THE MERCY AND COMPASSION OF GOD’S MESSENGER

The Messenger of God Was a Paragon of Mercy and Compassion

Compassion is one of the most important character traits that a human being should possess. It can be said that a person who has lost their sense of compassion has also lost their humanity and has turned into a brutal beast.

The most merciful being among creation is Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, whom the Qur’an describes as “an unequalled mercy for all the worlds” (Al-Anbiya 21:27). This is because he never thought of himself and by saying, “My community, My community,” at his first and last breath, he openly declared, for all the universe to hear, the compassion and mercy he felt towards his community. God’s conferring upon His Beloved Messenger the attributes of “Merciful” and “All-Pitying” that are His Names, demonstrate just how merciful and compassionate a heart God’s Messenger possesses. (See At-Tawbah 9:128).

Feeling great mercy, love and compassion for children, women, the elderly, the ill, widows and orphans, as well as the forlorn and weak, slaves, and animals, the Messenger of God has presented the finest examples for us in this regard.

His displaying this same mercy and compassion despite having been subjected to severe provocation by the inhabitants of

Ta’if after having gone there, with his Companion Zayd ibn Haritha, to seek a new homeland is a most resplendent example. The universal mercy and compassion of God’s Messenger became evident in respect to women also in a very short span of time. He elevated them to such an extent, delivering them from being trampled upon and downtrodden, that by declaring, “Paradise is beneath the feet of mothers,” he held entry into Paradise equal with the approval and pleasure of mothers.

God’s Messenger treated his own wives with utmost kindness and courtesy and would by no manner of means break their hearts. All his wives, Aisha first and foremost, declared him to be very calm, gentle and humble at home and described him to be a perfect head of the family, affectionate husband, and a soft-hearted father in every respect. Stating, “The best of you are those who are the best to their women and I am the best of you to women,” God’s Messenger enjoined consideration and sensitivity towards women.

Not only human beings, but animals also benefited from this peerless and profound mercy of God’s Messenger. Consider the following case in point:

In the eighth year after the Emigration, as God’s Messenger advanced towards Mecca with a large army, he saw a female dog nursing her newborn young. God’s Messenger called for Ju’ayl ibn Suraqa and instructed him to stand guard before the suckling animals and protect them from the horses. His ordered was carried out immediately, the army’s route was moved, and the animal young too received their share from the Sun of Mercy which enveloped the entire universe.

While the Muslim army tiptoed away from them, the mother was still feeding its young. Those heroes raised in the climate of God’s Messenger who did not turn back even at the risk of their own lives, changed their route for those young animals. By way of summary, The Messenger of God was filled with mercy and compassion towards all living beings, humanity first and foremost. It is by virtue of this mercy that he cautioned someone who extended the Prayer whilst leading the congregation for causing inconvenience to others, cut short the Prayer when he heard a child crying while performing it, forbade certain individuals who he became aware were fasting throughout the entire year, warned a man who did not show affection to his children, praised the actions of a sinful woman who took pity on a thirsty dog and gave it water and indicated that this would be a means for her entry into Paradise, and characterized another woman who was devoted to worship as being of the Fire due to her being the cause of a cat’s death.

His refusal to curse despite his being wounded and seventy of his Companions including his uncle Hamza being killed during the Battle of Uhud and his entreating God for the forgiveness of his people, as well as his forgiving the Meccans at the city’s conquest, who persecuted and tormented both him and the Muslims for years on end and forced them to emigrate, saying, “Go all of you, you are all free!” is yet another example of this great sense of compassion and mercy.

God’s Messenger and the Little Girl

God’s Messenger, the Sun of Mercy, once left for the Medina market, with ten silver coins on his person. He bought a shirt for himself for four silver coins but a poor person approached him and asked for his shirt. God’s Messenger gave the man his shirt. He went back to the market and bought himself another shirt for four silver coins. Just at that moment, he saw a little girl and asked her why she was crying. Wiping her tears she said, “My master had given me two silver coins with which to buy flour from the market, but I lost that money.”

