قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدۡعُواْ فَلَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ
Occasion of Revelation (Sahih — Agreed Upon):
Narrated through multiple chains in both Sahihayn: The polytheists saw the Prophet ﷺ prostrating and calling "O Allah, O Ar-Rahman," and said: "He forbids us from worshipping two gods yet calls upon two gods!" So was revealed:
"Say: Call upon Allah or call upon Ar-Rahman — whichever you call, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names."
Significance:
- Both "Allah" and "Ar-Rahman" belong to the same One God — multiplicity in names ≠ multiplicity in essence
- "The Most Beautiful Names" — all names of Allah refer back to one single Being
- A refutation of polytheism that assumes each name refers to a separate deity
Question: What argument did the polytheists raise when they heard the Prophet ﷺ call "O Ar-Rahman"?
Answer: They claimed he called upon two gods while forbidding polytheism. The verse clarified both names belong to the same Allah.