Quran by topic

Quran verses about mercy

Mercy, rahmah in Arabic, is one of the most repeated descriptions of God in the Quran. It is named as something God has taken upon Himself, as what the Prophet was sent to bring, and as what the believer asks for in prayer.

The passages below are a short selection. Each is given in Arabic with an English translation and its place in the Quran. The same root gives the words for the Most Merciful and for the womb, a connection commentators often note.

My mercy embraces all things

۞ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

And ordain for us in this world that which is good, and in the Hereafter (that which is good), Lo! We have turned unto Thee. He said: I smite with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraceth all things, therefore I shall ordain it for those who ward off (evil) and pay the poor-due, and those who believe Our revelations;

Al-A'raaf 7:156

Surah Al-A'raaf (The Heights) · Meccan · ayah 156 of 206

Sent as a mercy to the peoples

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةًۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

We sent thee not save as a mercy for the peoples.

Al-Anbiyaa 21:107

Surah Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets) · Meccan · ayah 107 of 112

Announce that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful

۞ نَبِّئْ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Announce, (O Muhammad) unto My slaves that verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful,

Al-Hijr 15:49

Surah Al-Hijr (The Rock) · Meccan · ayah 49 of 99

He has prescribed mercy for Himself

قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُل لِّلَّهِ ۚ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۚ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Say: Unto whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth? Say: Unto Allah. He hath prescribed for Himself mercy, that He may bring you all together to the Day of Resurrection whereof there is no doubt. Those who ruin their souls will not believe.

Al-An'aam 6:12

Surah Al-An'aam (The Cattle) · Meccan · ayah 12 of 165

Seek pardon and find God Forgiving

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا

Yet whoso doeth evil or wrongeth his own soul, then seeketh pardon of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.

An-Nisaa 4:110

Surah An-Nisaa (The Women) · Medinan · ayah 110 of 176

Moses prays for mercy

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِأَخِى وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِى رَحْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

He said: My Lord! Have mercy on me and on my brother; bring us into Thy mercy, Thou the Most Merciful of all who show mercy.

Al-A'raaf 7:151

Surah Al-A'raaf (The Heights) · Meccan · ayah 151 of 206

Full of pity, merciful toward mankind

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَٰكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَسَطًۭا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًۭا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلْقِبْلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيْهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَٰنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against you. And We appointed the qiblah which ye formerly observed only that We might know him who followeth the messenger, from him who turneth on his heels. In truth it was a hard (test) save for those whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's purpose that your faith should be in vain, for Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful toward mankind.

Al-Baqara 2:143

Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) · Medinan · ayah 143 of 286

Context

Five of these passages are Meccan: two from al-A'raaf, and one each from al-Anbiyaa, al-Hijr and al-An'aam. The other two, from an-Nisaa and al-Baqarah, are Medinan.

Surah 2:143 is part of the passage about the change of the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to the Ka'bah. The verse describes the change as a test and closes by naming God as full of pity and merciful toward people.

Surah 7:151 and 7:156 belong to one scene: Moses' prayer after the sin of the golden calf, and God's answer to it. They are narrative passages, set inside the story of Banu Israel in the desert, not reports tied to a later event.

No specific occasion is reported for the remaining passages. They are general statements and prayers, and are read as such.

Questions for reflection

The verse from al-A'raaf says God's mercy embraces all things, then speaks of those who do good. How do you hold the two halves together?
Surah 21:107 describes the Prophet as a mercy to the peoples. What would it mean to receive that as a description of the message rather than of a person?
God is said to have prescribed mercy for Himself. What changes when mercy is a commitment rather than a mood?
Where do you find it easier to ask mercy for others than for yourself?