“Indeed, in this [Quran] is notification for a worshipping people. And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Quran: 21:106-107)
Allah's Messenger was the kindest of men in the same way as he excelled all others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. A Companion, Shaddaad bin 'Aws reported the Apostle as saying: "Allah has commanded you to show kindness to everyone, so if you have to kill, kill in a good manner, and if you slaughter an animal, slaughter it gently. If anyone of you has to slay an animal, he should sharpen the blade first and treat the animal well." Ibn 'Abbas relates that a man threw a goat on its side and then started sharpening his knife. When the Prophet saw him he said: "Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?"
A Mercy for the Believers
The Messenger’s compassion towards the believers was of the utmost degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse, which means: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful.” (Quran: 9:128)
Sa‘d bin ‘Ubaadah once became ill, so Allah's Messenger visited him in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he was moved to tears. Then, he said: “Allah does not punish because of tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this."- and he pointed to his tongue. (Al-Bukhari)
A Mercy Towards his Enemies
The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr were amongst his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery speaker and was denouncing the Prophet . 'Umar one the Prophet’s closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet replied: “Were I to do this, Allah would disfigure me on the Day of Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger.” (Hadith)
In Makkah, his people inflicted him with every kind of suffering, eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madinah, and then waged war on him for five years. However, when he conquered Makkah without bloodshed in the twenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers who were awaiting his decision about them: “How do you expect me to treat you?” They responded unanimously: "You are a noble one, the son of a noble one." He announced to them his decision:
“You may go free! No reproach this day shall be on you; may God forgive you.”
Mercy to Kids:
Anas always greeted children as he passed them, saying that he did so because he had observed the Prophet doing the same thing. ( Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn `Abbas said that the Prophet used to hold the first of any seasonal harvest, he used put it on his eyes then on his lips and say “Oh Allah! Like you have made us see its beginning (of the season), allow us to see its end.” Then he would give it to any child sitting around him." (Tabarani)
When his guests brought children with them, the Prophet called them towards him and placed them on his lap. One day an infant urinated on his clothes. He simply poured water over the area but did not wash the clothes (as the infant was only breast-fed). ( Bukhari )
Prophet Muhammad used to set some kids in a row and saying, "I'll give such and such (i.e gift or so) to the one who come to me first." So they used to race and fall on his back and chest. (Ahmad)
Mercy to Women:
Once many women relatives of Prophet Muhammad were sitting around him and talking loudly to him. When Omar came they all left, at which the Prophet laughed. Omar said, "O Allah's Messenger, may Allah keep you smiling. Why did you laugh?", The Prophet remarked that he was amazed at the behavior of those women, who, on hearing Omar's voice, had all hidden themselves from him. Omar, addressing them, said, "You fear me but do not fear Allah's Messenger." They all said, "You are a hot-tempered person in comparison to Allah's Messenger." (Muslim)
Once the Noble Prophet was sleeping with his face covered in the apartment of Aisha. It was the day of Eid (Muslims' holiday) and young girls were singing. Abu Bakr entered the house and asked the girls to stop. The Prophet said, "Let them sing, it is the day of Eid for them." ( Bukhari )
He said: The most perfect Muslim in the matter of faith is one who has excellent behavior; and the best among you are those who behave best towards their wives. (Tirmidhi)
He said, "Whoever [brings up] two girls till they come of age, will be in the next world along with me, like my two fingers joining each other." (Abu Dawud)
He said, "A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another. (Muslim)
He said, " “I start the prayers, intending to lengthen them. I then hear a child crying so I make them shorter, knowing how emotional a child’s mother gets.” ( Bukhari and Muslim)
Caliph Umar (The second leader after prophet Muhammad) wanted to limit the amount of dowry. Most Muslims agreed with him. but an old poor woman declared her disagreement. Umar didn't mute her. Instead, he heard her opinion which was proofed and then he said, "The lady is right and Umar is wrong."
Prophet Muhammad was also very kind and affectionate towards women. Women were very badly treated in those times. The Noble Prophet gave them honour and dignity at par with men in the community. 'Umar reported: "We did not have much regard for women while we were at Makkah, but they were better treated in Madinah. Allah's Messenger established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which improved their position and status."
Mercy to Orphans, Needers, and Widows:
From his mercy is that he never used to disdain from walking along with a widow or with a poor person and fulfill their needs . He used to visit weak and sick Muslims and attend their funerals . He used to treat orphans well and charitably. He used to commend people to sponsor them and treat them with excellence and he also used to announce the consequent virtues of that saying, “I and a patron of an orphanage are as close in Paradise (while waving with the index and middle finger and parting them .” He also said that the best house in Muslim houses is the one with an orphan being treated well in it. ” ( Bukhari and Ibn Majah)
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." ( Bukhari and Muslim)
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." (Ibn Majah)
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. (Ahmad)
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." (Hakim)
Mercy to Domestic Workers:
Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad and said, "O Allah's Messenger! How many times should I forgive the mistakes of slaves?" The Noble Prophet kept quiet. The man repeated his question three times, and the Prophet replied at the third time, "Forgive them seventy times every day." A man had two slaves but was not happy with them. He used to beat and abuse them but they did not change their ways. He complained to the Prophet and asked for his advice. Prophet Muhammad said that if his punishment was in proportion to their wrongs, well and good; otherwise Allah would punish him for his excess. On hearing this the man was upset and began crying. Prophet Muhammad recited the verse from the Qur'an, "We shall set up scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection." (1:47) and observed that the man did not read the Qur'an. After this he said, "O Allah's Messenger, it is better that I release them from my possession. Be witness that they are now free."
Mercy to Animals:
Aisha narrated that she once found difficulty in riding a horse, so she kept reining it in repeatedly. The Prophet then said, “You must have gentleness.” (Muslim)
Once the Prophet passed by a camel that was so emaciated its back was one with its abdomen. Upon that, the Prophet said, “Fear Allah with regard to livestock. Ride them in a fitting way and eat them when they are in good condition." (Abu Dawud)
He once entered the garden of man from the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) and there was a camel. When the Prophet saw the camel it froze and its eyes started watering. Then the Prophet of Allah came to it and rubbed its ears so it calmed down. Then the Prophet said, “Who is the owner of this camel? Whose camel is this?” A young man from the Ansar told him, ”O Messenger of Allah, it belongs to me.” Then he told him (, “Do you not fear Allah with regard to this beast which Allah has let you own? It complained to me that you starve it and tire it by overworking it and using it beyond its capacity." (Ahmad and Abu Dawud)
He saw some people sitting on animals so he commented, “Keep them safe and sound when riding them and when leaving them, don’t use them as chairs for your side talks in the streets and markets. A ridden animal might be better than its rider and might remember and mention God more than its rider does." (Ahmad and Abu Yali)
Prophet Muhammad once said, “A woman was doomed to enter the Fire because of a cat. She imprisoned it and neither fed it nor set it free to eat the rodents of the earth.” ( Bukhari )
Prophet Muhammad warned against any human being causing a bird to feel panic about its little offspring. Someone took two chicks of a bird, which came in panic searching for its chicks. Prophet Muhammad then asked, “Who has distressed it by taking its chicks?” Then he asked them to return the chicks. (Abu Dawud)
The Prophet once passed by a burned out anthill. When the Prophet saw it he asked, “Who has burned it?” When he was informed of who had done it, he said, “Only the Lord of Fire has the right to punish with fire." (Abu Dawud)
Prophet Muhammad prohibited the killing of a bird for the sake of pleasure and not for a specific beneficial need, the Prophet said, “Anyone who would kill a bird, this bird would come on Doomsday and say, “God, this person killed me for pleasure and not for benefit." (An-Nasaai)
He saw a person preparing a lamb, laying it down while he was still sharpening his knife. Prophet Muhammad then commented, “Do you want to kill it twice? Sharpen your knife before you lay it down.” ( Bukhari and Muslim).
Once Prophet Muhammad saw a donkey on the road with a brand on its face, and said, "Allah's curse is on him who branded it." (Muslim)
Allah's Messenger was the kindest of men in the same way as he excelled all others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. A Companion, Shaddaad bin 'Aws reported the Apostle as saying: "Allah has commanded you to show kindness to everyone, so if you have to kill, kill in a good manner, and if you slaughter an animal, slaughter it gently. If anyone of you has to slay an animal, he should sharpen the blade first and treat the animal well." Ibn 'Abbas relates that a man threw a goat on its side and then started sharpening his knife. When the Prophet saw him he said: "Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?"
A Mercy for the Believers
The Messenger’s compassion towards the believers was of the utmost degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse, which means: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful.” (Quran: 9:128)
Sa‘d bin ‘Ubaadah once became ill, so Allah's Messenger visited him in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he was moved to tears. Then, he said: “Allah does not punish because of tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this."- and he pointed to his tongue. (Al-Bukhari)
A Mercy Towards his Enemies
The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr were amongst his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery speaker and was denouncing the Prophet . 'Umar one the Prophet’s closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet replied: “Were I to do this, Allah would disfigure me on the Day of Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger.” (Hadith)
In Makkah, his people inflicted him with every kind of suffering, eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madinah, and then waged war on him for five years. However, when he conquered Makkah without bloodshed in the twenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers who were awaiting his decision about them: “How do you expect me to treat you?” They responded unanimously: "You are a noble one, the son of a noble one." He announced to them his decision:
“You may go free! No reproach this day shall be on you; may God forgive you.”
Mercy to Kids:
Anas always greeted children as he passed them, saying that he did so because he had observed the Prophet doing the same thing. ( Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn `Abbas said that the Prophet used to hold the first of any seasonal harvest, he used put it on his eyes then on his lips and say “Oh Allah! Like you have made us see its beginning (of the season), allow us to see its end.” Then he would give it to any child sitting around him." (Tabarani)
When his guests brought children with them, the Prophet called them towards him and placed them on his lap. One day an infant urinated on his clothes. He simply poured water over the area but did not wash the clothes (as the infant was only breast-fed). ( Bukhari )
Prophet Muhammad used to set some kids in a row and saying, "I'll give such and such (i.e gift or so) to the one who come to me first." So they used to race and fall on his back and chest. (Ahmad)
Mercy to Women:
Once many women relatives of Prophet Muhammad were sitting around him and talking loudly to him. When Omar came they all left, at which the Prophet laughed. Omar said, "O Allah's Messenger, may Allah keep you smiling. Why did you laugh?", The Prophet remarked that he was amazed at the behavior of those women, who, on hearing Omar's voice, had all hidden themselves from him. Omar, addressing them, said, "You fear me but do not fear Allah's Messenger." They all said, "You are a hot-tempered person in comparison to Allah's Messenger." (Muslim)
Once the Noble Prophet was sleeping with his face covered in the apartment of Aisha. It was the day of Eid (Muslims' holiday) and young girls were singing. Abu Bakr entered the house and asked the girls to stop. The Prophet said, "Let them sing, it is the day of Eid for them." ( Bukhari )
He said: The most perfect Muslim in the matter of faith is one who has excellent behavior; and the best among you are those who behave best towards their wives. (Tirmidhi)
He said, "Whoever [brings up] two girls till they come of age, will be in the next world along with me, like my two fingers joining each other." (Abu Dawud)
He said, "A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another. (Muslim)
He said, " “I start the prayers, intending to lengthen them. I then hear a child crying so I make them shorter, knowing how emotional a child’s mother gets.” ( Bukhari and Muslim)
Caliph Umar (The second leader after prophet Muhammad) wanted to limit the amount of dowry. Most Muslims agreed with him. but an old poor woman declared her disagreement. Umar didn't mute her. Instead, he heard her opinion which was proofed and then he said, "The lady is right and Umar is wrong."
Prophet Muhammad was also very kind and affectionate towards women. Women were very badly treated in those times. The Noble Prophet gave them honour and dignity at par with men in the community. 'Umar reported: "We did not have much regard for women while we were at Makkah, but they were better treated in Madinah. Allah's Messenger established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which improved their position and status."
Mercy to Orphans, Needers, and Widows:
From his mercy is that he never used to disdain from walking along with a widow or with a poor person and fulfill their needs . He used to visit weak and sick Muslims and attend their funerals . He used to treat orphans well and charitably. He used to commend people to sponsor them and treat them with excellence and he also used to announce the consequent virtues of that saying, “I and a patron of an orphanage are as close in Paradise (while waving with the index and middle finger and parting them .” He also said that the best house in Muslim houses is the one with an orphan being treated well in it. ” ( Bukhari and Ibn Majah)
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." ( Bukhari and Muslim)
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." (Ibn Majah)
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. (Ahmad)
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." (Hakim)
Mercy to Domestic Workers:
Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad and said, "O Allah's Messenger! How many times should I forgive the mistakes of slaves?" The Noble Prophet kept quiet. The man repeated his question three times, and the Prophet replied at the third time, "Forgive them seventy times every day." A man had two slaves but was not happy with them. He used to beat and abuse them but they did not change their ways. He complained to the Prophet and asked for his advice. Prophet Muhammad said that if his punishment was in proportion to their wrongs, well and good; otherwise Allah would punish him for his excess. On hearing this the man was upset and began crying. Prophet Muhammad recited the verse from the Qur'an, "We shall set up scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection." (1:47) and observed that the man did not read the Qur'an. After this he said, "O Allah's Messenger, it is better that I release them from my possession. Be witness that they are now free."
Mercy to Animals:
Aisha narrated that she once found difficulty in riding a horse, so she kept reining it in repeatedly. The Prophet then said, “You must have gentleness.” (Muslim)
Once the Prophet passed by a camel that was so emaciated its back was one with its abdomen. Upon that, the Prophet said, “Fear Allah with regard to livestock. Ride them in a fitting way and eat them when they are in good condition." (Abu Dawud)
He once entered the garden of man from the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) and there was a camel. When the Prophet saw the camel it froze and its eyes started watering. Then the Prophet of Allah came to it and rubbed its ears so it calmed down. Then the Prophet said, “Who is the owner of this camel? Whose camel is this?” A young man from the Ansar told him, ”O Messenger of Allah, it belongs to me.” Then he told him (, “Do you not fear Allah with regard to this beast which Allah has let you own? It complained to me that you starve it and tire it by overworking it and using it beyond its capacity." (Ahmad and Abu Dawud)
He saw some people sitting on animals so he commented, “Keep them safe and sound when riding them and when leaving them, don’t use them as chairs for your side talks in the streets and markets. A ridden animal might be better than its rider and might remember and mention God more than its rider does." (Ahmad and Abu Yali)
Prophet Muhammad once said, “A woman was doomed to enter the Fire because of a cat. She imprisoned it and neither fed it nor set it free to eat the rodents of the earth.” ( Bukhari )
Prophet Muhammad warned against any human being causing a bird to feel panic about its little offspring. Someone took two chicks of a bird, which came in panic searching for its chicks. Prophet Muhammad then asked, “Who has distressed it by taking its chicks?” Then he asked them to return the chicks. (Abu Dawud)
The Prophet once passed by a burned out anthill. When the Prophet saw it he asked, “Who has burned it?” When he was informed of who had done it, he said, “Only the Lord of Fire has the right to punish with fire." (Abu Dawud)
Prophet Muhammad prohibited the killing of a bird for the sake of pleasure and not for a specific beneficial need, the Prophet said, “Anyone who would kill a bird, this bird would come on Doomsday and say, “God, this person killed me for pleasure and not for benefit." (An-Nasaai)
He saw a person preparing a lamb, laying it down while he was still sharpening his knife. Prophet Muhammad then commented, “Do you want to kill it twice? Sharpen your knife before you lay it down.” ( Bukhari and Muslim).
Once Prophet Muhammad saw a donkey on the road with a brand on its face, and said, "Allah's curse is on him who branded it." (Muslim)
