Episode 12: Mercy

Definition:  Mercy is tenderness of the heart and sympathy of the soul that result in forgiveness and kindness⁽¹⁾.

Some of its effects on behavior is complaisance, lowering the wing [(an Arabic phrase that describes the act of being very humble and compassionate towards others; As a bird does with its young)] and sharing one's pains and joys with others.

The place of Mercy in the Sharia'

Islam is the religion of mercy.  A great number of texts in Islam call for, and encourage, this great moral and reveal the results of practicing it.  Some of which are:

·        What Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated, he said: Allah's messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: (Allah has no mercy onto those who do not have mercy onto people)⁽²⁾.

·        According to Abu Hurairah, he said: I heard Abu al-Gasim [(i.e. Allah's messenger)] (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: (Mercy is not stripped [away from anyone] except from a miserable [person])⁽³⁾.

·        According to Abdullah ibn Amr, he said:  Allah's messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: (Merciful people are given mercy by [Allah] The Most Merciful.  Have mercy onto those on earth and He who is in the Heavens will have mercy onto you)⁽⁴⁾.

The Chosen-one [(i.e. prophet Mohammad)] (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was among the most complete of people to be attributed with this great moral.  In fact, Allah has made [His messenger] (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) a mercy for creatures; Glory be to Him said: (And We have sent you not, but as a mercy for all creatures)⁽⁵⁾.  [The messenger's] companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were beholders of kindness and mercy, as Allah (glory be to Him) has so described them in saying: (Muhammad the messenger of Allah; and those with him are strong against unbelievers, (but) merciful amongst each other)⁽⁶⁾.

1)    Abu Bakr al-Jazaeri, Minhaj al-Muslim pg. 142.

2)    Produced by: al-Bukhari #7376 and Muslim #2319.

3)    Produced by: Abu Dawood #4942; al-Tirmithi #1924 and he said: "hadeeth hasan".

4)    Produced by: Abu Dawood #4941; al-Tirmithi #1925 and he said: "hasan saheeh".

5)    Translation of meaning: Holy Quran, chapter al-Anbiyaa, verse 107

6)    Translation of meaning: Holy Quran, chapter al-Fateh, verse 29.

Add comment