Being Merciful

In imitation of the Prophet, Muslims are expected to be merciful, to bring good, and to seek the benefit of others - all others - not wish them harm or rejoice in the evil that befalls them.

Indeed the Tradition of Primacy promotes the doctrine of universal, all-embracing mercy. Muslim commentators emphasised this point, clarifying that the mercy Muslims are commanded to show is not exclusively for themselves or the most righteous amongst them. It extends to all human beings: Jews, Christians, the believing and the non-believing, the upright and the immoral, and it goes beyond the human family to include both the animate and the inanimate: birds and animals, even plants and trees.

In English, "be merciful to those on Earth" tends to imply human beings. Translated here as "those," the Arabic word man is broad and inclusive. Its primary reference is to rational beings, but it includes, by secondary reference, non-rational ones also: animals, plants and by extension, what today would be termed as the environment.

The Prophet told an anecdote of a sinful man suffering from thirst one oppresively hot day who came across a well. He went down into it - (middle eastern wells are often open and with deep, winding staircase) -drew water and drank. When he came back up, he noticed a dog panting from thirst and eating from clay around the well for moisture. The man said to himself: "This dog is suffering from thirst like I was." He went down into the well a second time, filled his shoe with water, and let the dog drink. God loved the man's humane act, showed him Mercy and forgive all his sins. When the Companions heard the story, they asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Will we be rewarded for being good to animals?" He answered: "Yes, there is reward in showing good to every living creature" [Bukhari]

In another Tradition, the Prophet emphasized the atrociousness of merciless behaviour in God's eyes and told of a woman condemned to hell for intentionally starving a cat to death.

Mercy begins with the individual by taking care of the self physically, emotionally and spiritually. It also means having a good opinion of oneself - without being arrogant and blind to one's own faults - living in constant anticipation of God's Help and Mercy along with other Islamic corollaries of behaviour like the categorical prohibition of suicide and despair.

From the individual, the concentric circles of mercy extends outward, taking in parents, spouse, children, family, neighbours, community, and eventually the world. Part of being merciful toward others is having good opinion of them, defending their good name, and doing whatever makes their lives better and averts harm.

[Photo courtesy of Ira Photo]