All praise is due to Allah, the Most Merciful (Al‑Rahmān), and may peace and blessings be upon His final Messenger, the mercy to all the worlds. We begin in the Name of Allah, Ar‑Rahmān (The All-Merciful), whose mercy encompasses all creation. In the Qur’an, Allah frequently reminds us of His boundless compassion – every sūrah (chapter) except one opens with Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm (In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate), emphasizing that mercy is at the heart of His relationship with us myislam.org. One of the clearest invitations to reflect on this attribute is in Surah Al-Furqan. Allah describes `ibād al-Raḥmān – “the servants of the Most Merciful” – and their noble character. He says: “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say words of peace.” surahquran.com. Let us explore this verse (Quran 25:63) and related teachings, drawing on classical and modern tafsīr, hadith, and even psychology and sociology, to understand how Allah’s name Al‑Rahmān should shape our behavior and be internalized in our daily lives.

Humility and Patience of the Servants of Al‑Rahmān

In Surah Al-Furqan, Allah honors certain believers by calling them “servants of Al‑Rahmān.” The verse highlights two key qualities of these blessed people: humility in how they carry themselves, and patience (forbearance) in how they respond to provocation. The Qur’an says they “walk on the earth in humility” surahquran.com – meaning they conduct themselves with dignity and meekness, free of arrogance and pride surahquran.com. Classical commentators explain that this does not mean one should artificially affect a slow, weak gait or a false show of piety. Rather, true humility is a natural calmness and serenity in demeanor surahquran.com. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the leader of all humble souls, walked with purpose and confidence, yet without any trace of pride surahquran.com. To “walk gently” is to live modestly and peacefully, not seeking to dominate others. It reflects an inner recognition that we are all servants of Allah and utterly dependent on His mercy.

The second trait is even more challenging: “when the ignorant address them harshly, they say: ‘Peace.’” Instead of reacting with anger or revenge, the servants of the Most Merciful respond to ignorance with graceful forbearance surahquran.com. In other words, they do not sink to the level of the aggressor. They avoid sinful retaliation and choose words that diffuse tension – words of peace (salām) surahquran.com surahquran.com. Imam Al-Jalalayn comments that they speak in a way that keeps them free from any wrongdoing surahquran.com. The 13th-century scholar Ibn Kathīr explains: “If the ignorant people insult them with bad words, they do not respond in kind, but they forgive and overlook, and say nothing but good words.” surahquran.com They embody the Quranic principle: “When they hear vain or harmful talk, they turn away from it and say, ‘For us are our deeds, and for you are yours – peace be to you – we seek not the ignorant.’” surahquran.com.

Importantly, this merciful restraint is not born of weakness, but of spiritual strength. It takes power to control one’s anger and ego. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ demonstrated this repeatedly – the more offensively ignorant people were towards him, “the more patient he would be.” surahquran.com His entire life exemplified ḥilm (forbearance) and mercy in the face of provocation. By pardoning those who wronged him and praying for their guidance, he taught us that compassion can transform hearts. Thus, the very first qualities of `ibād al-Raḥmān are humility and patience, showing that those who serve the Most Merciful must themselves practice mercy toward others. They “do not believe in vengeance” as a solution surahquran.com. Instead, they rise above ignorance with dignified peace, concerned more with pleasing Allah than satisfying their ego. This is the psychological mastery over one’s anger that true faith produces. Modern research even confirms that humility tamps down anger: humble people are less prone to aggressive impulses and interpret provocation more benignly sciencedirect.comfacebook.com. Likewise, patient people cope better with stress and experience more inner calm mindful.org. In fact, psychologists describe “interpersonal patience” as “facing annoying people with equanimity,” noting that those who cultivate patience with others tend to be more hopeful and satisfied in life mindful.org. How beautifully the Qur’an anticipated this – advising us to respond with peace and forbearance benefits us as much as the one who offended us, bringing tranquility and hope instead of rage.

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