Arab Christians often find it strange when they hear some words or phrases that they consider Islamic, used by some Christians today. However, as we will see, they are of Christian origin and were used by Arab Christians before the advent of Islam. Among the most prominent of these phrases that are met with disapproval are: “Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings,” as if peace, mercy and blessings are not among God’s blessings and do not descend from above. And the phrase “God is Great,” which indicates God’s transcendence and transcendence above any human description or epithet. So what about “the Most Gracious” and its relationship to the Arab Christian heritage?
“Al-Rahman” or “Al-Rahman” (with the alif omitted in writing but not in pronunciation) is one of the beautiful names of Allah in Islam, and it means “the One with much mercy.” It is a name reserved for Allah and may not be given to anyone else, while “Al-Raheem” is a name that may be given to anyone other than Allah. In this context, Al-Jawhari says: “Al-Rahman and Al-Raheem are two names derived from mercy, except that Al-Rahman is a name specific to Allah and may not be given to anyone other than Him.” This means that it is permissible to name anyone other than Him “Al-Raheem.” The famous verse with which Muslims begin every action they do in their daily lives, especially in matters of worship and reciting the Qur’an, is: “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” The people of Mecca resisted Muhammad when he declared that Allah is Al-Rahman, because this name was common in the south of the Arabian Peninsula (where there was a Christian presence), not in Mecca, which is located in the Hijaz in the north of the peninsula, where the name “Allah” was widespread.
However, it is known that Arab Christians before Islam called God the Father “the Most Gracious” in their inscriptions. In the sixth century AD, they wrote in an inscription from the year 548, another from the year 552, and a third undated inscription: “In the name of the Most Gracious, His Son Christ, and His Holy Spirit.” The word “the Most Gracious” in the three inscriptions replaced “the Father.” “The Most Gracious” expresses not only fatherhood but also motherhood, as it is derived from “the womb,” the place and vessel of pregnancy. The Most Gracious, then, includes both fatherhood and motherhood. The issue is not one of masculinity or femininity, but rather an affirmation that God encompasses all things with His mercy.
But God is “Father” in Christianity, with an extension of the alif. There are two opinions in this regard: the first tends to say that the extension is influenced by the Syriac pronunciation, where the hamza is extended; and the second says that the extension is to distinguish “the Father” from any other human father, lest anyone think that God is a father who took a wife and had a son from her, as the Qur’an claims about the Christian faith. It is superfluous to say that the basic message brought by Jesus Christ is his revelation that God is Father and has an only son, Jesus himself. And that everyone who accepts him and believes in him becomes a son of God, as the Apostle John the Evangelist confirms in the opening of his Gospel (1:12).
Concerning the Qur’an, it must be noted that the name of the Most Gracious is mentioned four times in the context of the Qur’an’s rejection of any talk about God taking a son: “And they say, ‘The Most Gracious has taken a son.’ You have certainly done a terrible thing. The heavens almost burst from it, and the earth splits open, and the mountains collapse in ruin. That they attribute to the Most Gracious a son. And it is not befitting for the Most Gracious to take a son” (Surat Maryam 1:88-92; see also Surat Al-Anbiya’ 21:26). Here the Qur’an agrees with the Orthodox Christian faith in its rejection of God taking a son. The Father did not adopt Jesus, but Jesus is truly the Son of God. Orthodoxy preceded the Qur’an in its rejection of the heresy of “adoption.” It is also worth noting that the name Al-Rahman is mentioned in the Qur’an 57 times, most of them in Christian or biblical contexts, such as in Surat Maryam, where this name is mentioned 16 times, the most famous of which is in the angel’s announcement to Mary.
The Christian heritage is full of verses, sayings and articles that refer to God’s infinite mercy. He is merciful in himself, and not only because he works mercy. Hence, the constant focus in the Old and New Testaments on God’s mercy, to the point that we find some verses that mention God as “the Merciful.” The Apostle James says in his letter about those who persevere: “Blessed are they, for you have heard of the patience of Job, and you know the purpose of the Lord, that the Lord is merciful and compassionate” (5:11). The term “the Merciful” also appears in the Book of Sirach: “And the people made supplication to the Lord Most High in prayer before the Merciful” (50:19). However, the climax of the Gospel is in the Beatitudes, where it is said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
After Islam, the ancient Arab Christians used the term “Al-Rahman” to refer to God. We will not mention all the writers who used this term, but we will suffice with Bishop Suleiman bin Al-Hasan Al-Ghazzi (eleventh century) who chanted about the church, saying:
It is a consolation for the one whose affliction has been great, and people rely on it for the sake of the Most Merciful.
Many Christians have been called Abdul Rahman or Abdul Rahim... because they saw no difference between being called Abdullah or any of the beautiful names of God. So, “In the name of the Most Gracious, His Son Christ, and His Holy Spirit,” we entrust you with the peace, mercy, and blessings of God.
About my parish bulletin
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Issue 29
