Surah 9:128
"Certainly a messenger has come to you from among you. What you suffer is a mighty (weight) on him, (for he has) concern over you, (and he is) kind (and) compassionate with the believers."
After commanding the messenger to be harsh with the “disbelievers” (vv. 73, 123), the Quran describes the messenger as compassionate ( ra ’ ūf ) and merciful ( raḥīm ) with the “believers.” For this “self-referential” language of the Quran, see “Different Kinds of Literature”.
- from The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam
Elsewhere in the Quran, the adjective pair ra ’ ūf raḥīm is only associated with Allah, including in 9.117.
- from The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam