بسم
الله الرحمن الرحيم
محمد (ص) : رحمة للعالمين
Muhammad: A Mercy to the Universes
...“We have not sent you (O
Muhammad) except as a mercy to the universes.” (The Qur'an, 21: 107)
This verse comes near the end of the Chapter of the Prophets which tells us the
stories of the different prophets and messengers of God. A close look at this
verse from the Qur'an states in the most emphatic manner this special mission
of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as can bee
seen from the bold faced words. The Prophet is told by Allah that his sole
mission is mercy to the worlds (al-aalamiin).
In this
short paper we will try to take a look at the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBU)
and reports of his own teachings and actions that demonstrate this idea of him
being a mercy to the universe(s). Since the Prophet's sayings and actions are
reflections of Divine revelation (the Qur'an), reference will sometimes be made
to relevant Qur'anic verses.
Universality of Muhammad's Message
The
Qur;an is very explicit on this idea of the universality of the Message of
Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Among the many relevant verses are the
following:
“Say: O Mankind ! I am the messenger of God to
you all.” (The Qur'an, 8:158) "And We have not sent you,
[Muhammad], except to the whole of mankind as a bringer of glad tidings and a
warner. But most of the people do not know." (The Qur'an, 34:28)
In fact, Muhammad's
message is directed to other rational beings, called "the Jinn"
(beings invisible to man). We read in the Qur'an, for example:
“Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed unto me that a company
of the Jinn gave ear, and they said: Lo! It is a marvellous Qur’an, which
guideth unto righteousness, so we believe in it and we ascribe no partner unto
our Lord.” (72:1-2)
"And We directed to you, [Muhammad],
a few of the Jinn, listening to the Qur'an. And when they attended it, they
said, 'Listen attentively." And when it was concluded, they went back to
their folk as warners. The said: '… O our people, respond to the Caller of God
[Muhammad] and believe in him so that He [God] may forgive you your sins and
protect you from a painful punishment."
(46: 28-31)
A Mercy to the Whole Universe
As mentioned earlier, in the Chapter of the Prophets of the
Holy Quar'an, we read: “We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to
the universes" (The Qur'an, 21: 107). Note the emphatic structure of the verse:
"We have not … except as a mercy…" It is a well known fact that mercy is the motto of Islam (the religion of
SALAAM, 'peace' which word is a part of the greeting used by Muslims all over
the world). The words al-Rahman and al-Raheem, 'the Most Gracious/ the
Beneficent/ Most Compassionate' and 'the Most Merciful' are the two Divine
attributes of God most repeated by Muslims the world over. They are part of the
expression used by them scores of times every day at the beginning of any good
or important act, including eating, drinking, opening a book or writing a
letter. The same expression, "In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful", is found before almost every chapter of the Holy
Qur'an (all 114 chapters, except Chapter 9).
They are part of the Opening Chapter of the Qur'an, recited at least
seventeen times per day by every Muslim in his formal prayers
Just before the end of Chapter 9 (The Chapter of Repentance),
we read:
“There has come
unto you a messenger, (one) of yourselves; grievous to him is your
suffering; anxious is he over you, gentle to the believers, compassionate
(merciful).” (9: 129). In Chapter 3, we read God addressing His prophet and
messenger Muhammad: “It was by some
mercy of God that thou wast gentle to them; hadst thou been harsh and
hard of heart, they would have sacattered from about thee. So pardon them,
and pray for forgiveness for them, and take counsel with them in the affair;
and when thou art resolved, put thy trust in God; surely God loves those who
put their trust (in Him).” (3:159)
Muhammad’s keen desire to guide people and his worry for
their salvation is clearly indicated in the following verse. We read in the
Qur'an Almighty God addressaing Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH)
“Yet perchance, if they believe not in this tiding, thou wilt consume
thyself, following after them, with grief.” (18:6)
Referring to Jews and Christians, we read in the Qur'an,“Those
who follow the Messenger, the illiterate Prophet [Muhammad], whom they find
written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, bidding them to honour, and
forbidding them dishonour, making lawful for them the good things and making unlawful
for them the bad things, and relieving them of their loads, and the fetters
that were upon them. Those who believe in him and support and help him, and
follow the light that has been sent down with him—they are the prosperers.” (The
Qur'an, 7: 157)
Examples of the Merciful and
Compassionate Nature of Muhammad
1. General
In the Hadith ('traditions of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), we read:
- "Have mercy on those on earth, you
will receive mercy from the One in Heaven (God)."
- "Merciful people will receive
mercy from God."
- "Surely, Allah is Gentle
(rafiiqun), and He likes gentleness (ar-rifq) in all affairs."
- "People are like God's children.
The best of you are the best to His children."
In a tradition of the Prophet (PBUH), we
see him telling his companions and followers that he is to them like a man who
has lit some fire. Moths and butterflies keep rushing into it, while the man
strives to keep them away from the fire. Even devotion in worship would not
stop Muhammad (PBUH) from giving priority to mercy and kindness. Once a
follower of his complained that a leading companion used to stand for too long
a time while leading a congregation in prayer. Was the said companion praised
by the Prophet (PBUH)? No, he was chided and reminded that when one leads a
congregation in prayer he should not make it too long, "because among the
congregation might be the weak, the elderly and people who have things to take
care of."
