Curbing Global Violence and Hatred: A Divine Mercy Perspective
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
31 May 2024
Islam:
Not an Extremist Faith, But a Religion of Mercy
Main
Points:
1. Islam is
often portrayed as a religion of extremism, violence, and terrorism, but it is
a religion of mercy.
2. God revealed
Himself as Rahman and Rahim, proving His mercy is greater than His anger.
3. God's mercy
is the primary attribute of His relationship with His creation, as stated in
hadith qudsi.
4. The Quran
and Hadith stress the need for understanding that Allah is not pleased with
those who advocate violence in the name of Islam.
-------
Islam, the
favourite religion of Allah, is often portrayed as a religion of extremism,
violence, and terrorism. However, this is a lie and slander. Islam is a
religion of mercy, promoting peace and security worldwide. This article will
prove through the Qur'an and hadiths that Islam is a mercy-giving religion.
When
Muslims perform any kind of good activity, including reciting the Quran and
eating, they begin with "Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem,"
which translates to "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the
Merciful." This sacred formula consists of the name of Allah and His
attributes al-Rahman [the Most Compassionate] and al-Rahim [the
Most Merciful], both derived from Rahmah, meaning mercy, which can also
mean love, kindness, and compassion.
It is worth
considering why God did not select two names that might have conveyed any level
of wrath. He revealed Himself as Rahman as well as Rahim, proving
that His mercy is greater than His anger. From one perspective, even divine
rage is considered a form of mercy for the believer, as it can aid in soul
purification and prepare him for paradise.
The
following are some verses from the Quran that speak of divine mercy, kindness,
and compassion. These verses serve as a wake-up call to radical organisations
and those who persecute and attack civilians, as is the case lately in Rafah,
Gaza, or Palestine. These verses show these groups and individuals that if God
is a lover of mercy, kindness, and peace, then so should they be.
God
Almighty says,
“Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the
heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allah." He has prescribed Mercy for
Himself. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which
there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that day] do not believe.” (6:12)
The fact
that God has prescribed Mercy for Himself shows that, despite maintaining
complete freedom from obligations, God still obligates Himself to treat His
creatures with mercy. The same idea is conveyed by a well-known hadith Qudsi
(holy hadith): "When God decreed the created realm, He prescribed for
Himself in a Book that is with Him, 'Truly My Mercy prevails over My Wrath,'".
In another hadith Qudsi, God declares, “My Mercy has precedence over My
Wrath.". The Prophet is said to have prayed, "O God, I seek refuge in
Your Contentment from Your Anger, and in Your Forgiveness from Your Punishment,
and in Your Mercy from Your Wrath," during his daily devotions. Therefore,
based on His own self-obligation, mercy is the primary attribute of God's
relationship with His creation.
Allah
Almighty says,
“And when those come to you who believe in Our
verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy:
that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and
corrects himself—indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful." (6:54)
“And cause not corruption upon the earth after
its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of
Allah is near to the doers of good.” (7:56)
“And decree for us in this world [that which
is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You."
[Allah] said, "My punishment—I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy
encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who
fear Me and give Zakah and those who believe in Our verses." (7:156)
“Inform My bondmen that, undoubtedly, I surely
am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (15:49)
“Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those
around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask
forgiveness for those who have believed, saying, "Our Lord, You have
encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have
repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of
Hellfire.” (40:7)
Because
there are so many hadith about God's mercy and the Prophet's mercy scattered
throughout numerous books, compiling them all is incredibly challenging. Some
Ahadith are as follows:
Abu
Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) saying, "When Allah created the creatures, He
wrote in the Book, which is with Him over His Throne: 'Verily, My Mercy
prevailed over My Wrath" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
According
to this hadith, Allah's mercy prevails over His anger. This implies that,
regardless of how enraged or upset Allah may be with us, His Mercy will
ultimately prevail over His Wrath. This should give us comfort, and we should
work to please Him so that we can experience His kindness and compassion.
Narrated
Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a Bedouin making water in
the mosque and told the people not to disturb him. When he finished, the
Prophet (peace be upon him) asked for some water and poured it over the urine.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 219)
The hadith
places a strong emphasis on the value of being nice and merciful to people,
even when they commit mistakes.
Abu
Hurairah said that Al-Aqra’ b. Habib saw that the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) was kissing Husain. He said, I have ten children, and I have never
kissed any of them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: He who
does not show tenderness will not be shown tenderness. (Sunan Abi Dawud, 5218)
The
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “He who does not have mercy on our
young, nor recognize the esteem of our elders, is not from us.” [Tirmidhi,
Hadith no. 1927]
The phrase
"not from us" in the aforementioned hadith suggests that the person who
does not show mercy is not genuinely following Islam. Numerous hadith
literature encourages treating the young with kindness and the old with
respect. The good news is for those who treat the young with kindness and the
elderly with respect, according to our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him):
“Dear Anas! Respect elders and have mercy upon the young; you will attain my
company in Paradise.” (Shuabul Iman, Hadith 10981)
“The
merciful are shown mercy by the Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth, and He
who is in heaven will be merciful to you. Kinship ties are connecting branches
of the Merciful. Whoever maintains them will be maintained by God, and whoever
cuts them will be cut off by God.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith 2049)
The Prophet
(peace be upon him) emphasizes that those who show mercy receive
all-encompassing mercy from Allah, a just reward. He commands kindness for all
living things on earth, and Allah will extend mercy as compensation for that.
The
Prophet's wife, Hazrat Aisha, said, "The Messenger of God never struck
anything with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant." He only did so
while struggling on the path of God. He also never destroyed anything in order
to wreak revenge on the owner. He only did so when God’s sacred bounds were
transgressed and would take vengeance for God. Great and Glorious is He.”
(Sahih Muslim 6195, Kitab al-Fada’il)
"God
divided mercy into a hundred pieces. He sent one part down to earth while
holding back 99 parts. It is from there that creatures express compassion to
one another, as seen when a mare lifts her hoof over her foal out of worry that
she could hurt him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6066, Kitab al-Adab)
“If the
believer knew the punishment of God, he would never feel assured of His Garden,
and if the unbeliever knew the mercy of God, he would never despair of His
Garden.” (Sahih Muslim 7155, Kitab al-Tawbah)
Narrated by
Jarir bin `Abdullah, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Allah
will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind." (Sahih
al-Bukhari, 7376)
The hadith
highlights the need to treat others with love and compassion, saying that in
order to receive the Mercy of Allah, we must first treat everyone with kindness
and respect, regardless of their background or beliefs. It also underscores the
fact that our deeds have repercussions and that Allah will not show mercy to us
if we act unjustly or cruelly.
Keeping in
mind the Quranic verses and hadiths mentioned earlier, everyone ought to think.
Every effort should be made to halt the current worldwide frenzy of violence
and hatred. It is important for those who advocate violence in the name of
Islam to understand that Allah Ta'ala is not pleased with their actions. These
issues should also be taken into consideration by those who do not profess any
religion or those who adhere to beliefs other than Islam but use violence
against others. Why do they behave in a way that is against kindness and mercy,
yet God, the creator of the world, is the Most Merciful? This ought to be a
universal message.
-----
Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL:
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism