Names of Mercy
Ar-Raḥmān
The Most Compassionate — whose mercy encompasses all of creation, believers and disbelievers alike, in this life.
1:3
Ar-Raḥīm
The Most Merciful — whose special mercy is reserved for the believers in this life and the next.
1:3
Al-Ghafūr
The Forgiving — who pardons sins no matter how many, as long as the servant repents.
22:60
Al-Ghaffār
The Constantly Forgiving — who continues to forgive as long as the servant continues to turn back.
38:18
Ar-Raʾūf
The Kind — whose compassion is combined with gentleness and tenderness toward His creation.
2:143
At-Tawwāb
The Accepter of Repentance — who turns to the one who turns back, again and again, without tiring.
2:128
Al-ʿAfuww
The Pardoner — who erases sins completely, not merely covering them, so that no trace remains.
4:43, 22:20
Al-Ḥalīm
The Forbearing — who delays punishment and gives respite, even while having full power to punish.
2:225
Verses of Hope
My mercy embraces all
«My mercy encompasses all things» — a verse of vast hope. Allah then specifies: «So I will decree it for those who fear Me, give zakāh, and believe.»
7:156
Do not despair
«Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Allah forgives all sins — He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.»
39:53
He loves to forgive
«Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than a man who, traveling in a desert, loses his camel with his food and water. Despairing, he finds it — and his joy is greater than Allah's delight at the servant's return.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Forgive to be forgiven
«Let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah forgive you? Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.»
24:22
Allah's mercy precedes His wrath
«My mercy precedes My wrath» — a divine ḥadīth (ḥadīth qudsī) that reveals the priority of mercy.
Bukhārī
One hundred degrees of mercy
«Allah has a hundred mercies; He sent one down among jinn, humans, animals, and birds — by it they are merciful to one another. He kept ninety-nine for the Day of Resurrection.»
Muslim
Seeking Forgiveness
Repentance wipes the past
«Repentance is for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. He wipes what came before» — sincere repentance erases the sin.
Bukhārī & Muslim
Say the master of seeking forgiveness
«Whoever says: Allahumma anta Rabbī lā ilāha illā anta, khalaqtanī wa ana ʿabduka, wa ana ʿalā ʿahdika wa waʿdika mastaṭaʿtu, aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣanaʿtu, abūʾu laka biniʿmatika ʿalayya wa abūʾu bidhanbī faghfir lī — his sins are forgiven though they be as the foam of the sea.»
Bukhārī
Forgive others
«The gates of Paradise are opened on Monday and Thursday, and every servant is forgiven except one who has hatred between him and his brother. It is said: Wait these two until they reconcile.»
Tirmidhī
Be gentle with creation
«Be gentle to those on earth, the One in heaven will be gentle to you.»
Tirmidhī
Repentance is for all
«O people, repent to Allah, for I repent to Him a hundred times a day» — the Prophet ﷺ himself repented regularly.
Muslim
Duʿās
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي
The master of seeking forgiveness
O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I hold to Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me and acknowledge my sin — so forgive me.
Bukhārī
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
For forgiveness and wellbeing
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
2:201