MERCY
All praise is for Alláh(swt), the Lord of the worlds, the Most Gracious, and the Most Merciful. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Alláh Alone having no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger who was sent as a mercy for mankind and jinn. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his Companions, and those who follow his Sunnah, and call for his Shariah and who are merciful among each other until the Day of Recompense.
O servants of Alláh! One of the virtues that the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) was endowed with and that Islam ealled for is the virtue of mercy. Mercy is a gentle feeling in the heart of man that translates into kindness in his behavior. It is a superb quality and nature that prompts the emotion of man to be good and benevolent. Alláh(swt) praised the Messenger(pbuh) who was sent with the virtuous manners, for having this quality. He says:
“And by the Mercy of Alláh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.” (3: 159)
So he was the one who was sent as a mercy to all the worlds; he was sorry and sad to see anyone deprived of the light of Islam and the tranquillity of faith. Alláh(swt) said:
“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad(pbuh)) from amongst yourselves (i.e., whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad(pbuh)) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Alláh, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire); for the believers (He (swt) is) full of pity, kind, and merciful.” (9:128)
The comprehensive and complete mercy is the mercy of Alláh, the Most Merciful, and the All-Mighty. His mercy has encompassed all creatures. Nothing exists except due to the mercy of Alláh(swt). Alláh(swt) says:
“And My Mercy embraces all things.” (7: 156)
He also says:
Our Lord! You encompass all things in mercy and knowledge.” (40:7)
Allah(swt) created us from no existence and made it easy for us to live in this life, on His earth and under His heavens. He caused the rivers to flow, the plants and trees to grow and give fruits, and he caused day and night to alternate. He furthermore provided us with ample favors and bounties of which if one íntends to count, he will attempt to do so in vain because Alláh ‘ s favors and bounties are countless. Alláh(swt) says:
“Look then at the effeets (results) of Allah’s Mercy, how He revives the earth after íts death. Verily, that (Alláh) (Who revived the earth after its death) shall indeed raise the dead (on the Day of Resurrection), and He is Able to do all things.” (30:50)
“It is out of His Merey that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein (i.e., during the night) and that you may seek of His Bounty (i.e., during the day) – and in order that you may be grateful.” (28:73)
“And your Lord is Rich (Free of all needs), full of merey; if He wills, He can destroy you, and in your place make whom He wills as your successors, as He raised you from the seed of other people.” (6: 133)
The Messenger of Allah(pbuh) carried the torches of guidance and the light of faith. He showed the people the way of life and the methodology by which they would have a righteous life and by which their hopes would come true. It is the methodology that would make them successful and happy in the Hereafter and ensure their future in it. This guidance was but another favor of Allah’s many favors upon them. It was also a merey that would protect them from being ruined and misguided. In an address to Maryam regarding her son Isa, Allah(swt) said:
“He said: ‘So (it will be), your Lord said: That is easy for Me (Alláh), And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Alláh), and it is a matter (already) decreed (by Allah).'” (19:21)
When Alláh(swt) decided to conclude and seal His messages to mankind, perfect His religion for them, and complete His favor upon them; he sent the seal of the Messengers, Muhammad(pbuh), who is the Imam of the guided ones. Be was sent as merey for those who were guided, and for all mankind. Alláh(swt) said:
“And We have sent you (O Muhammad(pbuh)) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamín (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (21: 107)
Likewise, the Noble Qur’án, whieh is Allah’s great sign, and Islam’s eternal miracle, came as cure, guidance and merey for what is in the heart. In this regard, Alláh(swt) says:
“And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’án) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Alláh as Muslims).” (16:89)
The mission of the callers to Alláh(swt), though it is a dangerous mission, requires an ample reserve of merey, kindness, and patience. For this reason, the master of the callers to Allah(swt), Muhammad was characterized with a heart full of merey and affection. He was a Messenger who had wished guidance and goodness for all humanity.
He treated mercifully every human being, whether a child, an old man, a believer, or even a disbeliever. His life story carried within its days, nights, and moments great examples of good conduct, kind behavior, gentleness and passion towards everyone who happened to see him.
There was a story about a nomad who called on the Prophet(pbuh) and said: “O Muhammad, give me a camel load of what Alláh(swt) has given you, as indeed you do not give me of your own money, or your father’ s money.” Upon this, he pulled the Prophet(pbuh) by his clothes so hard that it left a mark on the Prophet’s neck. The Prophet(pbuh) said:
“The wealth is Allah’s wealth, and I am His slave. However, you will be charged, o nomad!”
