and the slave again neglected to respond. Then he repeated it a third time, and no response
was there either, so he stood up and looked for him and found him lying down. He asked him,
"Did you hear me calling you?" He answered, "Yes, I did." The Imam asked him, "Then what
stopped you from responding?" He answered, "My confidence in your clemency and my
reliance on your forgiveness," whereupon the Imam said, "Then I set you free seeking the
Pleasure of Allah." The Imam did so on account of the firm conviction on the part of that
slave.
One who wishes to receive a glimpse of the light inspired by this Attribute should first forgive
those who have committed a wrong deed against him or dealt with him unjustly. One who
remembers this Attribute ought to wipe out from his heart any ill feeling towards anyone who
has wronged him, and to treat beautifully those who mistreated him.
- "Al-Ra'oof"
Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted One, has said, ... so that He may bring you out of utter
darkness and into the light. (57:9)
Linguistically, this Attribute is derived from ra'fa, intense mercy or compassion which is the
ultimate limit of rahma. When applied to the Almighty, it means His warding off all types of
evil.
The Attribute "al-Ra'oof" refers to the One Who does not cease being kind and compassionate
to the sinners by accepting their repentance, and to His friends by protecting them from
committing sins. It conveys the same meaning conveyed by the Attribute "al-Rahim" with an
intensification of the meaning embedded in the latter. Among the manifestations of His mercy
towards His servants is that He protects them against committing what incurs His penalty.
Such a protection from slipping from the right path carries a stronger sense of mercy than His
forgiveness for sins already committed. He may be Merciful unto one of His servants by
outwardly exposing him to hardship, but inwardly there may be a great deal of bliss and
blessing hidden for him in such hardship, while he does not know it. How often has a servant
of Allah been pitied by people for the harm from which he suffers, the harm of poverty, want,
and misery, while in reality he is enjoying a blessing for which the angels envy him?
The Most Exalted One has advanced the Attribute "al-Ra'oof" over that of "al-Rahim,"
preferring "ra'fah" over "rahmah" and giving precedence to the first over the latter in the
following glorious verses:
Most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful, to people. (2:143) ... and We put in the hearts of
those who followed him kindness and mercy. (57:27) ... to the believers he is compassionate,
merciful. (9:128)