“Ar Rehman" is among the 99 Names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). It translates to “The Most Compassionate" or "The Most Merciful." This name plays an important role in shaping the understanding of Allah's nature. It also tells us that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the most merciful and beneficent who continually showers his endless love over His creations.
The name Ar Rehman is from the Arabic root r-h-m. Words with this root have the following connotations:
This name of Allah appears first in the organized asmāʾ al-ḥusná and appears multiple times in the Quran. Allah says:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Here Ar Rehman uses the meaning of merciful. This name makes evident Allah’s quality of being the most merciful being in the whole universe. Only He, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), has the capacity to love His creations with absolute mercy no matter the severity of their transgressions. It shows that Allah is the most merciful whether we beseech Him for mercy or not. He showers us with continuous mercies from the moment we open our eyes and will continue to do so long after we die.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah created one hundred (parts of mercy), and He distributed one amongst His creation and kept this one hundred excepting one with Himself (for the Day of Resurrection) - (Sahih Muslim 2752 b).
The root of Ar Rehman is also the same as Rahm (womb), which also means kinship, kin, and family.
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The word 'Ar-Rahm (womb) derives its name from Ar Rehman (i.e., one of the names of Allah), and Allah said: 'I will keep good relation with the one who will keep good relation with you, (womb, i.e., Kith and Kin) and sever the relation with him who will sever the relation with you, (womb, i.e., Kith and Kin) - (Sahih al-Bukhari 5988).
The best thing about dhikr is that we aren’t bound by time or frequency. One can recite tasbihat as many times and whenever convenient. However, most Muslims create a set time to maintain regularity. It is recommended that you recite Ar Rehman tasbih dua at the following times:
In Islam, the number 33 is most recommended for dhikr. Sources: (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 635) and (Sahih al-Bukhari 3113). Therefore, you may recite Ar Rehman 33 times each time. There is no harm and only benefit in reciting the tasbih more than 33 times.
To recite Ar Rehman tasbih on the Muslim and Quran app and website, undertake the following steps: