It is said: Both of them, in our view, have a valid explanation in terms of correctness, so there is no ground for someone to say: Which of them is more deserving of correctness? That is because the meaning in naming Allah al-Raḥmān, as distinct from naming Him al-Raḥīm, is that by naming Him al-Raḥmān He is described with the generality of mercy to all of His creation, whereas by naming Him al-Raḥīm He is described with the specificity of mercy to some of His creation, whether in all circumstances or in some circumstances. There is no doubt—if that is the case—that this specificity in describing Him as al-Raḥīm does not depart from its meaning, whether that is in the immediate world, in the Hereafter, or in both of them together.

So if what we have said of that is correct—and Allah, exalted be His praise, has singled out His believing servants in the immediate world with what He bestowed upon them of His subtle care through His granting them success to obey Him, to have faith in Him and His messengers, to follow His command, and to avoid His acts of disobedience, from which those who associated partners with Him, disbelieved, opposed what He commanded them, and committed His acts of disobedience were forsaken; and along with that, He, exalted be His praise, made what He prepared in the deferred Hereafter in His gardens of everlasting bliss and clear triumph exclusively for whoever believed in Him, affirmed His messengers, and acted in obedience to Him sincerely, to the exclusion of those who associated partners with Him and disbelieved in Him—(1) then it is evident that Allah has singled out the believers for His mercy in the immediate world and the Hereafter, alongside what He has extended to them and to the disbelievers in the immediate world of favor and benevolence to all of them, in the abundance of provision, the subjugation of clouds with rain, the bringing forth of vegetation from the earth, the health of bodies and minds, and all other unquantifiable favors in which believers and disbelievers share.

So our Lord, exalted be His praise, is al-Raḥmān to all of His creation in the immediate world and the Hereafter, and al-Raḥīm to the believers in particular in the immediate world and the Hereafter. As for that by which He extended His mercy to all of them in the immediate world, thereby being al-Raḥmān to them, it is what we have mentioned along with its counterparts that no one among His creation has any way to enumerate, just as He, exalted be His praise, said: {And if you were to count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate it} [Surat Ibrāhīm: 34, and Surat al-Naḥl: 18].

As for the Hereafter, that by which He extends His mercy to all of them in it, thereby being al-Raḥmān to them, is His equating