By Editorial Staff

The principles of mercy and tolerance are stressed in the traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as key features of the Muslim character and behavior.

Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Ashajj `Abdul-Qais (May Allah be pleased with him), “You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are clemency and tolerance.” (Muslim)

Kindness and gentleness are good Muslim character traits that have great impact on the Muslim:

The Prophet said: “The believing servant) finds relief from the troubles of the world and its hardships and (gets into) the Mercy of Allah.” (Muslim)

Also the Prophet said that: “Whoever suffers an injury and forgives (the person responsible), God will raise his status to a higher degree and remove one of his sins”. (At-Tirmidhi)

Allah says:

Those who spend (of that which Allah has given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their anger and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loves the good. (Aal `Imran 3:134)

Tolerance in Selling & Buying

Narrated Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah loves tolerance in selling, tolerance in buying, and tolerance in repaying.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Narrated Jabir (May Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Allah forgave a man who was before you: He was tolerant when selling, tolerant when purchasing, and tolerant when repaying.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Allah: The Tolerant

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to supplicate during the time of trouble (in these words):

” There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Tolerant, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Heaven and the earth, the Lord of the Edifying Throne.” (Muslim)

It was narrated that Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Shikhkhir said:

“I heard ‘Uthman ibn Abul-‘As say: “The last thing that the Prophet (peace be upon him) enjoined on me when he appointed me governor of Ta’if was that he said: “O ‘Uthman! Be tolerable in prayer and estimate the people based upon the weakest among them, for among them are the elderly, the young, the sick, those who live far from the mosque, and those who have pressing needs.” (Ibn Majah)

Mercy on The Young

Narrated `Aisha:

A bedouin came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “You (people) kiss the boys! We don’t kiss them.” The Prophet said, “I cannot put mercy in your heart after Allah has taken it away from it.” (Al-Bukhari)

Ibn `Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“He is not one of us who does not have mercy upon our young, respect our elders, and command good and forbid evil.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Being Merciful to Each Other

Allah says:

And worship Allah. Ascribe no thing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents, and unto near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and unto the neighbor who is of kin (unto you) and the neighbor who is not of kin, and the fellow-traveller and the wayfarer and (the slaves) whom your right hands possess. Lo! Allah loves not such as are proud and boastful. (An-Nisaa’ 4:36)

Abu Hurairah narrated that Abul-Qasim said: “Mercy is not removed (from anyone) except from a wicked one.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Allah will treat us the way we treat others. So we should treat others the way we expect to be treated and the way we hope God will treat us –with compassion and mercy.

Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “He who is not merciful to people Allah will not be merciful to him.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Jarir ibn Abdullah also narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever does not show mercy to the people, Allah will not show mercy to him.” (At-Tirmidhi)

`Abdullah ibn `Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“The merciful are shown mercy by Ar-Rahman. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from Who is above the heavens. The womb is named after Ar-Rahman, so whoever connects it, Allah connects him, and whoever severs it, Allah severs him.” (At-Tirmidhi)

`Umar was heard to say, “Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not pardon will not be pardoned or protected.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

Abu Umamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Anyone who shows mercy, even to an animal meant for slaughtering, will be shown mercy by Allah on the Day of Rising.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

God’s Mercy

Despite our sins and mistakes, there’s no limit to God’s mercy and forgiveness. He is the Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Salman Al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

“Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the earth, one hundred parts of mercy. Every part of mercy is coextensive with the space between the heavens. and the earth and He out of this mercy endowed one part to the earth and it is because of this that the mother shows affection to her child and even the beasts and birds show kindness to one another and when there would be the Day of Resurrection, Allah would make full (use of Mercy).” (Muslim)

“Say, in the bounty of Allah, and in His mercy- in that let you rejoice.” (Abu Dawud)

Salman Al-Farisi reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying:

“Verily, there are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah, and it is one part of this mercy by virtue of which there is mutual love between the people and ninety-nine reserved for the Day of Resurrection. (Muslim)

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I heard 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)

Ask for God’s Mercy

`A’ishah said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying at his death: ‘O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me, and join me with the Highest Company’.” (At-Tirmidhi)

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