Mercy to Mankind
Allāh, the Glorified and Exalted, said in describing his Messenger: (There has certainly cometo you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful.) (The Noble Quran 9: 128)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'Aas (RAA):
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Those who are merciful, the All-Merciful will bestow His mercy on them.
Be merciful to those who are on the earth, He, Who is in the heaven, will bestow His mercy on you.” (Abu Dawood, declared sound by Al-Albani)
(And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.)
Islām carries mercy to mankind and substantially advocates toward exerting it. Allāh, the Exalted, said: (And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.) (The Noble Quran 21: 107)
We have a good example, to follow, in the person of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whom everyone around him sensed, enjoyed and praised his noble manner including animals.
The elderly and the young enjoy mercy in a truly Muslim community
Anas ibn Malik (RAA) narrated that:
(An older man came to talk to the Prophet (PBUH), and the people were hesitant to make room for him (to sit). The Prophet said: He is not one of us who does not have mercy on our young and does not respect our elders.) (At-Tirmidhi, declared sound Al-Albani)
Aisha (Allāh be pleased with her) reported that there came a few desert Arabs to Allāh's Messenger (PBUH) and said: “Do you kiss your children? He said: Yes. Thereupon they said: By Allāh but we do not kiss our children. Thereupon Allāh's Messenger (PBUH) said: Then what can I do if Allāh has deprived you of mercy?” (Al-Bukhāri and Muslim)
The disbelievers enjoyed the mercy of living amongst the Muslims
A Testimony from a Non-Muslim: Gustave Le Bon a French Orientalist and researcher in sociology and psychology said: “But even, the different peoples had never known tolerant conquerors like the Arabs nor a religion like theirs”[1]
Even animals will enjoy mercy in a Muslim Community
Abu Hurairah (RAA) reported:
The Messenger of Allāh (PBUH) said: “While a man was walking on his way he became extremely thirsty. He found a well, he went down into it to drink water. Upon leaving it, he saw a dog which was gasping out of thirst. His tongue was lolling out and he was eating moist earth from extreme thirst. The man thought to himself: 'This dog is extremely thirsty like I was.' So he descended into the well, filled up his leather sock with water, and held it with his teeth, climbed up and quenched the thirst of the dog. Allāh appreciated his action and forgave his sins". The Companions asked: “Shall we be rewarded for showing kindness to the animals also?” He (PBUH) said, "A reward is given in connection with every living creature.” (Al-Bukhāri and Muslim)
The Muslim community is one entity
Nu'man ibn Bashir (RAA) reported:
Messenger of Allāh (PBUH) said: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.” (Al-Bukhāri and Muslim)
Why do you have to be merciful?
Allāh (SWT) loves those who are merciful
A reason for winning Allāh’s (SWT) mercy
A sign for the completeness of ones Imān
Strengthens the brotherhood bonds in the community
Illustrates passion and pity for the weak and needy
Be merciful and you’ll shall reap the fruit of exerting it
If mercy to an animal leads to paradise, how about mercy to human beings
Who is the most deserving of mercy and compassion?
Certainly, the closest ones are the most deserving of mercy and compassion. We see a much distorted example of people nowadays being compassionate to animals, yet their own old parents are deprived from that and out-casted in nursing homes without even visits or calls.
[1] Le Bon, Gustave, [The Civilization of the Arabs p.605]
