The concept of al-Raḥmah in the Qur'ānic narratives with a special focus on Sūrah Maryam

In what ways does the concept of al-raḥmah manifest in sūrah Maryam? Does the word only and merely connote mercy? This thesis project attempts to decipher the many facets of meanings of al-raḥmah in the first three narratives (Qur'ān, 19:2-50) found in the sūrah, thus attempting to answer these questions. However, endeavors to focus on these narratives depend upon the many repeated explicit and implicit signs the whole sūrah emits. Explicitly, the sūrah mentions the attribute of God 'al-Raḥmān' sixteen times within it while the word 'raḥmah' four times totaling twenty in its basic forms and derivatives. Implicitly, the sūrah also carries other words and expressions which connect to the meanings of al-raḥmah, such as 'ḥanān' (gentle and loving)), 'salām' (peace), 'wahaba' (to present a gift), and 'barran bi wālidayhi/wālidātī' (utmost dutiful towards parents). Lastly, it is in these very first three stories that the raḥmah of the Rabb, Allāh, to His selected ʿibād (servants) is implicitly revealed in the most unimaginable ways, i.e., as gifts of prophets as progenies at times and situations which the human mind generally deems impossible. This work stands apart from other research discussing similar topics in sūrah Maryam because of its more comprehensive approach that includes a comparative analysis with other verses in other sūrahs in the Qur'ān, a qualitative content analysis, and theme analysis. This study will also conclude that these narratives project this particular raḥmah as the prerogative right of God as al-Raḥmān. Furthermore, this attribute reflects Him as the single creator of humankind through the wombs: the single creator of the raḥmah of parent-children relationships, refuting the claim that He himself can have a son. All of this contributes to the production of detailed and transparent displays of components and modalities which play roles in shaping the comprehensive conception, albeit multifaceted, of the meanings of al-raḥmah found in these stories while debunking the notion that the word only and merely means mercy.