A Commentary on the phrase Birahmati-ka ya Arham ar-Rahimin

بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

By Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful ones

فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

“... Yet Allah is the Best of protectors, and He is the Most Merciful of merciful ones” (12:64).

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بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The preposition bi in the above phrase is employed for taking an oath. It is technically referred to as ba’ al-qasam (fed’ employed for an oath). Swearing by God’s mercy is for the purpose of attracting His favour.

بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The preposition ‘bi’ in the above phrase can be employed to signify mediation (sababiyyah). In simple words, when we say ‘bi rahmatika, we mean ‘Through Your mercy’ or ‘By means of Your mercy. Hence considering the preceding phrase we are saying ‘... and place me in the Garden of Heaven, through Your mercy... ’

بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The mercy spoken about here is His special mercy, which comes under the cover of His all-comprehensive mercy (ar-rahmah ar-rahmaniyyah). Emancipation from Hell-Fire and entry into Paradise are among the manifestations of ar-rahmah ar-rahmaniyyah (The special divine mercy signified by the name ar-rahim).

…يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

... O Most Merciful of the merciful ones

Although we say He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones, the insightful scholars know that there exists no mercy other than His, and all other kinds and levels of mercy are the manifestations of His mercy.

May the Almighty enable us understand the depths of this beautiful supplication as we continue our journey to His proximity.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Wa al-hamdu lillahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin

Shahru Ramadan al-Mubarak 1434 AH

Holy Proximity of Hadrat Ma'sumah (‘a)

Qum al-Muqaddasah