The Muslim is merciful

The Muslim is merciful, for mercy is one of the traits of a Muslim, since it is the source of a pure soul and spirit. By being kind, doing righteous deeds, staying away from evil, and shunning corruption, the Muslim's soul abides in purity and his spirit remains in goodness. Since this is the case, then mercy would never separate from his heart at all. It is for this reason that the Muslim loves mercy, he spreads and encourages it and calls others to it, believing in Allah's saying:

"Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise)." [Al-Qur'an 90:17-18]

And acting according to His Messenger's saying:

"Allah(cc) is only merciful with those who show mercy to others." [Al-Bukhari]

And:

"Be merciful to those on the earth, so the One above the heavens will be merciful to you." [At-Tabarani and al-Hakim with a sahih (authentic) chain]

And being guided by his saying:

"He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy." [Al-Bukhari]

And:

"Mercy is only removed from the miserable." [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

The Muslim actualises the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him:

"The believers in their mutual love, mercy and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever." [Muslim]

Since the reality of mercy is a kindness of the heart and a compassion of the soul that leads to being forgiving and beneficent, it does not merely exist as internal kindness without external results. Rather the heart's mercy is the essence of external results who physical reality is visible. Among the external effects of mercy are: pardoning those who slip, forgiving those who are mistaken, helping those in trouble, assisting the weak, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, tending to the sick, and consoling the grieved. All of these, as well as many other things are among the effects of mercy.

The following are some real cases of examples of mercy:

1. Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas ibn Malik, may Allah cc be pleased with him, said: "We went with Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, to the blacksmith Abu Sayf, and he was the husband of the wet nurse of Ibrahim (the son of the Prophet, peace be upon him). Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelt him. Later we went to Abu Sayf's house and at that time Ibrahim was in his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah's Messenger started shedding tears. 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf said, 'O Allah's Messenger even you are weeping!' He said:

'O Ibn 'Awf, this is mercy.'

Then he wept more and said:

'The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation.' "

Allah's Messenger, on whom be peace, visited his (youngest) child at the house of the child's wet nurse. He kissed and smelt him. Then returned to visit him out of compassion and kindness whilst he was sick and upon his last breath. Then he wept, his eyes shedding tears of sorrow and grief. This behaviour is an example of the manifestation of mercy in one's heart.

Al-Bukhari reported that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:

'A person was walking on his way when he became extremely thirsty. He (suddenly) came upon a well and so went down into it so that he could drink from the water. Upon coming out, he saw a panting good eating the dirt (searching for water). The man though to himself: 'This dog is as thirsty as I was,' so the man again descended down into the well, filled up his leather sock with water, and holding it in his mouth, climbed back up and quenched the thirst of the dog. This act, Allah held in high esteem and so forgave the man.'

The Companions asked: 'Shall we be rewarded for showing kindness to the animals too?' He, peace be upon him, said:

'A reward is given in connection for every living creature.' "

This man descended into the well, filled his leather sock with water and holding it in his teeth, climbed up, and quenched the thirst of the dog. This was done out of his affection, kindness and compassion, otherwise he would not have undertaken such an act.

To exemplify this further, there is a saying recorded by al-Bukhari (through Abu Hurayrah) that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"A woman was punished in the Hell-Fire because of a cat, which she imprisoned until it died. It was said to her, 'You did not give it food nor drink whilst you imprisoned it, nor did you release it so that it might have eaten of the vermin that live in the earth.' "

The behaviour of this woman was a manifestation of a heart enveloped by evil, devoid of mercy, and mercy is not removed but from the miserable.

Al-Bukhari reported that Abu Qatadah said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"When I enter prayer, I intend to prolong it. Then if I hear the crying of a child, I shorten it knowing that the crying causes the mother difficulty."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, considered the mother whose infant was crying along with the long recitation he had intended on reciting. This is another manifestation of the heart's mercy that Allah has ordered upon His servants.

