Muhammad : Mercy to Mankind

All praise is due to Allâh, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allâh be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allâh and seek for His mercy by being dutiful to Him. Allâh says,

Brethren in faith! Fear Allâh and do not incline to this world and its adornments. For this world is a temporary abode in which both righteous and sinful have their sustenance. The Hereafter is a true appointed time in which the Lord, Who is Omnipotent, shall judge between truth and falsehood.

Fellow Muslims! In this time of despair and hardship, a time in which values and concepts have been turned upside down, a time in which the powerful suppresses the weak and the rich the poor, a time that civilizations clash, the Muslims are seriously in need of affirming their civilization that is based on noble concepts. It is through these noble concepts that the Ummah’s injuries can be healed.

The world communities have never been in a greater need to realize the defects that are in their civilizations as they are today. They need to know the defects of their systems of life. It is time for them to ask themselves the causes of their problems and the misery, which their civilizations have caused. They need to know the causes of widespread distress and anxiety that have overwhelmed their lives.

These are just some of the questions whose answer is provided by the Glorious Qur’ân. Allâh says,

Dear brother! If you reflect on the life history of the Messenger of Allâh, you will find it full of noble qualities in concept and practice. This is why the civilization of his religion is the only civilization that brought happiness to the world.

‘Âishah narrated that she asked the Prophet, ”Have you encountered a day harder than the day (of the battle) of Uhud?” The Prophet replied,

When the people of Makkah made things difficult for him, persecuted him and his companions and injured his face, he could still be heard saying while wiping blood off his face, “O Allâh! Forgive my people for they know not what they are doing.”

Fellow Muslims! It is with this mercy and compassion that the Messenger of Allâh was sent. And it is with mercy and compassion that he treated all his opponents and companions alike. Mercy is an attribute of Allâh. He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. And He is Kind with His creatures. He sent His Messenger with kindness and He says,

The Prophet also brought the law of Islâm based on the principle of compassion. Allâh says,

The Prophet would feel seriously hurt by whatever was harmful to his nation. He was never given an option to choose between two things except that he chose the easier as long as it was not forbidden. On many occasions he had said, “Had I not found it hard for my followers or the people, I would have ordered so and so or I would have done so and so.”Sometimes, he would want to prolong prayer and yet would shorten it when he heard the crying of a baby because he understood how upset his mother would be.

Brethren in faith! Compassion is a quality of manliness. Compassion is a quality that emanates from a merciful heart. It is a quality of the Prophets and a sign of perfect Îmân and Islâm. Allâh says,

Usâmah bin Zayd said,

Compassion breeds love and affection among people. Compassion is a delight of the heart and the way to Paradise. The Messenger of Allâh said,

Compassion softens the heart and leads man to be kind to even animals and birds. Abdullâh bin Mas‘ûd said,

Abdullâh bin Ja‘far narrated that the Messenger of Allâh entered the compound of an Ansârî man. And there here was a camel there. When the camel saw the Prophet, it longed for him, groaned and shed tears. The Messenger of Allâh approached it and wiped off its tears and it became quiet. He then said,

This is the Prophet’s reaction to the maltreatment of animals. Imagine how he would have reacted to a person who harmed humans, usurped the rights of the poor and did not treat children and old people with compassion. The Prophet said,

The Prophet also said,

As for compassion that Islâm shows in the area legislations, that is a very long topic. All aspects of Islamic law are rather compassionate in their goals, means and applications.
Fellow Muslims! This is the mercy with which the Messenger of Allâh was sent. Our religion is that of compassion in times of war and peace. It is a religion of kindness towards enemies and friends, animals and birds. It is a religion of compassion in worship, cooperation and judgment and in all aspects of its law.

Words are not enough to describe how compassionate the Prophet was. Compare this to the so-called civilizations that are being claimed and that are in the real sense devoid of compassion and justice. Compare it to civilizations that do not, in victory, respect any pact of kinship or covenant of protection with a believer and that strive through the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allâh does not like corruption.

The Prophet found excuse for his people though they wanted to kill him. He was compassionate to them though they were fighting him. He wanted guidance and happiness for them. In our age on the contrary, the so-called leaders of modern civilization, who have no regard for compassion, claim to be compassionate. They find excuses for aggression and concoct lies to justify wars, killings, destruction and corruption.

It is therefore an act of compassion to rein in these people. And to be severe with them is part of the mercy that Islâm spreads.

Brethren in faith! Man has not excelled above other creatures by his mere physical size or strength. There are other creatures that are greater than him in power and size. He only excelled by his heart, soul, intelligence and feelings. It is not a matter of pride that man should be stern and severe, but real pride lies in excellent characters and sublime dispositions. This is shown through qualities like gentleness, compassion, graciousness and kindness. Allâh says,

Brethren in Islâm! Emulate the pure characters of your Prophet and hold fast onto the lofty principles of your religion.

Fellow Muslims! Compassion is a sign of humility. It also removes arrogance. Compassion means doing good to all, assisting the needy and being kind to the kith and kin. It also entails showing sympathy for the weak, the sick, the disabled and the orphans by making them happy. Compassion entails helping the wronged and reining in the devilish people. Compassion means feeling concerned about the affairs of fellow Muslims, sharing their pains and aspirations and coming to their aid. It also entails enjoining good, forbidding evil, and teaching the Muslims the goals of being compassionate. The Messenger of Allâh said,

1 A type of bird

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