By Zaiti Athirah
Edited by Nur Najia Nazri
Ar-Rahman is recognized by many as one of the most beautiful chapters in the Qur’an. Its total effect of beauty is from its poetic literary elements and divine themes that grant the chapter the nickname, the bride of the Qur’an. This parable is attributed to the aesthetically pleasing and well-decorated text, likened to a bride in her ultimate feminine adornment and beauty.
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The name of the chapter itself recalls the hadith qudsi narrated by Abu Huraira: “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The word 'Ar-Rahm (womb) derives its name from Ar-Rahman (i.e., one of the names of Allah)...” [Sahih al-Bukhari 5988]. Clearly, this deliberate relation to the womb and the name Ar-Rahman illustrates the association of divine compassion with a feminine element of beatific nurturing, thus the parable of the bride.
Yet, the most unique and remarkable stylistic feature of the chapter, that makes it not only a bride but also a ravishing one, is the recurrent refrain-verse, rhyming with the rest of the verses, enhancing the melody and rhythms of the recitation of the chapter. The musicality of qira’ah is one of the distinct features of the Qur’an. Yet, this chapter in particular exemplifies the aesthetic-spiritual experience as the form encapsulates the semantic essence of the chapter.
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The refrain verse is a rhetorical question: “So which of Lord’s favours do you two deny?” that is repeated 31 times in the whole chapter. For 31 times, we are invited to contemplate in retrospect the favours of the Lord bestowed upon us. There is an aphorism that goes – a realization of a blessing is another blessing. This goes to exemplify the significance of the reflection on the blessings sent down from the Lord, all of the worldly creations and the promised Akhirah.
This addresses the two groups of His created beings, the humans and jinn, and remarks on the consistent structure of duality throughout the chapter. The formerly mentioned binary or duality is seen again in verses 14-15, which delineates the creations of man and jinn, as clay like the potter’s and the smokeless fire, respectively. The mention of dual cardinal directions in verse 17 moreover, further explicates the existence of two worlds, one being that we are in and another of the Hereafter. In verses 19-20 then, explains the two seas that meet without encroaching one upon the other. This detail of the coherent binaries is not only significant in conveying an important admonition, but is written in such intricacies that becomes one of the hallmark beauties of the glorious Qur’an.
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This chapter is also considered beautiful because of its elements of imageries of both the transient world and the Hereafter that easily entices its readers. Truly, this is to epitomise the beauty of The Beneficent along with His creations. This chapter presents the celestial bodies in punctuality (55:5), the adoration of the stars and the trees to their Creator (55:6), and the created Earth as a land adorned with fruits, palm trees, grains, and scented herbs for our benefits (55:12-13). Again, it asks if we ever deny these Lord’s favours.
The chapter then admonishes that soon on the Day of Judgement, two gardens lay before us with spreading branches, fountains flowing, succulent fruits, and chaste angels promised for those who do good. And again, it asks if we deny these favours of the Lord.
In the end, all this richness, sensuous bliss, and vividness are understood as the manifestation of monotheism (Tawhid) as the final verse wraps up: “Blessed be the name of thy lord, Might and glorious!”
We so often study the literature of man-made, scrutinize its literariness in the metrics of form and meaning, and then praise the texts as exemplary. Yet it is so important that we remember that the prowess of Kalamullah is inimitable and divine as especially demonstrated by the chapter, Ar-Rahman. We must not only integrate the messages of the Qur’an into our lives, rather, altogether we take the time to admire the formal beauty that is unparalleled by any other texts created by men.
Wallahua’alam.
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