The Prophet Muhammad a Mercy To the World

On Forgiveness, Kindness and Mercy

It is related of the Prophet that he said: 'On the Day of Resurrection a herald will call out: 'Whoever's reward is with God then let him enter Paradise.' It will be asked: 'Whose reward is with God?' It will be answered: 'Those who forgave the people, for they will enter Paradise without being held to account.'222

He would encourage mercy in general saying: 'Those who show mercy will be shown mercy by The Merciful One on the Day of Resurrection. Show mercy to those on Earth and He who is in the heavens will show mercy to you.'223

Once al-Aqra! Ibn H{"bis saw the Apostle of God kissing his grandsons al-H{asan and al-H{usayn the sons of Imam Ali ibn AbY ?alib. Al-Aqra! Said: 'I have ten children and I have never kissed any of them ever.' The Apostle of God became angry and his colour flushed and he said to al-Aqra!: 'He who shows no mercy shall not be shown mercy. If you have torn all mercy from your own heart then what can I do for you? He who shows no mercy to the children or no respect to the elders is not one of us.'224

He also said: 'Be to the orphans like a merciful father and know that whatever you sow so shall you reap.'225 The noble Prophet said: 'When I was taken upon my heavenly night journey I saw some people into whose bellies fire was being cast and it was exiting from their behinds. I

222 majma! al-bay"n; vol.9, p.34. 223 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.74, chap.7, p.167, 9ad:th 4. 224 man"qib "l ab: U"lib; vol.3, p.384. 225 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.74, chap.7, p.171.

said: 'Who are they O Gabriel?' He said: 'They are ethose who consume the property of the orphans unjustly.f'226 227 He also said: 'I and the person who takes care of orphans will be [as close as] these two [fingers] (and he indicated with his index and middle fingers) in Paradise as long as he fears Almighty God.'228 It is related that Abdull"h ibn Mas!Yd said: 'The Apostle of God said: 'Whoever gently strokes the head of an orphan will have a light on the Day of Resurrection for every hair that his hand passes over.'229

Regarding forgiveness he said: 'Whoever forgives a wrong, God will give him honour in this world and the next.'230 He also said: 'When anger raises its head dispel it with forgiveness, for a herald will call out on the Day of Resurrection: 'Let those whose reward is with God stand!' Then none shall stand but those who were forgiving. Have you not heard God's words:

eAnd whoever forgives and sets things to rights then his reward will be with God.f231 232 He also said: 'The virtue of us Ahl al-Bayt is to forgive those who wrong us, and to give to those who withhold from us.'233

226 The Holy Qur'an: The Women (4): 10. 227 bi9"r al-anw"r, vol. 76, chap.103, p 267, 9ad:th 2. 228 tafs:r nYr al-thaqalayn; vol.5, p.597, 9ad:th 23, Qum edition. 229 ibid. 9ad:th 22. 230 al-am"l: of al-?Ys:; vol.1, p.185. 231 The Holy Qur'an: Consultation (42): 40. 232 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.74, chap.7, p.180, 9ad:th 16.

He also said: 'Forgiveness is most appropriate from the person who is most able to retaliate.'234 He also said: 'God loves kindness and assists those who are kind. So if you ride upon a lean beast then let it stop at its feeding stations. And if the land is arid then escape on it, and if the land is fertile then let it stop at its feeding stations.'235

On Toiling and Earning that which is Lawful

The Prophet used to say: 'He who eats from what his hand has toiled for will be counted amongst the Prophets on the Day of Resurrection and will take the reward of the Prophets.' 236

He also said: 'He who eats from what his hand has toiled for will be looked upon by God with mercy, hence He will never punish him.'237 He also said: 'He who eats from what his hand has toiled for will pass over the Nir"U 238 like lightning.' 239 He said: 'Seeking what is lawful is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman.' 240

233 ibid. p 141. 234 ma!"n: al-akhb"r; p.196. 235 al-k"f:; vol.2, p.120, 9ad:th 12. 236 j"mi! al-akhb"r; p.139. Najaf edition.

237 ibid. 238 A path in the afterlife which all must cross over. Offenders will fall from it into Hellfire and the righteous will pass across it with ease into Paradise. 239 j"mi! al-akhb"r, p.139. 240 ibid.

He said: 'Whoever seeks in this world what is lawful to keep himself from begging and to provide for his dependants and to assist his neighbours will meet God [on the Day of Resurrection] with a face [radiant] like the full moon.' 241

Whenever the Prophet liked the look of a man he would ask:

'Does he have an occupation?' If he was told: 'No.' He would say: 'He has gone down in my esteem.' He was asked: 'And why is this O Apostle of God?' He said: 'Because the believer if he does not have a profession will live at [the expense of] his religion.' 242

He also said: ' . . . but God loves a person who if he does an act he does it well.' 243 He also said: 'He who toils for the sake of his dependants is like he who strives in the cause of God.' 244

On Humility

The Apostle of God said once to his companions: 'Why is it that I do not see upon you the sweetness of worship?' They said: 'And what is the sweetness of worship?' He said: 'Humility.' 245 The Prophet was asked: 'What is humility?'

241 ibid. 242 ibid. 243 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.6, chap.8, p.220, 9ad:th 14. 244 ibid. vol.93, chap.42, p.324, 9ad:th 13. 245 al-ma9ajjah al-bay+"'; vol.6, p.222.

He said: 'It is humbleness in prayer and that a person directs his entire heart towards his Lord.'246 He also said: 'He who leaves off adornments for the sake of God and puts aside fine clothes out of humility to God and seeking His countenance, by rights God will store up for him the fine !abqar: carpets of Paradise.'247

He said in his testament to AbY Dharr, one of his most devout companions: 'Blessed is he who humbles himself for the sake of God and not due to some lack, and belittles himself but not due to destitution.'248

He said: 'O AbY Dharr, he who leaves off wearing finery when he is able to do so out of humility to Almighty God will be enrobed by God with the robe of honour.'249

He also said: 'When you see the humble ones from my nation then act humbly to them, and when you see the arrogant ones then act arrogantly towards them for this belittles and diminishes them.'250

He said: 'It pleases me to see a man carrying something in his hand which he is bringing to please his family and which stops him from being arrogant.'251 He said: 'A man should not humiliate himself.' He was asked: 'O Apostle of God, and how does a man humiliate

246 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.81, chap.38, p.264, end of 9ad:th 66. 247 ibid. p 248. 248 mak"rim al-akhl"q; p.471. 249 ibid. 250 al-ma9ajjah al-bay+"'; vol.6, p.222. 251 tanb:h al-kh"waUir wa nuzhah al-naw")ir; vol.1, p.209, 2nd edition.

himself?' He said: 'By exposing himself to that which he cannot bear.'252 One day the Apostle of God went on a journey with his companions. He ordered them to cook a sheep. One man said: 'I will slaughter it.' Another said: 'I will skin it.' Another said: 'I will cook it.' The Apostle of God said: 'I will go and fetch the firewood for you.'

The companions said: 'O Apostle of God, may our fathers and mothers be your sacrifice, do not tire yourself for we will do everything for you.' The Apostle of God said: 'I know that you will do so but Almighty God detests that a person should be singled out from amongst his companions.' Then he went to collect the firewood for them.'253

On the Reprehensibility of Arrogance

The Prophet said: 'The tyrants and arrogant people will be gathered in the Day of Resurrection in the form of small ants to be stepped on by the people because of their baseness in the eyes of Almighty God.'254

252 ibid. vol.2, p.351.

253 mak"rim al-akhl"q; p.251. 254 al-ma9ajjah al-bay+"'; vol.6, p.215.

He also said: 'He who considers himself to be magnificent and swaggers in his gait will have the wrath of Almighty God upon him when he meets Him.'255

He also said: 'He who loves men to remain standing in his presence then let him prepare his place in Hellfire.'256 He also said: 'He who drags his robe in the dust haughtily will not be looked upon by God on the Day of Resurrection.'257 Once the Apostle of God passed by a group of people who had gathered and made a circle around a man so he said: 'Why have you gathered?

They said: 'O Apostle of God, he is possessed and is having a fit so we have gathered around him.' He said: 'He is not possessed but he is afflicted.' Then he said: 'Shall I tell you who one truly possessed is?' They said: 'Yes, O Apostle of God!'

He said: 'He who swaggers in his gait and looks to his sides and moves his flanks with his shoulders. He hopes that God will give him Paradise but he disobeys Him. None are safe from his evils and none hope for any good from him. That is one possessed and this man is but afflicted.'258

When he entered the House [the Ka!bah] on the day of the liberation of Mecca he said: 'Almighty God has done away

255 tanb:h al-kh"waUir wa nuzhah al-naw")ir; vol.1, p.207, 2nd edition. 256 mak"rim al-akhl"q; p.471. 257 ibid. 258 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.70, chap.130, p.223, 9ad:th 32.

with the pride and arrogance of the Arabs about their forefathers. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust, and the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most pious of you.'259

He also said addressing AbY Dharr: 'Whoever dies and within his heart there is an atom's weight of arrogance will never experience the aroma of Paradise, except he who repents beforehand.' Then a man said: 'O Apostle of God, I am a great admirer of beauty. So much so that even the emblem of my whip and the straps of my sandals must be fine. Should this be a cause of concern?' He said: 'And how do you find your heart.' He said: 'I find it recognising the truth and content with it.' The Prophet said: 'This then is not arrogance but arrogance is to neglect the truth and to traverse it to something other than the truth, and to look to the people and think that there is no-one whose honour is like yours and whose blood is like yours.'260

It is related that Im"m Ja!far £"diq said: 'A poor man came to the Apostle of God when he was with a rich man. The rich man pulled up his robe and recoiled from the poor man. The Apostle of God said to him: 'What made you do what you did? Did you fear that his poverty would adhere to you or that your riches would adhere to him?' The rich man said: 'Now that you have said this then he can have half my wealth.' The Apostle of God said to the poor man: 'Do you accept?' The poor man said: 'No.' He said: 'Why?' The poor man said: 'I fear that I will become what he has become.' 261

259 ibid. vol.67, chap.56, p.287. 260 mak"rim al-akhl"q; p.471. 261 !uddah al-d"!:; p.114, 5th edition.

On Consultation

Im"m Ja!far al-£"diq relates that the Apostle of God was asked: 'O Apostle of God, what is prudence?' He said: 'To consult with those who are judicious and to follow their advice.'262 It is also related that Im"m al-£"diq said: 'Amongst that which the Apostle of God advised Imam Ali in his will was that he said: 'There is no support stronger than consultation and there is no intelligence like forward thinking.'263

The Prophet said to the Commander of the Faithful: 'O Ali, do not consult with a cowardly person for he will make the solution very limited. And do not consult with a miserly person for he will bring you short of your goal. And do not consult with a greedy person for he will make evil appear beautiful to you . . .'264

He also said: 'Consulting with an intelligent person of good counsel is good sense and good fortune and success from God. If the intelligent person of good counsel gives his opinion then do not oppose it for the consequence of this is perdition.'265 It is also related that the Prophet said: 'Whenever a man consults with another he will be guided to good sense.'266

262 was"'il al-sh:!a; vol.8, chap.21, p.424, 9ad:th 1, 5th edition, Beirut. 263 ibid. 264 ibid. p.429, 9adith 1. 265 ibid. p.426, 9ad:th 6. 266 tafs:r nYr al-thaqalayn; vol.4, p.584.

It is related that Imam Ali said: 'The Apostle of God said:

'Whoever is consulted by his brother in faith and he does not give him sincere counsel then God will take away his intelligence.'267

On Generosity

The Apostle of God said: 'Generosity is a tree in Paradise whose branches stretch down to this world. Whoever is generous has taken hold of one of these branches and this branch will lead him to Paradise.'268 The Prophet said to Odayy son of H{"tim al-?"': 269 : 'Your father has been spared the severe punishment because of the generosity of his soul.'270 Jar:r ibn Abdull"h relates: 'When the Prophet's mission to teach Islam began I came to pledge my allegiance to him.' He said: 'O Jar:r, for what reason have you come?' I said: 'I have come to enter Isl"m at your hands O Apostle of God.' Then he threw me his cloak, and turned to his companions and said:

'When the nobles of any people come to you then honour them.'271

267 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.72, chap.49, p.104, 9ad:th 36. 268 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.7, chap.23, p.171, 9ad:th 114. 269 H{"tim al-?"': was a man of legendary generosity, who died an idolater before the start of the mission of the Prophet Muhammad. (Translators note) 270 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.68, chap.87, p.354, end of 9ad:th 16. 271 ibid. vol.16, chap.9, p.239, 9ad:th 35.

On Discouraging Miserliness

The Apostle of God said: 'The people who have least peace of mind are the misers.'272 He asked his companions once: 'What is your definition of a vagabond?'

They said: 'A man who has no wealth.'

He said: 'No, the true vagabond is he who does not give away anything of his wealth [in order to] seek his reward from God even though he would be leaving a lot of wealth behind him.'273

He also said: 'Surely God hates one who was miserly all his life and becomes generous near [the time of] his death.'274 He also said: 'Never was wealth diminished by almsgiving, so give freely and do not be miserly.'275

He also said: 'God has some servants whom He has favoured with His blessings and He will continue to do so as long as they spread them amongst the people. If they withhold them though then God will divert His blessings from them to others.'276

272 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.70, chap.136, p.300, 9ad:th 2. 273 tu9af al-!uqYl; p.33. 274 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.74, chap.7, p.173, 9ad:th 8. 275 ibid. vol.93, chap.14, p.131 276 ibid. vol.72, chap.81, p.352

He also said: 'Whoever refuses to give of his wealth to good people out of choice, God will divert his wealth to evil people by force.'277 Im"m Ja!far al-£"diq said: 'The Apostle of God never ever refused to give to one who asked from him. If he had something with him he would give him it and if he did not then he would say: 'God will provide it.'278

Once the Apostle of God went to al-Ja!r"nah (a place between Mecca and al-?"'if) and there divided up the wealth (that had been taken as spoils after the battle of H{unayn). The people began to ask from him and he gave to them until he was forced to retreat to a tree. The people took his cloak and scratched his back so that they could take him from the tree and all the while they were asking him for the wealth. He said: 'O people, give me back my cloak. I swear that if I had sheep to the number of trees of Tuh"mah I would divide them amongst you, then you would not see me as cowardly or miserly.'279

He also said: 'The one least like me amongst you is the miserly, the foul-mouthed and the indecent.'280 He also said: 'The miser is far from God and far from the people, far from Paradise and near to Hellfire.'281

277 ibid. vol.93, chap.14, p.352 278 ibid. vol.16, chap.9, p.269 279 ibid. p.226, 9ad:th 32. 280 tu9af al-!uqYl; p.31, 5th edition. 281 bi9"r al-anw"r; vol.68, chap.87, p.355, 9ad:th 17.