His saying: The Most Merciful (al-Rahim)
6 - Ibn Tahir narrated to us, [from] Muhammad ibn al-‘Ala’—meaning Abu Kurayb al-Hamdani—[from] ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id—meaning al-Zayyat—[from] Bishr ibn ‘Umarah, from Abu Rawq, from al-Dahhak, from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: The first thing Gabriel revealed to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was that Gabriel said to him: "Say: 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' (Bismillahi al-Rahman al-Rahim)." He says: The Most Merciful (al-Rahim) is the tender, the gentle toward whomever He wishes to show mercy; the distant, the severe toward whomever He wishes to intensify the punishment upon.
7 - Abu Sa‘id ibn Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Qattan narrated to us, [from] Zayd ibn al-Hubab, [who said] Abu al-Ashhab narrated to me, from al-Hasan, who said: "The Most Gracious" (al-Rahman) is a name that people are unable to claim for themselves; He, Blessed and Exalted, has named Himself with it.
His saying, the Almighty and Exalted: "Praise be to Allah" (al-hamdu lillah)
[The First Aspect]
8 - My father narrated to us, [from] Abu Ma‘mar al-Minqari, [from] ‘Abd al-Warith, [from] ‘Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud‘an, from Yusuf ibn Mihran, who said: Ibn ‘Abbas said: "Praise be to Allah" (al-hamdu lillah) is the word of gratitude, and when the servant says: "Praise be to Allah," He says: "My servant has thanked Me."
9 - ‘Ali ibn Tahir narrated to us, [from] Muhammad ibn al-‘Ala’—meaning Abu Kurayb—[from] ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id—meaning al-Zayyat—[from] Bishr ibn ‘Umarah, from Abu Rawq, from al-Dahhak, from Ibn ‘Abbas: "Praise be to Allah" (al-hamdu lillah) is gratitude to Allah, the entreaty to Allah, and the acknowledgment to Him of His favors, His precedence, and other than that.
The Second Aspect:
10 - My father narrated to us, [from] Musa ibn Isma‘il, [from] Wuhayb, [from] Suhayl ibn Abi Salih, from his father, from al-Saluli, from Ka‘b, who said: "Praise be to Allah" (al-hamdu lillah) is praise for Allah.
The Third Aspect:
11 - My father narrated to us, [from] Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Farisi, [from] Bazi‘ Abu Hazim, from Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman—meaning Abu Bastam—from al-Dahhak, who said: Praise (al-hamd) is the mantle of the Most Gracious (al-Rahman).