2. Mercy and Kindness to Women
A well known teaching of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH), was: "The best of you is the best to his family, and I am the best
to my family. His wife 'Ayshah reports that the Prophet used to be engaged in
house chores for his wives whenever he was home, though he was the most honored
person in the community and its leader. In one of his sayings he referred to
women as fragile glass which requires gentle handling, “Be gentle to the
fragile glass”.
A Muslim is instructed in the Qur'an to
be kind to his parents "And make yourself submissively gentle to them with
compassion…" (The Qur'an, 17: 24.)
However, parents are not equal in
treatment when it comes to women. A man came to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and
asked: "Who of all people deserve good treatment from me?" The answer
was: "Your mother." The man asked, "Then, who?" The Prophet
(PBUH) responded, "Your mother." It was only after the third time
that the man was told: "Then, your father."
Naturally, this is a reflection of the
Divine injunction: "And We have enjoined man in respect of his parents…
his mother bears him with failings upon failings and his weaning takes two
years…" (The Qur'an, 31: 14). Even if the parents are disbelievers and
strive to make a Muslim a disbeliever, this should not prevent him from being
kind to his parents. We read: "And We have enjoined on man goodness to
parents, and if they contend with you that you should associate (others) with
Me, of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them, to Me is your return, so
I will inform you of what you did." (The Qur'an, 29: 8).
With reference to daughters, Muhammad
(PBUH) is reported to have said that if any man has female children, and he
takes care of them until they are married off, they will be a shield for him
from Hell-Fire (on the Day of Judgement).
Widows received a special attention from
the Prophet of Islam (PBUH). He says in one of his traditions: "A person
who looks after a widow or a poor person is like someone who fights for the
Cause of God or prays all night and fasts all the day."
Even one's divorcee should receive
honorable treatment. In the Qur'an we read: " Divorce may be (pronounced)
twice, then keep [your divorcee] in good fellowship or let (them) go with
kindness…" (the Qur'an, 2: 229).
3. Mercy and Kindness to Children
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to greet
children he passes by, and wipe the head of some of them (as a gesture of
kindness). He would interrupt his sermon and step down from the pulpit to help
a granddaughter who was tripped by her dress in the mosque. Once he stayed for
quite a while in his prostration. After the prayer he told his companions that
he did so because his grandson had mounted his back, and the Prophet hated to
disturb the child. So he waited in that position until his grandson climbed
down from his back. Again, while the Prophet (PBUH) was leading a
congregational prayer, he heard a baby crying. So, as he later told his
companions, he hurried a little to finish the prayer in order for the mother to
take care of her crying baby.
While the Prophet
was talking to one of his important visitors, the man commented (in a
disapproving manner) on the Prophet's kissing his grandson, saying that he had
a dozen children whom he had never kissed. What was Muhammad (PBUH)'s reaction?
He said: "What can I do if God has removed mercy from your
heart? God will not show mercy to those who do not show it to others."
4. Mercy and Kindness to Orphans
In a couple of the
teaching of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we read that he said that whoever
fosters an orphan will be the Prophet’s companion in Paradise.
The exact wording indicating this is graphically given "like these two
fingers (index and middle fingers) in Paradise."
Naturally, this is in spirit of the Qur'anic injunctions regarding orphans and
their rights, such as the ones we find in the Qur'an..
"And test the
orphans until they attain puberty, then if you find in them maturity of
intellect, turn over to them their property, and do not consume it
extravegantly and hastily lest they attain to full age…" (The Qur'an, 4:
6). Doing injustice to orphas is
considered a grievous crime. We read in the Qur'an: "(As for) who swallow
the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their
bellies and they shall enter buring fire." (Chapter 4: 10).
Mercy and
Kindness to Slaves and Servants
Slaves are known
throughout history and in different civilizations to have been the subject of
suffering and to inhuman treatment, whether in 'civilized' Athens
or Rome in the ancient times or in America and
elsewhere before the enactment of the emancipation laws in the West.
What did Muhammad (PBUH) say about that? We
are told that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) forbad his followers from mistreating
their bondsmen and bondswomen to the extent that a slave may be set free if
treated in a certain cruel manner. The master according to Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) has to be punished in a manner equal to the bodily harm he causes to his
slaves. Not only that; even human dignity and psychological well being of
slaves was taken care of by the merciful Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He is
reported to have said, "Do not say my slave boy or slave girl. Say my boy
or girl." He instructed his followers to be good to their slaves,
"For God made them your slaves. He could have made you theirs." He is
also reported to have said: "Your slaves (or servants) are your brothers
whom God has put under your control. Whoever has a brother under his
control, let him feed him of what he eats himself and clothe him of what he
wears."
"Do not ask your servants/ slaves to
do things beyond their abilities. If you ask them to do something beyond their
abilities, then help them with it."
