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الرَّؤُوفُ

Ar-Ra’uf (الرؤوف): Meaning of Allah’s Name

Name 83 of 9910 verses of the Quran

Ar-Ra’uf: The Compassionate and Kind

Recitation: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary · 24 voices to choose from

Explanation of the name Ar-Ra’uf

All of these Names are close in meaning, and all of them point to describing the Lord with Mercy, Generosity, Kindness, and to the great expanse of His Mercy and Generosity that encompasses all that is in existence, being granted in accordance to what His Wisdom dictates. The believers have been specifically singled out for this, and they are granted a goodly and the best portion of this, as Allaah said,

"My Mercy encompasses all things and I shall decree it for those who have taqwaa." (7:56)

So the blessings and the good are all from the effects of His Mercy, Generosity and Kindness just as all the goodness in this world and in the Hereafter is from the effects of His Mercy.

" 'Verily, we used to invoke Him Alone before. Verily He is the Generous, the Most Merciful.' " (52:28)

"O man! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Kind." (82:6)

"And had it not been for the Grace of Allaah and His Mercy on you, (Allaah would have hastened the Punishment). And that Allaah is the Kind, the Most Merciful." (24:20)

"(They say): 'Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us Mercy from You. Truly you are the Bestower.' " (3:8)

— ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa‘di · Explanation shared with: Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Barr, Al-Karim, Al-Wahhab

God, The Exalted, said; “Truly, Allah is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.” (Al-Baqarah: 143).

The Linguistic Meaning:

Ar-Raafa: The extreme mercy, and the highest of its meaning. Difference between Ar-Raafa (Sympathy) and Ar-Rahma (Mercy): Sympathy is wider than mercy, for it is a grace combined with pleasure, while Mercy might be painful at once but succeeded by pleasure. Mercy might be hated but has its benefits. Sympathy cannot be hated. Our Lord is the Sympathetic: having mercy over all His slaves, Compassionate for them, for He doesn’t ask them for things they don’t have the ability to do, on the contrary, He only asks them for less than they actually can do.

The Grandeur of Ar-Raoof

Whenever His Sympathy touches someone, He would be free from any harm. His Sympathy is good for the slaves for their lives, their religion and their Hereafter. It is because of His Sympathy that He had warned, tempted and promised His slaves; therefore, He had guided them to the means of reform, opened to them the doors of benefits and pushed, away of them, causes of harm.

— Maher bin Moqaddam

The name in the Quran

This name occurs in 10 verses of 8 surahs.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَٰكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلْقِبْلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيْهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَٰنَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ۝١٤٣

And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allāh has guided. And never would Allāh have caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your previous prayers]. Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Just as I made a direction of prayer for you, I have chosen you to be a good, just and balanced nation from among all the communities: in your beliefs and your ways of worship and in your transactions, so that you will be witnesses for the prophets of Allah on the Day of Judgement, confirming that they delivered the messages Allah instructed them to deliver to their people; and so that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will also witness that he delivered his message to you. Allah changed the direction of prayer that you used to face (Jerusalem) to demonstrate who was content with Allah’s decree, willingly doing as He instructed and following the Messenger; and to also demonstrate who turned away from his religion, following his own desires and not obeying Allah’s sacred law. The first change of prayer direction was difficult, except for those who Allah granted faith to and who were certain that whatever He decrees for His servants has far reaching wisdom and underlying reasons behind it. Allah will not make you lose your faith in Him, or your good actions, including the prayers you prayed before the change of prayer direction. Allah is kind and compassionate with people, not overburdening them, and they will not lose the reward for their actions.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 143

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِى نَفْسَهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ ۝٢٠٧

And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval of Allāh. And Allāh is Kind to [His] servants.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

There is another type of person who is a believer, who will sell and give up his soul to follow his Lord and to strive in His path seeking His pleasure. Allah’s mercy for His servants is vast and He is Kind to them.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 207

يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُّحْضَرًا وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِن سُوٓءٍ تَوَدُّ لَوْ أَنَّ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُۥٓ أَمَدًۢا بَعِيدًا وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۥ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ ۝٣٠

The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allāh warns you of Himself, and Allāh is Kind to [His] servants."

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

On the Day of Resurrection every person will find the good that he did in front of him, without any deficiency. Those who did bad will wish that there was a great distance between them and their bad actions – but shall a desire will be worthless! Allah warns you of Himself, so do not become the subject of His anger by committing sins. Allah is kind to His servants and therefore gives them this warning.

Surah Ali ’Imran, Verse 30

لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ۝١١٧

Allāh has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhājireen and the Anṣār who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Allah has forgiven the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) since he gave permission to the hypocrites to stay behind from the battle of Tabūk. He has also forgiven the Emigrants and the Helpers who did not stay behind, but followed him in the battle of Tabūk despite the intense heat, the lack of means and the powerful strength of the enemy. This was after a group of them who intended to abandon the expedition, almost deviated from the truth and the path of correct guidance, because of the great difficulty they faced. Then Allah enabled them to be patient and to go out for that battle. He forgave them, for He, may He be glorified, is Kind and Merciful towards them. It was because of His mercy that He enabled them to repent to Him and that He accepted their repentance.

Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 117

The 6 other verses

Supplications with this name

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Saturday, October 17, 2026 6 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ

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