Extending to the little girl the last two silver coins in his possession, God’s Messenger said, “Don’t cry. You can buy the flour with these.”

Even if the weeping of the little girl ceased somewhat, it did not subside completely. Choking back her tears, she said, “But they’ll beat me because I’m late,” asking for the Prophet’s help.

God’s Messenger held the girl by the hand and they went together to buy flour. He then set off towards the girl’s house, the little girl in one hand and the flour in the other. Darkness approached. As the owner of the house was waiting for the little house servant, he was both in bewilderment and in great joy at the sight of God’s Messenger. The Prophet said,

“She was afraid that she would be punished, don’t take her task.” The master of the house said, “O God’s Messenger, as she is the means for your honoring my house, I have released her. She is free to go.”

The Messenger of God was greatly pleased by this and said, “How blessed were these ten silver coins, O Lord! Through these, You clothed Your Messenger and a poor person and freed a slave girl!

In the words of Arif Nihat Asya, God’s Messenger was, “The wing of the weak and master of the destitute.” His showing mercy and giving a helping hand to a child (and indeed a great many children throughout his life), only increases our love for him and we pride ourselves once again for being conferred the honor of being his community.

The Elevated Morality of God’s Messenger

Just as the Messenger of God was the most perfect of human beings with respect to morality and conduct, he was created in the finest manner in terms of physical constitution. He was exceedingly handsome and had an imposing presence. Those who behold his blessed countenance would be filled with the warmest of feelings, as he would warm one’s innermost feelings like the sun. When Abdullah ibn Salam, who was formerly Jewish and later embraced Islam, saw this luminous countenance, he said, “I swear by God that this face is not the face of a liar.”

Jabir ibn Samura endeavored to describe this beauty with the words, “I once saw God’s Messenger on a clear night when a full moon shone above us. I looked first at him and then at the moon. In truth, the Messenger’s face seemed to me more beautiful than the moon itself.”

God’s Messenger, the most perfect of all humanity, was of medium height. He had a white and rosy complexion. He had a wide forehead and closely-knit eyebrows. Between his eyebrows was a vein that would protrude whenever he got angry. His facial features were rounded, but not in a manner which evoked rotundity or chubbiness.

Between his shoulders was a reddish raised fleshy area considered to be the seal of Prophethood. He had broad shoulders and the palms of his hands were broad and fleshy. His ankles were thin and graceful. His teeth gleamed as he spoke. His teeth were slightly spaced. His eyes were wide-set and black. His hair was brown and was neither straight nor curly. He generally grew his hair to reach his earlobes. He wore it parted and would take good care of it. When his hair was combed, it resembled the paths blown in the sand by the wind or the waves the wind caused on still water. His beard was dense, his eyelashes long and curly. The space between his lower lip and chin was clear, except for a few grey hairs, which shone like white pearls. His hair had not turned grey, except for a few scattered white strands of hair.

His silky-smooth skin would perpetually diffuse pleasant fragrances to his surroundings. When he perspired, his beads of sweat would drip from his forehead like pearls. His mouth smelt like perfume. If even a single drop fell from his lips into a well, the scent of musk would emanate in all directions from this well.

He walked with quick steps and those running from behind him had difficulty catching up to him. His voice was exceptionally full and rich. His speech was distinct and most eloquent. Indeed, as Bara stated, humanity had seen the likes of such beauty in this world but once and only those who love him would be able to see him in the Hereafter with this beauty.

Our Prophet Was the Gentlest of People

Our Prophet, both before and after his Prophethood, was the gentlest of people. This is a quality that he carried throughout his life. God Himself protected the Prophet from ever losing his mildness, and was pleased with the Prophet because of it. God spoke of this in the Qur’an: “It was by a mercy from God that (at the time of the setback), you (O Messenger) were lenient with your followers. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from about you” (Al Imran 3:159).

The Prophet never thought to avenge himself for wrongs done to his person. In addition, he was the hardest to anger, the easiest to please, and the most forgiving of all. When Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, began his mission to teach people about God’s commands, the disbelievers in the Quraysh tribe leveled every kind of insult and indignity at him. They ridiculed the Prophet, threatened to kill him, spread thorns on his path, threw excrement at him, and even threw a noose around his neck and tried to drag him by it. Not stopping at this, they called him a conjurer and sorcerer, and said he was possessed; they tried everything they could think of to anger him. But the Prophet endured everything they did to him without reacting. Anas ibn Malik, who spent long years in the service of God’s Messenger, reported that Allah’s Messenger had the best disposition amongst people: “He sent me on an errand one day, and I said: ‘By Allah, I would not go.’ I had, however, this idea in my mind that I would do as Allah’s Messenger had commanded me to do. I went out until I happened to come across children who had been playing in the street. In the meanwhile, Allah’s Messenger came there and he caught me by the back of my neck from behind me. As I looked towards him I found him smiling and he said: ‘Unays, did you go where I commanded you to go?’ I said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger, yes, I am going.’ Anas further said: ‘I served him for nine years but I know not that he ever said to me about a thing which I had done why I did that, or about a thing I had left as to why I had not done that.’” (Sahih Muslim, Book 43, Hadith 74).

The Modesty of God’s Messenger

God’s Messenger was the most superior of all humanity with respect to modesty, and was the seemliest and shiest of all human beings. His eyes were shut, so to speak, to those things considered shameful to look at or reveal. He would pass over the faults of others, would not hold their failings against them and would not imperil the veil of respect and affection between him and that person. When he was informed of the objectionable behavior of another, he would not say, “Why is So-and-so saying such or doing such?” He would speak in general terms, saying, “Why are they doing and saying such?” In this way, he would prevent that person from that reprehensible action or speech while withholding their name and identity. Nothing he said ever exceeded the bounds of refined manners and natural courtesy and he would in no way even attempt to utter such a word. He would not speak with a loud voice in public, in a manner that disturbed or caused offense to others. He would not return evil for evil, in contrast displaying forbearance and lenience. Even if he was forced to say something that he did not want to say, he would do so indirectly. No one could keep their gaze fixed on him or look him straight in the eye due to his utmost modesty.

God’s Messenger was Unequaled in Mercy

Mercy and compassion was like a mirror to the exalted character of God’s Messenger. Another human being as merciful, as compassionate and as fine as him had not come into existence. Those closest to the Prophet’s heart and boundless mercy were the poor and forlorn. He would constantly protect the poor, showing them a nearness that caused them to forget all the lowliness and humiliation of poverty. When he encountered an assembly where people from all segments of society were gathered, he would first approach the poor and sit together with them. God’s Messenger would caution those who were overcome by a sense of superiority to the poor and destitute in society, constantly stressing the mutual dependence of different segments of society. There was a poor woman who used to clean the Prophet’s mosque. When he was not able to see her for a few days, he inquired after her. He was told that she had died. No one attached importance to her death and they felt no need to inform God’s Messenger about her passing. Extremely troubled by this, the Messenger of God said, “Should you not have informed me?” and then went to visit her grave. After performing two units of Prayer, he supplicated, “O

Lord, fill this grave with light and illuminate it by means of this Prayer.” For God Almighty had declared in relation to His Messenger: “ There has come to you (O people) a Messenger from among yourselves; extremely grievous to him is your suffering, full of concern for you is he, and for the believers full of pity and compassion ” (At-Tawbah 9:128).

Special Compassion of God’s Messenger towards Orphans

By virtue of his compassion for orphans, God’s Messenger would constantly protect them and would unquestionably demand justice for them whenever they were wronged. He would constantly take an interest in the children of his Companions who had been killed, would not leave them and would see to all their needs. To a man who once came to him and complained of hardness of heart, God’s Messenger advised the following: “If you wish to soften your heart and obtain all your needs, show the orphan compassion, comfort and console them, feed them of your food that your heart may become soft and you may obtain all that you need.”

Kindness towards Women

The Messenger of God made no distinction between believing women and men. He would not turn them away when they were in need or when they wanted to learn something, responding to their needs and answering their questions. He took great pains not to cause any offense to elderly women in particular and would go out of his way to please them.

Extraordinary Love for Children

God’s Messenger had a special compassion and love towards children. When he saw a child, his blessed countenance would light up with happiness and joy. He would take them into his arms, embrace them and shower them with attention and affection. He would greet every child he saw and inquire after them. He would converse with them as friends, play with them as equals, talk with them at their own level and counsel them. When upon his mount he would take children upon the saddle and take them where they needed to go. So connected was he with children that he once saw children who were racing and raced with them in order to partake in their joy.

The Prophet of Compassion could not bear the crying of children and would request that they be pacified and that they not be wearied. He would even cut short a Prayer upon hearing the crying of a child and would allow the child’s mother to attend to it.

The Forgiveness of God’s Messenger

God’s Messenger, by virtue of his natural disposition, would not return evil for evil, would forgive and would never incline to seeking revenge. He never left in the lurch those of his enemies who took refuge in, surrendered to and sought forgiveness from him, except in cases pertaining to war. He accepted their requests, pardoned their offenses and became a means for a great many of them to pronounce their belief.

When the Messenger of God entered the city of Mecca at its conquest with his large army, many of his enemies crowded together before him in a helpless state. At that point, the Prophet of Mercy was as magnanimous as to forgive his enemies despite possessing the possibility and power to take whatever action he wanted. He even forgave Ikrima, the son of his staunchest enemy Abu Jahl, and Wahshi who had killed his uncle Hamza.

God’s Messenger: The Paragon of Grace

God’s Messenger displayed a profound example of grace in response to the offensive, coarse and derisive words and actions of those around him, approaching his addressees with tenderness. Nobody in the presence of God’s Messenger sensed even the slightest coarse or belittling attitude to come from him. Offending and hurtful words never fell from his lips. He never uttered insulting or defamatory statements even if implicitly.

Stating, “The best of you is the best of you in character,” God’s Messenger stressed that a person’s grace and kindness towards their friends is an act of goodness and that every act of goodness is a charity. He once gave his Companions the glad tidings of lofty palaces in Paradise the inside of which could be seen from the outside and the outside of which could be seen from the inside. When a Bedouin hearing this asked who these buildings would be for, God’s Messenger said that these were for courteous people and for those who were soft spoken.

Our mother Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: “One day, the Messenger of Allah came to my room, turned to the qibla, opened up his hands, and prayed: ‘My Lord! I am only a human being. Please do not punish me if I had offended one of Your servants.’” (Musnad, VI, 180).

God’s Messenger Kept His Word

The Messenger of God was the greatest of people to remain true to his word and loyal to his covenant. Moreover, he did not differentiate between friend or foe in this. Just as he kept his promise to his friends, he honored the agreements he made with his enemies and did not act to the contrary, whatever the cost. Prior to his Prophethood, he once waited for a man for three days at the place where they had agreed to meet, by way of keeping his word. He did not leave saying, “He will not come after this point anyway,” but abided by his word to the very end.

The Politest of All People

The Messenger of God was the most courteous, graceful, amiable and tenderhearted of all people. He would not deny anyone his courtesy and would treat all people affably and with utmost gentility. When he was addressed or asked a question, he would always respond in the best possible way. When one of his Companions or household called out to him, he would respond immediately. He was acutely attentive to anyone who asked him a question and would not move away from the inquirer unless they moved away first. He would not interrupt anyone, or disrupt their conversation. He was the first to give the greeting to a person he met and the first to offer the handshake. He would not pull his hand away until the person across him did so first and would not turn his face away from them before they turned away first. He would kneel when sitting with someone and would not sit with his knees pulled up to his chest due to his propriety and because of the importance he attached to that person.

