Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 110

(Ayah 110) ➊ { قُلِ ادْعُوا اللّٰهَ اَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمٰنَ …:} The disbelievers of Makkah used to dislike the name “Ar-Rahman,” so Allah Almighty mentioned their aversion to this name in several verses. Thus, He said: «وَ اِذَا قِيْلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوْا لِلرَّحْمٰنِ قَالُوْا وَ مَا الرَّحْمٰنُ اَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَاْمُرُنَا وَ زَادَهُمْ نُفُوْرًا » [ الفرقان : ۶۰ ] “And when it is said to them, ‘Prostrate to Ar-Rahman,’ they say, ‘And what is Ar-Rahman? Should we prostrate to what you command us?’ And it increases them in aversion.” Their aversion is also mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya (36). When the treaty of Hudaybiyyah was being written, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to the scribe: “Write {’’بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ‘‘}.” Then (the representative of the disbelievers) Suhail bin Amr said: “Ar-Rahman! By Allah, I do not know what Ar-Rahman is. Rather, write {’’بِاسْمِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ‘‘} as you used to write before.” [ بخاری، الشروط، باب الشروط فی الجہاد… : ۲۷۳۱، ۲۷۳۲ ] Allah Almighty said, “Call upon Allah or call upon Ar-Rahman, whichever (name) you call, to Him belong the best names.” When all are the best, then why would not these two be the best? For further details, see the commentary of Surah Al-A’raf (180).

➋ By { وَ لَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ …:’’ صَلَاةٌ ‘‘} is meant the recitation of the Noble Qur’an in prayer. Thus, regarding the explanation of this verse, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that this verse was revealed when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was in hiding in Makkah. When he led his companions in prayer, he would recite the Qur’an aloud. When the polytheists heard it, they would abuse the Qur’an and the One who revealed it. So Allah Almighty said to His Prophet (peace be upon him): [ «وَ لَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ » أَيْ بِقِرَاءَتِكَ فَيَسْمَعَ الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ فَيَسُبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ «وَ لَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا » عَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَلَا تُسْمِعُهُمْ «وَ ابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ سَبِيْلًا » ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ بني إسرائیل باب : «ولا تجہر بصلاتک ولا تخافت بھا » : ۴۷۲۲ ] The meaning of {’’ وَ لَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ ‘‘} is that do not raise your voice with your recitation so that the polytheists hear it and abuse it, nor recite so quietly that you hide it from your companions, for then you will not be able to make them hear it. Rather, seek a way between the two.” Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that this verse was revealed regarding supplication. [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ بني إسرائیل باب : « ولا تجہر بصلاتک ولا تخافت بھا » : ۴۷۲۳ ] In Abu Dawood, there is an authentic hadith that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reciting in a low voice and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reciting in a loud voice during the night prayer, so he told Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to raise his voice a little and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to lower his voice a little. [ أبوداوٗد، التطوع، باب رفع الصوت بالقراء ۃ فی صلاۃ اللیل : ۱۳۲۹ ] The words of the verse accommodate both the meanings of recitation and supplication.

110. 1 Just as mentioned earlier, the attributive name of Allah, 'Rahman' or 'Rahim', was unfamiliar to the polytheists of Makkah, and in some narrations it is mentioned that when some polytheists heard the blessed tongue of the Prophet ﷺ utter the words Rahman and Rahim, they said that he tells us to call upon only one Allah, but he himself is calling upon two deities. Upon this, this verse was revealed (Ibn Kathir).

110. 2 Regarding its context of revelation, Hazrat Ibn Abbas states that in Makkah, the Messenger of Allah used to live in concealment, and when he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice somewhat. The polytheists, upon hearing the Quran, would abuse the Quran and Allah. Allah Almighty said, do not raise your voice so high that the polytheists hear and speak ill of the Quran, nor lower your voice so much that even the companions cannot hear. There is an incident of the Prophet ﷺ himself that one night the Prophet passed by Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, who was praying in a low voice. Then he happened to see Hazrat Umar, who was praying in a loud voice. He asked both of them, so Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq replied, the One with whom I was engaged in supplication was hearing my voice. Hazrat Umar replied, my intention was to wake up the sleepers and drive away Satan. The Prophet ﷺ said to Siddiq Akbar, raise your voice a little, and to Hazrat Umar, lower your voice a little. Hazrat Aisha states that this verse was revealed regarding supplication (Bukhari and Muslim, referenced in Fath al-Qadeer).

Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [128]; whichever name you call, to Him belong the best names." And do not recite your prayer too loudly, nor in a very low voice, but seek a way between those.

[128]
Ar-Rahman is a Personal Name of Allah; The Aversion of the Quraysh to Ar-Rahman, and Other Attributive Names of Allah:

After Allah, Ar-Rahman is also a personal name of Allah, ranking second. This is why, just as no creature can have the name Allah or its attribute, similarly, Ar-Rahman cannot be the name or attribute of any creature. However, this name of Allah was not common in Arabia, and they were averse to this name and hesitated to apply it to Allah. When they heard this name from your tongue, they would say, "You forbid us from associating partners with Allah, yet you yourself have made Ar-Rahman a deity along with Allah." The answer to their objection is given in this verse: Allah and Ar-Rahman are not two gods, but two names of the same Being. You may call upon Him by whichever you wish. In fact, Allah has many other beautiful attributive names as well. You may call upon Allah by them. According to authentic ahadith, these names are ninety-nine. And from the enumeration of the names mentioned in the hadith, it is known that besides these, there are many other names mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah. [نيز ديكهئے سورة رعد آيت نمبر 30 كا حاشيه]

[129]
Recitation of the Quran in a Voice Between Loud and Low:

For the explanation of this sentence, consider the following hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ says: This verse was revealed when you ﷺ used to hide from the disbelievers in Makkah. When you led the companions in prayer, you would recite the Quran aloud. When the polytheists heard the Quran, they would revile the Quran, the bearer of the Quran, and the one who brought it (Jibreel). At that time, Allah commanded His Prophet not to recite the Quran aloud in prayer so that the polytheists would not revile the Quran, nor so softly that your companions could not hear. Rather, adopt a middle course. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير، ترمذي، ابواب التفسير]

And Sayyidah Aisha ؓ says that this verse was revealed regarding supplication. [حواله ايضاً]