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Divine Mercy is one of the Attributes of God's action, denoting the fulfillment of needs or the granting of forgiveness without emotional affectation. Defined by some theologians as the "will to bestow good," it is occasionally classified among the Attributes of God's essence. Divine Mercy is delineated into two categories: "General Mercy" (al-Rahmaniyya), which encompasses all human beings (disbeliever and believer alike), and "Special Mercy" (al-Rahimiyya), which is exclusive to believers. Traditions narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) state that God is al-Rahman (the Beneficent) toward all His creations and al-Rahim (the Merciful) specifically toward the believers.

Several characteristics are attributed to Divine Mercy; notably, it is deemed an obligatory grace upon His servants and is so vast that it encompasses all things—to the extent that on the Day of Judgment, even Iblis will aspire to it. Furthermore, Divine Mercy invariably precedes Divine wrath, and in Quranic verses, God is introduced as the Best and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

According to scripture and tradition, factors such as seeking forgiveness, obedience to God and the Prophet (s), piety, and embracing fellow believers can attract Divine Mercy. Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani characterized Divine Mercy through three traits: complete (tamm), general (amm—spanning this world and the hereafter, for both the deserving and the undeserving), and perfect (kamil—free from deficiency). Some scholars, such as Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Madani, consider the attribution of this term to God to be metaphorical, as the literal definition of mercy implies emotional affectation and passive reaction, qualities which the Divine transcends.

Status

Mercy is classified as one of the attributes of action[1] or the names of action.[2] Some define it as the "will to bestow good and repel evil," thereby including it among the Attributes of God's essence.[3] Divine Mercy is regarded as the most expansive divine attribute.[4]

Scholars posit that Divine Mercy toward His servants is inseparable from God's Essence and His perfection. Based on Qur'an 6:12 and 54—"He has ordained mercy on Himself"—it is considered as certain and necessary for the Divine Essence as divine knowledge and power.[5] According to these verses, God has made mercy mandatory upon Himself.[6] The subject of Divine Mercy is discussed extensively across numerous Quranic verses, commentaries, traditions, Kalam, and mystical teachings.

In the Qur'an, God is described four times with the attribute Arham al-Rahimin (the Most Merciful of the merciful),[7] 56 times with the attribute al-Rahman, and 114 times with the attribute al-Rahim (excluding the instances of Rahman and Rahim in the Bismillah at the start of suras).[8] He is also described three times with the terms Dhu l-Rahma (Owner of Mercy).[9] Some researchers note that the word "mercy" and its derivatives are repeated over two hundred times throughout the Qur'an.[10]

Etymology and Concept

Theologically, Divine Mercy signifies the act of bestowing bounty and fulfilling needs[11] or granting forgiveness without emotional tenderness.[12] While the word "mercy" typically implies compassion and a softness of heart that leads to benevolence and aiding the needy,[13] scholars argue that regarding God, such emotional susceptibility is inapplicable. Instead, His mercy signifies the bestowing of good and the fulfillment of needs without any internal alteration of state. 'Allama Tabataba'i emphasizes that God's mercy differs from human compassion because the Divine is transcendent above emotions and heart-based impacts.[11] Others, like Sayyid 'Ali Khan al-Madani, maintain that the term "mercy" is applied to God metaphorically or allegorically, referring to His benevolence and bestowal rather than emotional pity.

It is argued that while the literal definition of mercy involves compassion and softness of heart,[14] rational demonstration precludes the attribution of this literal meaning to God.[15] Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani defines mercy as bestowing good upon the needy out of grace and favor, arguing that compassion and softness are not essential to the concept of mercy; rather, mercy is the result of this bestowal and benevolence.[16]

Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya, in his commentary al-Kashif, states that God's mercy in the Qur'an signifies the divine grace and reward essential for the survival and continuity of all beings. According to his view, God's general mercy is that very grace which encompasses all creatures, while special mercy is reserved exclusively for believers.[17]

General and Special Mercy

Imam Ali (a): God is merciful toward His servants, and part of His mercy is that He created one hundred branches of mercy, distributed one among all servants through which people are kind to one another and a mother loves her child... On the Day of Judgment, He will add this mercy to the other ninety-nine parts and encompass the Ummah of Muhammad (s) with all of them.[18]

Divine Mercy is bifurcated into two types: General (al-Rahmaniyya) and Special (al-Rahimiyya):

