Show Compassion Towards Allah’s Creation | Concept of Compassion in Islam

Quranic Pearls

Be Compassionate Towards Allah’s Creation

Mufti Muhammad Qasim ‘Attari

Allah Almighty states:

وَ رَحۡمَتِیۡ وَسِعَتۡ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ ؕ

“My Mercy encompasses all things.”^[1]

Allah Almighty has infinite attributes of perfection which we cannot count or comprehend. The attributes mentioned in the Quran and hadith are known by the people of knowledge, and there are many attributes that are known by the people of gnosis (maʿrifa) and insight. However, there are certain divine attributes that even Muslim children are aware of. For example, Allah Almighty is the Creator, He is the One Who sustains, He is the Owner, He is the Nourisher, and He is the One Who gives life and death. From among these well-known attributes is the mercy of Allah Almighty, that is, our Lord is Rahman and Raheem, i.e., Most Compassionate and Most Merciful.

Both of these attributes are so commonplace on the tongues of creation that Muslims are commanded to recite the basmala before every good act, and both of these attributes of Allah Almighty, compassion and mercy, are mentioned in the basmala. Similarly, mention these attributes in every salah when reciting Surah al-Fātiḥa. Besides this, Allah Almighty has made many references to His attribute of mercy in various ways in the Quran. Hence, He states in one place:

نَبِّیٔۡ عِبَادِیۡۤ  اَنِّیۡۤ  اَنَا الۡغَفُوۡرُ الرَّحِیۡمُ ۙ(۴۹)

“Inform My servants that undoubtedly only I am the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”^[2]

In another place, He declares:

وَ رَحۡمَتِیۡ وَسِعَتۡ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ ؕ

“My mercy encompasses all things.”^[3]

He further states:

قُلۡ یٰعِبَادِیَ  الَّذِیۡنَ  اَسۡرَفُوۡا عَلٰۤی اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ  لَا تَقۡنَطُوۡا مِنۡ رَّحۡمَۃِ اللّٰہِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ جَمِیۡعًا ؕ اِنَّہٗ  ہُوَ  الۡغَفُوۡرُ  الرَّحِیۡمُ (۵۳)

“Say ˹dear Beloved˺, 'O servants of mine who have committed excess upon their own souls ˹by committing sins˺, do not lose hope in the Mercy of Allah. Surely, Allah forgives all sins ˹of those who abstain from disbelief and repent˺. Indeed, only He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.'”^[4]

The excellence of mercy is so beloved to Allah Almighty that from the qualities He bestowed to His beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the most prominent is that of mercy. Hence, He states:

وَ مَاۤ  اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ اِلَّا رَحۡمَۃً  لِّلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ (۱۰۷)

“We did not send you ˹dear Beloved˺ but as mercy for all the worlds.”^[5]

 In another place, He beautifully mentions this excellence of messengership in the following way:

لَقَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡ اَنۡفُسِکُمۡ عَزِیۡزٌ عَلَیۡہِ مَا عَنِتُّمۡ حَرِیۡصٌ عَلَیۡکُمۡ بِالۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ (۱۲۸)

“Indeed, there has come to you that Messenger from amongst yourselves; heavy upon him is your suffering, he immensely desires your well-being; utmost kind; merciful for the Muslims.”^[6]

After creating the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as an embodiment of mercy, Allah Almighty said to His beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم that the greatness of his character, the excellence of his nature, the gentleness of his disposition, his compassion, the brilliance of his forgiving nature, and his forbearance are from the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty. It is this gracious Lord who created His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as an epitome of compassion, generosity, and mercy. Hence, He announced:

فَبِمَا رَحۡمَۃٍ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ لِنۡتَ لَہُمۡ ۚ وَ لَوۡ کُنۡتَ فَظًّا غَلِیۡظَ الۡقَلۡبِ لَانۡفَضُّوۡا مِنۡ حَوۡلِکَ ۪ فَاعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَ اسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ وَ شَاوِرۡہُمۡ فِی الۡاَمۡرِ ۚ

“So, what a great mercy it is from Allah that, O Beloved, you became soft-hearted towards them. And if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have therefore certainly been anxious in your surrounding; so, forgive them, and intercede for them and consult with them in matters.”^[7]

Through the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Allah Almighty extended such mercy to mankind that it changed the course of human history, removed animosity from hearts, brought together the divided, and transformed blood-thirsty enemies into models of altruism and moral compasses for humanity. Allah Almighty declares:

وَ اذۡکُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰہِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ  اِذۡ  کُنۡتُمۡ اَعۡدَآءً فَاَلَّفَ بَیۡنَ قُلُوۡبِکُمۡ فَاَصۡبَحۡتُمۡ بِنِعۡمَتِہٖۤ اِخۡوَانًا ۚ

“And remember Allah's favour upon you; when there was enmity between you, He brought your hearts together ˹in love˺, so due to His Grace, you became brothers with one another.^[8]

The blessed speech of Allah Almighty, the Holy Quran, was also sent in the form of mercy. Hence, He said:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡکُمۡ  مَّوۡعِظَۃٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ شِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِی الصُّدُوۡرِ ۬ۙ وَ ہُدًی  وَّ رَحۡمَۃٌ   لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ (۵۷)

 “O people! Advice has come to you from your Lord and healing for the hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers.”^[9]

The Companions of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also basked in the prophetic light to emerge as radiant beacons of guidance and mercy. Allah Almighty described them as:

رُحَمَآءُ  بَیۡنَہُمۡ

“tender-hearted amongst themselves.”^[10]

Mercy, compassion, gentleness, love, forgiveness, and forbearance are prized attributes in Islam, as explained  throughout the Quran. For example:

وَ لَمَنۡ صَبَرَ  وَ غَفَرَ اِنَّ  ذٰلِکَ لَمِنۡ عَزۡمِ  الۡاُمُوۡرِ (۴۳)

“And indeed, whosoever observed patience and forgave, so these are indeed acts of great courage.”^[11]

Commanding them to adopt gentleness and forgiveness, He declared:

اِدۡفَعۡ  بِالَّتِیۡ  ہِیَ  اَحۡسَنُ فَاِذَا الَّذِیۡ بَیۡنَکَ وَ بَیۡنَہٗ  عَدَاوَۃٌ کَاَنَّہٗ  وَلِیٌّ حَمِیۡمٌ (۳۴)

“O listener! Repel evil with goodness, thereupon the one between whom and you there was enmity will become like a close friend ˹at that time˺.”^[12]

Allah Almighty has also mentioned those who are rightful to this mercy and compassion countless times in the Quran:

وَ بِالۡوَالِدَیۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا وَّ ذِی ‌الۡقُرۡبٰی وَ الۡیَتٰمٰی وَ الۡمَسٰکِیۡنِ وَ قُوۡلُوۡا لِلنَّاسِ حُسۡنًا

“Be good to parents, relatives, orphans, and the needy, and speak good to people.”^[13]

Marriage is perhaps the most neglected relationship in this regard. So, Allah Almighty addresses mercy towards spouses too:

وَ عَاشِرُوۡہُنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ ۚ فَاِنۡ کَرِہۡتُمُوۡہُنَّ فَعَسٰۤی اَنۡ تَکۡرَہُوۡا شَیۡئًا وَّ یَجۡعَلَ اللّٰہُ فِیۡہِ خَیۡرًا کَثِیۡرًا (۱۹)

“And deal with them kindly; if you do not then like them, it is therefore likely that you dislike a thing in which Allah has placed much good.”^[14]

He also said:

فَاِنۡ اَطَعۡنَکُمۡ فَلَا تَبۡغُوۡا عَلَیۡہِنَّ سَبِیۡلًا ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَلِیًّا کَبِیۡرًا

“Then, if they obey you, so do not seek to do injustice to them. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Exalted, Most Great.”^[15]

We can gauge the level of mercy we should have towards others and to what extent we should be mindful of ease and compassion in our lives from this beautiful teaching of the Quran, where He stated regarding common gatherings of life:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ  اٰمَنُوۡۤا  اِذَا  قِیۡلَ  لَکُمۡ تَفَسَّحُوۡا فِی  الۡمَجٰلِسِ فَافۡسَحُوۡا یَفۡسَحِ اللّٰہُ  لَکُمۡ ۚ

“O believers! When you are told to make space ˹for your brothers to sit˺ in gatherings, so make space; Allah will give you space ˹by giving you respect and prosperity˺”.^[16]

If you are sitting in a gathering and another person arrives, make space for him. Even this seemingly insignificant act which offers a little ease to others is so beloved to Allah Almighty that He stated, “If you make space for others, Allah Almighty will make your place in Paradise vast.”

الـلّٰــه اکبر و سبحان الـلّٰــه والحمد لـلّٰــه علٰی فضلہ و کرمہ ورحمتہ و رافتہ

Most importantly, compassion towards Allah’s creation dictates that we do not become sources of pain and grief for others: Do not hurt the feelings of people, curse others, slander them; backbite them, search for faults in them; torment others, and do not cause harm to others through creating a commotion, through entertainment, by attacking their honour. Such compassion is a basic duty (farḍ) of every believer:

وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یُؤۡذُوۡنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ بِغَیۡر مَا اکۡتَسَبُوۡا فَقَدِ احۡتَمَلُوۡا بُہۡتَانًا وَّ  اِثۡمًا مُّبِیۡنًا (۵۸)

“And whoever pesters Muslim men and women without them having done anything (wrong), they have burdened themselves with false accusation and open sin.”^[17]

Since our Lord is the Most Compassionate and the Most Merciful, our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is a mercy to the universe, our Quran is a source of mercy, our religion is mercy in its entirety, Islam teaches mercy, and we are commanded to be merciful, then why are our communities exponentially declining in gentleness, compassion, love, generosity, mercy, kindness, warm-heartedness, forgiveness, smiling, high morals, sociability, and care for others?

Why are hatred, animosity, harshness, anger, malice, envy, foul language, harassment, and violating the rights of neighbours and others in alleyways and on the roads so common? Why is this the case? If only we would become Muslims in word and spirit, mirroring the attributes of our Creator, embodying the merciful character of our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and walking the path of the awliyāʾ رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ السّلام by extending warmth, mercy, and care towards the creation of Allah Almighty.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم