects of the kingdom. He detailed in it what He summarized at the end of the moon regarding the abode of the allies and the enemies in the Hereafter. He began it with the name indicating the universality of mercy, as a refinement for the opening and a balance to what has occurred with the kingdom and power, from the utmost of blessing, manifestation, awe, and terror, with a name that, although it is in the utmost of the unseen, indicates the greatest hope. He opened it with the greatest blessing, which is the teaching of remembrance that stirred those of high aspirations in the moon to turn towards it with His saying: "And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy to remember, so is there any who will remember?" [Al-Qamar: 17]. Because when it comes to the greatness indicated by the letter 'n' in "We have made easy," which is the foundation of the kingdom, there are two perspectives: the perspective of pride and might necessitates that He speaks with what incapacitates His creation from every direction in understanding, memorizing, and bringing forth something like it and every meaning of its meanings. The perspective of honor and mercy was that His mercy preceded His anger. He looked upon His creation, especially this blessed nation, and made remembrance easy for it, fulfilling mercy after having left from the effects of might the miracle of being beyond sight. Among the miracles of understanding are the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the surahs. He prevented the obstinate from saying that there are no meanings for them by having some of the pure ones understand some of their secrets. So, He answered one who seemed to ask: Who is this capable king? It was said: "The Most Merciful," meaning the one whose mercy is universal. Ibn Burjan said: It is the apparent name of Allah and the hidden name of the Lord. He made these three names in their manifestation a station of the essence, informing about it and a veil between Him and His creation, through which He conveys His address from Him to them. Then, His apparent names clarify these three names. And from the implications of His name "The Most Merciful," all blessings have spread forth. Therefore, He mentioned in this surah the mothers of blessings in both abodes.