The man replied: “You will not do that.” The Prophet(pbuh) asked: “Why?” He said: “Because you do not return a bad deed with another, but you return a bad deed with a good one.” Upon this, the Prophet(pbuh) pardoned him and ordered him to be given what he wanted.
The Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) also treated the youngsters and children with mercy and kindness. He often played with them and put them near to him. Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority ofYousefbin Abdullah bin Sallam that he said:
“The Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) named me Yousef, and seated me on his lap, then wiped over my head … “
With his opponents and enemies, the Prophet(pbuh) was also patient. He often tolerated their harm against him. He hoped and strove for their guidance and righteousness, while he was always able to invoke Alláh(swt) against them, which would result in their ruin and destruction. Yet, when they became harsher and more hostile towards him, he would only say:
“O Alláh, guide my people, for they do not know.”
Islam has ealled upon its followers to be endowed with this noble virtue in order for people to be stable in their life, and for every member of the society to find his appropriate position in life and thus his dignity. At-Tabarani narrated that the Prophet(pbuh) said:
“Verily you will not believe until you have mercy among you.”
They said: “O Messenger of Alláh! We all are merciful.” He replied:
“It is not your mercy upon one of your friends, but it is the mercy upon the whole populace.”
Islam also stresses upon extending the coneept of mercy to include animals. Animals should not be harmed, beaten, or left hungry or thirsty. Abu Dawud narrated on the authority of Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah, that he reported that his father said:
“We were travelling with the Prophet(pbuh), when he proceeded away for some private affair (to answer the call of nature); meanwhile we saw a Hummara (a bird) with two of her baby birds, so we took them from her, upon which she started flapping her wings. The Prophet(pbuh) came and said: “Who did this with her baby bird? Give her baby baek to her.” He then saw an anthill, which we had burned down and asked: “Who burned this?” We answered: “We did.” Then he said: “No one shall torture with tire exeept the Lord ofthe Fire (meaning Alláh).”
Al-Bukhári and Muslim reported on the authority of Ibn Umar, that the Messenger of Allah(pbuh) had said:
“A woman was tortured for a cat that she confined until it died from hunger. She therefore entered Hellfire for what she did to the cat. She did not feed it or let it drink, nor did she set the cat free to eat the small animals (bugs, rodents, etc.,) of the earth.”
O servants of Alláh! Alláh(swt) says:
“Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.” (7:56)
As was also stated in an authentic Hadith:
“May Alláh have no mercy on him who has no mercy on people”
The cruelty of the heart and the coldness of the emotions are considered some of the causes for the misery of this life and the Hereafter. As was narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet(pbuh) said:
“Mercy is not taken away except from a wretched person.”
We are thus obligated to take the example of the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh) and hold onto the teachings of our religion. Every Muslim must have mercy on himself by not exposing himself to the wrath of Alláh(swt) or involving himself in disobeying Him.
O brothers in Islam! Would you not like it when Alláh greets you with Salam (peace) through His Messenger(pbuh), the best man ever created and treats you with His mercy and favors in this life and the Hereafter? Alláh(swt) says:
“When those who believe in Our Ayát (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) come to you, say: ‘Salámun ‘Alaikum’ (peace be on you); your Lord has written (prescribed) Mercy for Himself, so that if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Alláh), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (6:54)
He(swt) says, describing the believers who treat one another with mercy and kindness and whose hearts are filled with faith in Alláh(swt) and His Messenger(pbuh):
“The believers, men and women, are Auliyá’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma ‘rúf (i.e., Islámic Monotheism and all that Islám orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islám has forbidden); they perform As-Salát (Iqámat-as-Salát), and give the Zakát. and obey Alláh and His Messenger. Alláh will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Alláh is All-Mighty, All- Wise.”
O Allah! Help us repent and surrender to You! Answer our prayers! O Alláh! Make us feel the coolness of Your pardon, and the sweetness of Your forgiveness! Save our hearts from being attached to other than You! Join us to those whom You love and who love You! Protect us in this life and the Hereafter from all tribulations and temptations! Make us pious inwardly and outwardly and make us amongst the righteous ones! O Alláh! Have mercy on all Muslims! O Alláh! Answer our prayers!
With this I conclude my speech and ask Alláh(swt) to forgive all of our sins and wrongdoings. So seek His forgiveness; verily He is Oft-Forgiving All-Merciful.
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