Anas ibn Malik, a companion who served
the Prophet (PBUH), says: "I have served the Prophet (PBUH) ten years. He
never showed me a sign of annoyance. He never chided me for anything I did or I
did not." In line with this, we read the Prophet (PBUH) teaching his
followers: "When a servant of yours brings you food, unless you seat him
with you (over it), give him a couple of bites from it. For it was he who had
prepared it."
The Prophet of Mercy (PBUH), in fact,
went even further when he said: "Whoever has a slave girl, brings her up,
treats her well, then sets her free and marries her will get double
rewards."
Merciful treatment of slaves, male and
female, is clearly seen in the following quotation from the Qur'an which
instructs believers to help slaves to gain freedom from slavery through a 'liberation
agreement' with their masters as well the humane treatment of slave girls :
"And (as for) those who ask for a liberation agreement from among those
whom your right hands possess, give them the agreement if you know any good in
them, and give them of the wealth of God , which He has given you, and do not
compel your slave girls to prostitution while they desire to keep chaste…"
(24: 33).
6. Mercy to Non-Muslim Citizens
Islam, since its inception, has always
recognized freedom of belief and the rights of Jews and Christians, especially,
to practice their own religion in an Islamic state. We read in the Qur'an,
"Let there be no compulsion in religion for Truth has become
clear from the wrong" (2: 256). Jews and Christians are given the special
name of "People of the Book" (meaning followers of revealed
scriptures). These non-Muslim citizens are called "dhimmis" (' people
under Islamic State protection'). The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was very careful
to warn his followers of dealing with them in any unjust and offensive manner.
He is reported to have said: "Whoever causes harm to a dhimmi I will be
his opponent on the Day of Judgment.
7. Mercy to Enemies
Even the enemies of the Prophet enjoyed
his mercy and kindness. At one of the most distressful moments of his life,
when the Prophet was harassed by the Meccans and chased by children and slaves
of the people of Taif who threw stones at him, Archangel Gabriel asked him if
he needed his help to punish those harassing people, and the angel of mountains
expressed readiness to crush them with the mountains of Mecca. What was Muhammad's response? He told
him that he hoped that to those insolent people would be born offspring who
believed in him. He also used to supplicate, "O God, give guidance to my
people for they do not know [what is good for them].”
Upon his victorious return to Mecca after 10 years of
exile. He asked the Meccans, "What do you think I am going to do with
you?" They knew that his gentle nature would not allow him to seek revenge
and punishment for all their atrocities against him and the persecution of his
followers, over a span of thirteen years, and the wars they had waged against
them in the preceding nine years. They answered: "You are a generous
brother and son of a generous brother." He said: "Go! You are
free." Naturally, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could have punished them,
seeking justice. However, he preferred something better and showed them mercy
instead. Therefore, he let them go without even a harsh word uttered against
them. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was acting on the Divine teaching. In the Qur'an we
read: "And the retribution for an evil act is an equal evil one. But
whoever forgives and makes reconciliation – his reward is with God. Indeed,
He does not like wrong doing." (42:40)
In fact, the Divine Book of Islam, the
Qur'an, teaches Muslims to show justice and fairness even in dealing with
hateful enemies. We read in the Qur'an: "Let not the hatred of a people
make you swerve from justice. Be just for that is closest to God fearing and
piety." (the Qur'an, 5:8)
8. Mercy to
Animals
While the Prophet (PBUH)
was sitting with his companions a bird came hovering over their heads,
fluttering its wings. Muhammad (PBUH), the merciful Prophet, asked, "Who
has taken the young ones of this bird?" He instructed that those chicks be
immediately returned to their nest and mother.
In the traditions
of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we read him saying that "a man entered Paradise on account of a thirsty dog. The man went down a
well to drink from it. Upon climbing up he saw a dog showing the signs of
thirst. So he went down, filled his boot with water and gave water to the dog
to drink. Therefore, God caused the man to enter Jannah (Heaven)." One of
the companions wondered, "Are we rewarded for helping dumb animals?"
The Prophet (PBUH) answered: "There is a reward (in helping) any living
being."
On the other hand,
the Prophet (PBUH) warned that a womon went to Hell-Fire because of a cat. She
locked up the cat, depriving it of food and preventing it from seeking food for
itself. In fact, Muslims are told by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that if they plant
anything, they will be rewarded every time a human or animal eats from it.
Animals, according
to the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), should not be slaughtered except for food. Even
then we should make the animal comfortable and use a sharp knife in order not
to cause it any unnecessary suffering.
9. Kindness and
Moderation in Dealing with Other Beings
Even inanimate
beings are protected by the Prophet of Mercy, Muhammad (PBUH). For example, he
has forbidden cutting down trees unnecessrily, and he instructed his followers
to conserve water, saying: "Do not waste water even if you are on the bank
of a running river."
Even the coming of
Doomsday should not prevent a person from enhancing the environment. The
Prophet said: "If Doomsday comes while one of you is holding a shoot in
his hand let him plant it."
