The Prophet Muhammad: a mercy for all creation
Allah's Messenger was the kindest of men in the same way as he excelled all others in courage and valour.
- Categories: Biography of the Prophet -
{Verily, in this (the Quran) there is a plain Message for people who worship Allah (i.e. the true, real believers of Islamic Monotheism who act practically on the Quran and the Sunnah legal ways of the Prophet SAW). (106) And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).} [Al-Anbiya’ 21:106-107].
{إِنَّ فِى هَـٰذَا لَبَلَـٰغًا لِّقَوْمٍ عَـٰبِدِينَ ﴿١٠٦﴾ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ} الأنبياء: 106-107
Transliteration: Inna fee hatha labalaghan liqawmin AAabideena (106) Wama arsalnaka illa rahmatan lilAAalameena
Allah's Messenger was the kindest of men in the same way as he excelled all others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. A Companion, Shaddaad bin 'Aws reported the Apostle as saying: "Allah has commanded you to show kindness to everyone, so if you have to kill, kill in a good manner, and if you slaughter an animal, slaughter it gently. If anyone of you has to slay an animal, he should sharpen the blade first and treat the animal well." [Reported by Muslim].
«إن الله كتب الإحسان على كل شيء. فإذا قتلتم فأحسنوا القتلة. وإذا ذبحتم فأحسنوا الذبح. وليحد أحدكم شفرته. فليرح ذبيحته» رواه مسلم
Ibn 'Abbas relates that a man threw a goat on its side and then started sharpening his knife. When the Prophet saw him he said: "Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?" [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«أن رجلا أضجع شاة و هو يحد شفرته، فقال النبي: أتريد أن تميتها موتات؟ هلا أحددت شفرتك قبل أن تضجعها؟» صححه الألباني
A Mercy for the Believers
The Messenger’s compassion towards the believers was of the utmost degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse, which means: {Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad SAW) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allah, 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 SAW is) full of pity, kind, and merciful.} [At-Tawbah 9:128]
{لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ} التوبة: 128
Transliteration: Laqad jaakum rasoolun min anfusikum AAazeezun AAalayhi ma AAanittum hareesun AAalaykum bialmumineena raoofun raheemun
“Sa‘d bin ‘Ubaadah once became ill, so Allah's Messenger visited him in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he was moved to tears. Then, he said: “Allah does not punish because of tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this." and he pointed to his tongue.” [Al-Bukhari].
اشتكى سعد بن عبادة شكوى له ، فأتاه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعوده، مع عبد الرحمن بن عوف، وسعد بن أبي وقاص، وعبد الله بن مسعود، رضي الله عنهم، فلما دخل عليه، فوجده في غاشية أهله، فقال: قد قضى. قالوا: لا يا رسول الله، فبكى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما رأى القوم بكاء النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكوا، فقال: ألا تسمعون إن الله لا يعذب بدمع العين، ولا بحزن القلب، ولكن يعذب بهذا وأشار إلى لسانه» رواه البخاري
A Mercy towards his Enemies
The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr were amongst his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given the best of treatment.
A Mercy for Women
Prophet Muhammad was also very kind and affectionate towards women. Women were very badly treated in those times. The Noble Prophet gave them honour and dignity at par with men in the community. 'Umar reported: "We did not have much regard for women while we were at Makkah, but they were better treated in Madinah. Allah's Messenger established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which improved their position and status."
A Mercy for Children
Allah's Messenger was particularly compassionate towards children. When he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he said: “I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the prayer short for the anxiety which the mother is feeling.” [Al-Bukhari]
«إني لأدخل في الصلاة، وأنا أريد إطالتها، فأسمع بكاء الصبي، فأتجوز في صلاتي، مما أعلم من شدة وجد أمه من بكائه» رواه البخاري
He would take children in his arms and embrace them. He was once hugging his beloved grandsons, Hasan and Hussain, when Aqrah bin Haabis told him, ‘I have ten children. So far, I have not kissed any of them.’ Allah’s Messenger responded: “The one with no pity for others is not pitied.” [Reported by Al-Bukarhi].
«قبل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الحسن بن علي وعنده الأقرع بن حابس التميمي جالسا، فقال الأقرع: إن لي عشرة من الولد ما قبلت منهم أحدا، فنظر إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم قال: من لا يرحم لا يرحم» روا ه البخاري
According to another version, he said: “What can I do for you if Allah has removed from you the feeling of compassion?” [Reported by Al-Bukarhi].
«أو أملك لك أن نزع الله من قلبك الرحمة» رواه البخاري
A Mercy for Slaves
The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kind and generous treatment upon slaves, servants and labourers engaged in manual work. Jaabir related the Apostle of Allah as saying: "Feed them with the food which you eat, clothe them with such clothing as you wear, and do not cause trouble to Allah's creatures." [Reported by Al-Bukhari in his book “The individual manners” and authenticated by Al-Albani].
«أطعموهم مما تأكلون، و ألبسوهم من لبوسكم، و لا تعذبوا خلق الله عز وجل» رواه البخاري في الأدب المفرد وصححه الألباني
The Apostle is further stated to have said: "Those whom Allah has made your dependents are your brothers, servants and helpmates. Anybody whose brother has been made subservient to him ought to feed him with the food he eats and clothe him with the clothes he wears; command him not to do that which he is unable to do and if it becomes necessary to do so then he should help him in doing the job." [Reported by Muslim].
«هم إخوانكم . جعلهم الله تحت أيديكم. فأطعموهم مما تأكلون. وألبسوهم مما تلبسون. ولا تكلفوهم ما يغلبهم. فإن كلفتموهم فأعينوهم» رواه مسلم
A Mercy for Animals
His compassion encompassed not only human beings, but also animals.
The Prophet forbade his companions to keep the unintelligent creatures hungry or thirsty, to disturb or to overburden them. He commended that kindness and putting them at ease were meritorious acts tending to bring man nearer to Allah. Abu Hurairah reports the Prophet as saying: "A traveler who was thirsty saw a well in the way. He got inside the well and when he came out he saw a dog licking mud due to thirst. The man realized that the dog was as thirsty as him, so he got into the well again, filled his leather sock with water and carried it out holding it with his teeth. Thus, he quenched the thirst of the dog. Allah was pleased with this act of kindness and pardoned his sins." The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah is there recompense in the matter of beasts and wild animals also?" The Prophet replied: "There is recompense in regard to every creature that has a living heart." [Agreed upon].
«بينما رجل يمشي بطريق، اشتد عليه العطش، فوجد بئرا فنزل فيها، فشرب ثم خرج، فإذا كلب يلهث، يأكل الثرى من العطش، فقال الرجل: لقد بلغ هذا الكلب من العطش مثل الذي كان بلغ بي، فنزل البئر فملأ خفه ثم أمسكه بفيه، فسقى الكلب فشكر الله له فغفر له. قالوا: يا رسول الله، وإن لنا في البهائم أجرا ؟ فقال: في كل ذات كبد رطبة أجر» متفق عليه
'Abdullah bin 'Umar related that the Prophet said: "A woman was cast away to hell only because she had withheld food and water from her cat and refused to set it free so that the cat might satisfy its hunger by eating worms and insects." [Agreed upon].
«دخلت امرأة النار في هرة ربطتها ، فلم تطعمها ، ولم تدعها تأكل من خشاش الأرض» متفق عليه واللفظ للبخاري
Once on return from a military campaign, a few Companions took away the chicks of a bird from their nest to stroke them. The mother bird came back and when it could not find its chicks in the nest, it began to fly around screeching. When informed of the matter, Allah’s Messenger became angry and ordered the chicks to be put back in the nest. [Reported by Abu Dawud and authenticated by Al-Albani].
«كنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في سفر فانطلق لحاجته فرأينا حمرة معها فرخان فأخذنا فرخيها فجاءت الحمرة فجعلت تفرش فجاء النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال من فجع هذه بولدها؟ ردوا ولدها إليها» رواه أبو داود وصححه الألباني
Conclusion
The love and compassion of Allah’s Messenger for all kinds of creatures was not of the kind claimed by today’s ‘humanists’. He was sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He was more compassionate than any other person. He was a Prophet raised by Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings - mankind and jinn - and the harmony of existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he is a mercy for all the worlds.
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