God’s Messenger Was Dignified

The Messenger of God was exceedingly dignified, sedate and noble. His Prophetic solemnity induced a shiver and sense awe in those who saw him. Soon afterwards, however, they would come to realize just how compassionate a person he was. Each utterance of God’s Messenger was filled with wisdom. None of his words were excessive and he would not engage in gossip. Just as he did not act against anyone, he would prevent others from doing so if he saw them in such a state. His laugh was only that of a smile. His eyes lit up and his face gleamed when he smiled. He would not laugh in an audible manner and he never burst into laughter. If something was pleasing to him, he would merely smile to the extent of his teeth being visible and his teeth would shine like pearls. He would not look around, but ahead while walking, taking firm but humble steps. Silence was his overarching state and he would not speak without necessity. He also used to caution those who voiced their preconceptions without first knowing the inner aspect of a matter.

God’s Messenger Was Always Just

The Messenger of God constantly took justice as a basis in his every action, making no distinction between people. He was meticulous in the matter of truth. He avoided to the utmost, any harm to come to one’s life and property and any violation to the rights of others. Censuring oppression at every opportunity, he would say, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him.”

Importance Given to Youth

The Messenger of God generally selected the scribes of the Revelation from among the youth and allowed young people to make religious rulings. He appointed young teachers and designated young commanders to head the armies comprised mostly of older Companions. He personally gave the standard to Zayd ibn Thabit during the Tabuk Campaign and to Ali during the Battle of Badr. He also included young people devoted to God and performing their worship wholeheartedly among those who would attain bliss in the shade of the Divine Throne on the Day of Judgment.

Qur’anic Verses

We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as an unequalled mercy for all the worlds. (Al-Anbiya 21:107).

The Prophet has a higher claim on the believers than they have on their own selves, and (seeing that he is as a father to them) his wives are (as) their mothers. (Al-Ahzab 33:6).

Assuredly you have in God’s Messenger an excellent example to follow for whoever looks forward to God and the Last Day, and remembers and mentions God much. (Al-Ahzab 33:21).

As We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our Revelations, and purifying you (of false beliefs and doctrines, and sins, and all kinds of uncleanness), and instructing you in the Book and the Wisdom, and instructing you in whatever you (must but) do not know. (Al-Baqarah 2:151).

You are surely of a sublime character, and do act by a sublime pattern of conduct. (Al-Qalam 68:4).

Prophetic Traditions

It was narrated from Abu Sa’id that the Messenger of Allah said: “I am the leader of the sons of Adam, and it is no boast. I will be the first one for whom the earth will be split open on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast. I will be the first to intercede and the first whose intercession will be accepted, and it is no boast. The Banner of Praise (Liwa al-Hamd) will be in my hand on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast.” (Sunan ibn Majah, Zuhd, 4308).

Abu Hurayra narrated: “Allah’s Messenger said, ‘All my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse.’ They said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Who will refuse?’ He said, ‘Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it).’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 96, Hadith 12).

Zayd ibn Arqam narrated: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I am leaving two great things among you. The first of them is the Book of Allah which contains guidance and light. So take the Book of Allah and cling firmly to it.’ He promoted the Book of Allah and stimulated our desire for it. Then he said, ‘The People of my House. I remind you of Allah in respect of the People of my House.’” (Sahih Muslim, Fadailu’s-Sahaba, 36).

Questions

1) Which of the following individuals is the most compassionate of all creation?

A) Mother C) Sibling

B) Father D) God’s Messenger

2) In the company of which Companion did God’s Messenger travel to Ta’if?

A) Ali C) Abu Bakr

B) Zayd ibn Haritha D) Uthman

3) When _________, who was formerly Jewish and later embraced Islam, saw this luminous countenance, he said, “I swear by God that this face is not the face of a liar.” Which of the following words should be used to fill in the blank?

A) Abdullah ibn Salam C) Jabir ibn Samura

B) Ju’ayl ibn Suraqa D) Wahshi

4) Which of the following Companions spent long years in the service of God’s Messenger?

A) Umar C) Anas ibn Malik

B) Hamza D) Abu Aqil

5) Which Companion was the son of the Prophet’s staunchest enemy Abu Jahl and embraced Islam after Mecca’s conquest?

A) Wahshi C) Khalid ibn Walid

B) Ikrima D) Umar