Say, "Call upon Allāh or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān]. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.
Verse 110 of Surah Al-Isra (17:110), a Meccan surah, is in juz 15, on page 293 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 110 of Surah Al-Isra
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Tafsir of verse 110
Al-Mukhtasar
Say, O Messenger, to those who criticise you for supplicating by saying, ‘O Allah, O Merciful’: Allah and the Merciful are names of His, so supplicate Him with any of them or other names of His. For Him are all beautiful names, and these two are amongst them, so supplicate Him through these two or other beautiful names of His. And do not recite loudly in your prayer in case the idolaters hear you and do not recite so quietly that the believers cannot hear you, but rather choose a middle path between the two.
Say, “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Compassionate87 – whichever name you call, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.” Do not be too loud in your prayer, nor too quiet, but seek a way in between88.
Notes
[87] The Makkans heard the Prophet (ﷺ) praying to Allah, once as Allah and on another occasion as Al-Rahmān, and claimed that he was praying to two different gods. [Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā, Ibn Taymiyyah, 14:15] Both are two Names for Allah, the One and Only God.
[88] Abdullāh ibn Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported the reason behind the revelation of this verse: “It came down when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was lying low in Makkah. When he used to lead his Companions in Prayer and raise his voice and the pagans heard him, they would curse the Qur’an and He Who sent it down. So Allah said to His Messenger: “Do not raise your voice is Prayer upon which the pagans would hear you, yet not too quiet that your Companions may not hear you. Make them hear the Qur’an but do not raise your voice to that extent; seeking a middle way between them.” [Al-Bukhārī: 4722; Muslim: 446].
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Invoke Allâh or invoke the Most Gracious (Allâh), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. And offer your Salât (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between.
Say (unto mankind): Cry unto Allah, or cry unto the Beneficent, unto whichsoever ye cry (it is the same). His are the most beautiful names. And thou (Muhammad), be not loud-voiced in thy worship nor yet silent therein, but follow a way between.
Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy Prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between."
Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent Allah; whichever you call upon, He has the best names; and do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice nor be silent with regard to it, and seek a way between these.
Say, "Invoke Allah, or invoke The All-Merciful. Whichever you call upon, so to Him (belong) the Fairest Names." And do not be (too) loud in your prayer nor hushed therein, and seek for a way between that.
