SUFI INTERPRETATION OF THE QURAN 49

law of the Prophet, the basmalah is in essence contained
in its first letter, ba, and this again in its diacritical
point, which thus symbolises principial Unity.

In the conventional translation of the basmalah
quoted above, the interpretation of the two names ar-
Rahman and ar-Rahim as ““The Compassionate > and
“The Merciful ’ is only approximate as there is no real
equivalent. Both names imply the idea of Mercy
(ar-Rahmah) : ar-Rahman corresponds to the Mercy
which—to use a Quranic expression—‘“embraces all
things ’, and expresses the plenitude of Being, Its essen-
tial bliss and the universal nature of Its effulgence ; ar-
Rahim corresponds to Grace. As Rahman God mani-
fests Himself through the appearance of the world ; as
Rahim He manifests Himself divinely within the world.

The three Divine Names mentioned in the basmalah
reflect one might say three ““ phases’ or ‘‘ dimensions”
of the Divine Infinity. The name Allah symbolises,
through its indeterminate character, the Infinite in Its
absolute transcendence : through His Infinity God is
““rich in Himself”. The name ar-Ralimin expresses
“superabundant Infinity’” by the very fact that the
Infinite does not exclude any possible reality whatever,
even Its own apparent limitation ; It is the cause of the
world; the manifestation of the world is a pure
“ mercy ”’, for by it God opens Himself out to possibili-
ies of limitation which neither add anything to His
Essential Plenitude nor in any way limit it. The name
ar-Rahim expresses ““Immanent Infinity ”; the world,
which seems to limit the Infinite, in reality only limits