  • General Mercy (al-Rahmat al-Rahmaniyya): This type of mercy extends to all beings, whether believers or disbelievers, encompassing all humanity and creatures throughout the universe.[19] Morteza Motahhari[20] and Ibn al-Arabi[21] regard this mercy as the manifestation of God's beneficent nature in all creation. General mercy is, fundamentally, the act of granting existence to all beings.
  • Special Mercy (al-Rahmat al-Rahimiyya): This mercy is specifically granted to individuals who adhere to faith and perform righteous deeds.[22] Unlike general mercy, special mercy is contingent upon an individual's merit and is the consequence of their actions.[23] According to Ja'far Subhani, special mercy is specific to the hereafter, belonging to those who followed the path of the virtuous and the pious in this world.[24]

Religious traditions indicate that God is Rahman (Beneficent) toward His entire creation and Rahim (Merciful) exclusively toward the believers.[25]

Characteristics of Divine Mercy

Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani attributes three distinct features to Divine Mercy: a) Total (tamm), encompassing all in need; b) General (amm), covering both the deserving and the undeserving in both worlds; and c) Perfect (kamil), being without defect and free from the type of compassion that causes distress to the granter.[26]

Other characteristics mentioned in verses and traditions include:

  • The Necessity of Mercy: Exegetes state that in Qur'an 6:12, God has made mercy toward His servants obligatory upon Himself.[27] According to Abdullah Jawadi Amuli, God bestows mercy with certainty, although this arises from His nature rather than external compulsion.[28]
  • Vastness of Divine Mercy: In verses,[29] traditions,[30] and numerous supplications,[31] God's mercy is described as all-encompassing. Ibn al-Arabi interprets this vast mercy as the act of granting existence to every possible being. Traditions mention that given the breadth of God's mercy, one should be astonished at those who perish despite such vast grace.[32] Imam al-Sadiq (a) stated that even Iblis will covet God's mercy on the Day of Judgment.[33] The prohibition against despairing of Divine Mercy in the Qur'an[34] is further evidence of its vastness. Some exegetes, based on this verse, consider despairing of God's mercy to be forbidden (haram),[35] and Mulla Ahmad Naraqi classifies it as one of the major sins.[36]
  • Precedence of Mercy over Wrath: In several supplications and traditions, Divine Mercy is introduced as preceding His wrath. For example, the Supplication of Jawshan al-Kabir[37] states: "O He whose mercy has preceded His wrath." This concept is also found in the Sixteenth Supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya. A hadith from Prophet Muhammad (s) narrates that God said to Adam (a): "I created mercy before wrath."[38] Morteza Motahhari argues that Divine Mercy is the constant flow in the world, citing divine succor, the forgiveness of sins, and physical health as evidence of mercy's dominance over wrath.[39]
  • The Best and Most Merciful: In four Quranic verses, God is described as Arham al-Rahimin (the Most Merciful of the merciful), and in two verses, He is called Khayr al-Rahimin (the Best of the merciful).[40] Imam al-Sajjad (a) in the Sixth Supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya addresses God saying: "You are more merciful than every merciful one." According to Naser Makarem Shirazi, being the "Most Merciful" implies that God's mercy is the true mercy, whereas the mercy of others is merely a metaphorical reflection of His, as Divine Mercy is unlimited and not born out of need.[41]

Ways to Attain Divine Mercy

Quranic verses and traditions identify several actions that attract Divine Mercy, including:

