Dictionary of The Holy Quran — Page 320
رخی رحم they are nearer to one another in the Book of God )876( الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ : These are names applied to God and are both formed to denote intensiveness of signification, from رَحِمَ like الْغَضْبَانُ from غَضِبَ and الْعَلِيْمُ from اَلرَّحْمَنُ . عَلِمَ is in the measure of فَعْلانٌ and الرَّحِيمُ in the measure of فَعِيْلٌ . According to the rules of the Arabic language, the larger the number of letters added to the root word, the more extensive or more intensive does the meaning become. The measure of فَعْلان thus conveys the idea of fulness and extensiveness, while the measure of فَعِيْلٌ denotes the idea of repetition and giving liberal reward to those who deserve it. Thus the word اَلرَّحْمٰنُ would denote "mercy comprehending the entire universe", whereas the word الرَّحِيمُ denotes, "mercy limited in scope but repeatedly shown. "In view of the above اَلرَّحْمَنُ is He Who shows mercy gratuitously and extensively to all creation without regard to effort or work and الرَّحِيمُ is He Who shows mercy in response to and as a result of the actions of men but shows it liberally and repeatedly . الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ : The Gracious, the Merciful, Master of the Day of judgement (1:3-4). Moreover الرَّحْمَنُ is applicable to God only, while the latter is applied to man also. بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ : And to the believers he is compassionate and merciful (9:128). Again the former extends to the whole creation and the latter applies mostly to believers. When applied to men, the plural of رَحِيمٌ is رُحَمَاءُ : The Holy Prophet is reported to have said أَنَّمَا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الرُّحَمَاءَ : God has mercy on only those of His servants who have mercy on others. رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ : Tender among themselves )48:30( رَاحِم )act part. ) : One who takes mercy and رَاحِمِينَ is its plural and أَرْحَمُ means, more or most merciful. أَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ : Thou art the Most Merciful of those who show mercy (7:152). 28 رَضِيَ ]aor. يَرْخَى inf. noun رَخَاوَةٌ and رَخًا[ : It (a thing) was or became soft, flaccid, flabby or fragile رَحًا )aor يَرْخُوْ and رَحَى )aor يَرْحَى( . and رَضِيَ )aor( رَخَا ِ الْعَيْشُ يَرْخَى : The life became easy or plentiful. رُحَاءٌ : A soft or gentle wind; or gentle wind that does not move anything; a soft and quick wind; a wind that does not 320