Ar-Raḥīm
/ar.raˈħiːm/noun
An Arabic divine epithet meaning “the Merciful,” traditionally used in Islam as one of the names of God.
Did you know?Ar-Raḥīm comes from the Arabic root R-Ḥ-M, which also produces raḥim, “womb,” linking mercy with nurturing, shelter, and maternal compassion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*raḥim-
“A reconstructed root associated with womb, kinship, and compassion”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
raḥima
“To show mercy, compassion, or tenderness”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
raḥīm
“Merciful, compassionate; one who continually shows mercy”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
al-Raḥīm
““The Merciful,” a recurring divine epithet in the Qur’an”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ar-Raḥīm
“The assimilated pronunciation of al-Raḥīm before the sun letter r”
Modern English
English
Ar-Raḥīm
“A transliterated Islamic divine name and epithet”