Mercy For All Creatures

Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was kind to all people and asked his followers to be the same. He was especially kind to orphans and asked his companions to be kind to them. Thauban reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "Only supplication averts the decree (of fate), only kindness prolongs life, and a man is deprived of provision for a fault he has committed."

Ibn Omar reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "A Muslim is a Muslim's brother; he does not wrong him. If anyone cares for his brother's need, Allah will take care of his need; if anyone relieves his brother's anxiety, Allah will remove from him one of his anxieties on the Day of Resurrection; and if anyone conceals a Muslim's secrets, Allah will conceal his secrets on the Day of Resurrection."

Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger as saying, 'The best house among the Muslims is one where an orphan is well treated, and the worst house among the Muslims is one where an orphan is badly treated."

Abu Omamah reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "If anyone caresses an orphan by moving his fingers in his hair, doing so only for God's sake, he will have blessings for every hair over which his hand passes and if anyone treats well ail orphan girl or boy under his care, he and I shall be like these two in Paradise," putting two of his fingers together.

Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger as saying, He who strives to serve a widow and a poor person is like the one who strives in Allah's way." He also reported that when a man complained to the Messenger of Allah of being hardhearted he said, "Show affection to the orphans and feed the poor."

Mercy for Enemies & Unbelievers

Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) treated everybody, friend or foe, with kindness and taught his companions to do likewise. It is reported by Abu Basra Ghifari that when he was a non-believer he came to Madinah and stayed as a guest of the Messenger of Allah. He drank milk from all his goats at night but the Prophet did not say a word. That night he and all his family slept hungry.

A similar incident is reported by Abu Hurairah. One night a non-believer stayed as a guest of the Noble Prophet. One by one, he drank milk of all the seven goats, but the Prophet did not show any sign of anger or dislike towards him. Perhaps due to the Prophet's behaviour, next morning, the man embraced Islam and was satisfied with the milk of only one goat.

Abu Hurairah's mother, who lived with him in Madinah was a non-believer. She used to abuse the Noble Prophet, about which Abu Hurairah complained to him, but he prayed for her. Bilal was very close to Prophet Muhammad and managed his household. One day an unbeliever called him a Negro and said that he would not rest until he had made him tend his goats for him. Prophet Muhammad heard this conversation but did not say anything to the unbeliever.

The problem of hypocrites in Madinah was a great test for the Prophet and his companions, but he always treated them kindly and with great consideration. Abdullah Ibn Obayy and his followers embraced Islam, but at heart they were unbelievers and never really accepted Islam. Their behaviour at the time of the

Battle of Uhud and on many other occasions was damaging to the cause of Islam, but Prophet Muhammad always treated them with kindness. When Abdullah Ibn Obayy died, Prophet Muhammad gave his cloak for his shroud.

Jews were extremely hostile to Prophet Muhammad and his mission, but he was always kind to them. Once he went to the house of a Jew to visit his sick son. He invited the boy to Islam but the boy looked towards his father for his permission. His father gave him permission and the boy embraced Islam. Once when the funeral of a Jew was passing, the Prophet stood up as a mark of respect for the dead. Once a Jew complained to him that a Muslim had slapped him. He called that Muslim at once and reprimanded him.

In the valley of Hudaibiyah while Prophet Muhammad was saying the morning prayer with his companions, seventy or eighty unbelievers came down quietly from the mountain of Taneem in order to kill the Muslims during prayer. They were caught and brought before him. He treated them well and released them all.

In fact, he treated all people with kindness under all circumstances and never showed any ill-will towards anyone or ill-treated anyone. Makhul reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "The believers are gentle and kind like a pliant camel which, when guided, lets itself be guided and when made to sit, even on stones, does so." Mu'aadh said, "The last injunction Allah's Messenger gave him when he put his foot in the stirrup was. "Treat people well, O Muadh."

And Those who strive in Our ( Cause ) - We will certainly guide them to Our PATHS: For verily Allah is with those who do right. (Qur'an 29:69)

"Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I misguide others, or I am misguided by others, lest I cause others to err or I am caused to err, lest I abuse others or be abused, and lest I behave foolishly or meet with the foolishness of others". (Abu-Dawud, Ibn Majah, Nasa'i, At-Termithi see also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmithi 3/152 and Sahih Ibn Majah 2/336)

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