Rahmah
/ˈraħ.ma/noun
An Arabic term meaning mercy, compassion, or loving-kindness, especially in an Islamic context.
Did you know?Rahmah comes from the same Arabic root associated with raḥim, “womb,” linking divine compassion symbolically with the protective tenderness of a mother’s womb.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*r-ḥ-m
“A reconstructed root associated with womb, compassion, and tender mercy”
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
reḥem / raḥămîm
“Womb; compassion or mercies, preserving the connection between bodily nurture and pity”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
raḥima
“He showed mercy, had compassion, or treated someone tenderly”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
raḥmah
“Mercy, compassion, gracious tenderness”
Medieval Islamic usage
Arabic
raḥmah
“A central virtue and divine attribute expressed through compassionate care”
Modern English
English
Rahmah
“A transliterated Arabic term used in English discussions of Islam, spirituality, and compassion”