Ramadan Day 2

Day 2 — الرَّحِيم (Ar-Raḥīm)

The Especially Merciful

Qur’anic Anchor

“And He is to the believers especially Merciful.”
(Qur’an 33:43)

Reflection

If Ar-Raḥmān is the mercy that comes before we do anything—mercy that is foundational, ever-present, and not dependent on what we do—then Ar-Raḥīm is the other dimension: mercy that is continuous and relational. Mercy that meets you in relationship. Mercy that responds when you return. Ar-Raḥīm is a special, enduring mercy bestowed upon the hearts that turn toward Him. It is the mercy of divine closeness.

Scholars link Ar-Raḥīm to divine closeness that answers turning back. It is a mercy especially dedicated to the believers—most clearly in the Hereafter—though Allah’s mercy touches all creation. Yet for the believer, Allah grants an added grace: greater reward, deeper nearness, and a mercy that keeps meeting you again and again as you keep coming back.

It is the mercy you experience every time you return to Allah.
The mercy of being drawn close as an individual.
The mercy that responds to your turning—no matter how many times you’ve turned before.

And classical tradition draws our attention to a profound connection: the root of this Name is linked to the womb (raḥim/raḥm)—that nurturing, protective place that envelops, sustains, and carries life as it grows. In the same way, Ar-Raḥīm is mercy that doesn’t just pardon—it carries you.

This mercy is not a one-time gift; it is a persistent, flowing connection that remains as long as we keep coming back.

Now, let’s bring this into the psychology of healing and change.

In therapy systems, this is what we might call repair without abandonment. It’s the kind of repair that says: You can come back again. The relationship still holds.

So we remind ourselves:

Repetition does not cancel compassion.
Falling short does not disqualify you from mercy.
Returning again does not “annoy” Allah—rather, it is beloved to Him.

Growth does not occur because failure ends. Growth occurs because connection remains intact.

And I say this to my clients often: none of us will be perfect. We will still have moments of failure. When we are working on a struggle—whether it’s an addiction, a habit, or a mindset—there may be lapses and even relapses. Shaytan may try to convince you that your “failure” has severed the connection. But Ar-Raḥīm teaches us otherwise: healing is not a straight line; it is a series of returns. And the turning matters. The returning matters. The connection matters.

This is why compassion—toward yourself and toward others—is not weakness. It is a mercy and a blessing from Ar-Raḥīm. And the hardness of heart deprives a person of this gift.

Remember the narration: A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “Do you kiss your children? We do not kiss them.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “What can I do for you if Allah has removed mercy from your heart?” In another wording: “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”

So today, let the second day of Ramadan deepen what Day 1 began: mercy is not only a foundation—it is also a relationship you can re-enter.

Even if you fall short, keep your connection with Allah.
Even if an old struggle resurfaces, return again.
Even if you stumble in what you intended, do not abandon your turning.

Because in these first ten days of Ramadan—days of mercy—growth is already happening even when we are still learning how to grow.

So let this be our du‘ā today:

Yā Raḥīm—meet me again where I am still learning.
Yā Raḥīm—make it easy for me to keep turning back to You.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.

Du‘ā Prompt

“O Ar-Raḥīm, meet me again where I am still learning. Make it easy for me to keep turning back to You.”

Action Prompt

When an old struggle resurfaces today, respond with steadiness rather than self-reproach.
Remind yourself: the connection is still intact.