  • Istighfar: According to Imam Ali (a), God has made seeking forgiveness a cause of mercy for His servants. Qur'an 27:46 identifies istighfar as a prerequisite for mercy.[42]
  • Taqwa: Based on the Verse of Brotherhood, divine piety leads to being encompassed by mercy,[43] and a society lacking piety is deprived of it.[44]
  • Obedience and Abandoning Riba: According to Qur'an 3:132, obeying God and the Prophet (s) and abandoning usury attracts Divine Mercy.[45] Qur'an 24:56 also states that following God and the Messenger is a condition for receiving mercy.[46]
  • Embracing (Mu'anaqa): It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) that when two believers embrace each other, God's mercy surrounds them.[47]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, pp. 26-27.
  2. ↑ Jawādī Āmulī, ʿAbd Allāh, Tawḥīd dar Qurʾān, 1395 Sh, p. 245.
  3. ↑ al-Tahānawī, Muḥammad ʿAlī, Mawsūʿat kashshāf iṣṭilāḥāt al-funūn, 1996, vol. 1, p. 847.
  4. ↑ Jubūrī, Riyāḍ Yūnus, al-Ṣifāt al-ilāhiyya al-muḍāfa fī l-Qurʾān al-Karīm, 1434 AH, p. 43.
  5. ↑ Mughniyya, Muḥammad Jawād, al-Tafsīr al-kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 3, p. 167.
  6. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, pp. 26, 105.
  7. ↑ Qur'an 7:151; Qur'an 12:64, 92; Qur'an 21:83.
  8. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Payām-i Qurʾān, 1386 Sh, vol. 4, p. 355.
  9. ↑ Qur'an 6:133, 147; Qur'an 18:58.
  10. ↑ Jubūrī, Riyāḍ Yūnus, al-Ṣifāt al-ilāhiyya al-muḍāfa fī l-Qurʾān al-Karīm, 1434 AH, p. 38.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 1, p. 18.
  12. ↑ al-Madani al-Shīrāzī, Sayyid ʿAlī Khān, Riyāḍ al-sālikīn, 1409 AH, vol. 4, p. 467.
  13. ↑ al-Tahānawī, Muḥammad ʿAlī, Mawsūʿat kashshāf iṣṭilāḥāt al-funūn, 1996, vol. 1, p. 847.
  14. ↑ al-Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī, Ḥusayn, Mufradāt alfāẓ al-Qurʾān, 1412 AH, p. 347.
  15. ↑ Subḥānī, Jaʿfar, Manshūr-i jāwīd, 1383 Sh, vol. 2, p. 142.
  16. ↑ al-Fayḍ al-Kāshānī, Muḥammad Muḥsin, ʿIlm al-yaqīn, 1418 AH, vol. 1, p. 160.
  17. ↑ Mughniyya, Muḥammad Jawād, al-Tafsīr al-kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 3, p. 403.
  18. ↑ al-Tafsīr al-mansūb ilā l-Imām al-Ḥasan al-ʿAskarī (a), 1409 AH, p. 37; al-Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir, Biḥār al-anwār, 1403 AH, vol. 4, p. 183.
  19. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 1, p. 18; Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 1, pp. 22-23.
  20. ↑ Muṭahharī, Murtaḍā, Majmūʿih āthār, 1390 Sh, vol. 27, p. 178.
  21. ↑ Ibn al-ʿArabī, Muḥyī l-Dīn, al-Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam, 1356 AH, vol. 2, p. 205.
  22. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 1, p. 18.
  23. ↑ Muṭahharī, Murtaḍā, Majmūʿih āthār, 1390 Sh, vol. 27, p. 179.
  24. ↑ Subḥānī, Jaʿfar, Manshūr-i jāwīd, 1383 Sh, vol. 2, p. 262.
  25. ↑ al-Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb, al-Kāfī, 1407 AH, vol. 1, p. 114.
  26. ↑ al-Fayḍ al-Kāshānī, Muḥammad Muḥsin, ʿIlm al-yaqīn, 1418 AH, vol. 1, pp. 159-160.
  27. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, p. 27.
  28. ↑ Jawādī Āmulī, ʿAbd Allāh, Tawḥīd dar Qurʾān, 1395 Sh, p. 245.
  29. ↑ Qur'an 7:156; Qur'an 6:147.
  30. ↑ al-Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb, al-Kāfī, 1407 AH, vol. 4, p. 72.
  31. ↑ al-Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan, Miṣbāḥ al-mutahajjid, 1411 AH, vol. 1, p. 240.
  32. ↑ al-Sayyid al-Murtaḍā, ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn, Amālī al-Murtaḍā, 1998, vol. 1, p. 162.
  33. ↑ al-Ṣadūq, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī, al-Amālī, 1376 Sh, p. 250.
  34. ↑ Qur'an 39:53.
  35. ↑ al-Qurashī, Sayyid ʿAlī Akbar, Tafsīr-i aḥsan al-ḥadīth, 1375 Sh, vol. 9, p. 310.
  36. ↑ al-Narāqī, Aḥmad, Miʿrāj al-saʿāda, p. 200.
  37. ↑ al-Kafʿamī, Ibrāhīm b. ʿAlī, al-Balad al-amīn, 1418 AH, p. 404.
  38. ↑ al-ʿAyyāshī, Muḥammad b. Masʿūd, Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1380 AH, vol. 1, p. 35.
  39. ↑ Muṭahharī, Murtaḍā, Majmūʿih āthār, 1390 Sh, vol. 1, pp. 255-257.
  40. ↑ Qur'an 23:109, 118.
  41. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Payām-i Qurʾān, 1386 Sh, vol. 4, p. 357.
  42. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Muḥsin, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1388 Sh, vol. 6, p. 430.
  43. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 22, p. 169.
  44. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Muḥsin, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1388 Sh, vol. 9, p. 184.
  45. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 3, p. 89.
  46. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Muḥsin, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1388 Sh, vol. 6, p. 209.
  47. ↑ al-Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb, al-Kāfī, 1407 AH, vol. 2, p. 184.

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