2. It is reported that while Zayn al-'Abidin 'Ali bin al-Husayn was going to the masjid, someone verbally abused him. His servants followed the man in order to punish him. However they were prevented by Ali ibn al-Husayn out of mercy for the man. He said, "O so and so! I am more than what you have said. What you do not know about me is more than what what you do know. If you want to know more, I will tell you." Upon hearing this the man felt ashamed and shy. Then, Zayn al-'Abidin took off his own cloak and gave it to him along with granting the man one thousand dirham.

This is an example of pardoning, and such benevolence would not occur except as a manifestation of the mercy in the heart of the grandson of Allah's Messenger.

Bismillaharrahmaniarrahim
PROHIBITS BACKBITING AND SLANDERING
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
The backbiter shall not enter in paradise.
[Refernce: Sahih Muslim]
Major sins are indeed the cause for all misery, evil and torment in this world and the hereafter.
And the worst of all sins are those that are greatest in harm and danger to humanity. Among the destructive major sins are backbiting and slandering (lie and gossip).
These two sins are forbidden by Allah(cc) because they sow enmity, evils and discord among people and lead to destruction. They cause hostilities between people of the same household and between neighbors and relatives. They can decrease in good deeds and increase in evil ones and lead to dishonor and ignominy.
Backbiting and slandering are shame and disgrace. Their perpetrator is detested and he shall not have a noble death. Allah forbids these acts, as He says in the Qur'an:
"Backbiting and Gossiping are from the most vilest and despicable of things, yet the most widely spread amongst mankind, such that no one is free from it except for a few people."
Backbiting (gheebah) means mentioning something about a person (in his absence), that he hates (to have mentioned), whether it is about: His body, his religious characteristics, his worldly affairs, his self, his physical appearance, his character, his wealth, his child, his father, his wife, his manner of walking, his smile, it is the same whether you mention that about him with words, through writings, or whether you point or indicate him by gesturing with your eyes, hand or head.
As for the body, is when you make fun of how someone looks, or mentioning any bad quality in him, as saying: "he is blind", "he limps", "he is bleary-eyed", "he is bald", "he is short", "he is tall", "he is black", "he is yellow", "he's too thin", "he's too fat". As for his religious qualities, it is when you say: "he is a sinner", "he is a thief", "he is a betrayer", "he is an oppressor", "he doesn't pray", "he prays so fast", "he does not behave well towards his parents", "he does not pay the Zakat duly"." As for the worldly matters, then it is when you say: "he has poor manners", "he does not think that anyone has a right over him", "he talks too much" …etc
Allah God Almighty says in the Qur'an:
"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah, verily, Allah is The One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful" (Qur'an 49: 12)
In this verse, Allah strongly forbids backbiting, and he compares the backbiter to one who eats the flesh of his dead brother. If he would hate eating the flesh of his brother, he should also hate to eat his flesh while he is alive by backbiting and slandering him.
When one reflects deeply over this assimilation it will be enough to keep one away from backbiting.
Abu Hurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"Do you know what backbiting is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He then said, “It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike.” Someone asked him, “But what if what I say is true?” The Messenger of Allah said, “If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him."
Backbiting is so widespread among people that it has become an issue of people’s meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy. Those who indulge in backbiting are hiding their own imperfections and harming others. They are oblivious of the fact that they are only harming themselves.
This is because the backbiter if the wrongdoer and his victim is the wronged, on the Day of Resurrection both the wrongdoer and the wronged will stand before Allah Who is the Just Judge and the wronged will appeal to Allah cc  to avenge the wrong done to him, Allah cc will then give this wronged person from the good deeds of the person who wronged him in accordance with his wrong by backbiting his brother on a Day that no father will give his son any of his good deeds nor a friend to his friend. All will be saying, ‘Myself, myself.’
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) once passed by two graves and said:
"Verily, they (occupants of graves) are both being tormented and they are not being tormented for something major." In the report from Al-Bukhari:
"Rather, it is indeed something major. As for the first one, he used to go around spreading gossip (nameemah) and as for the other, and then he used not to protect himself from his own urine." [2]
The scholars say the meaning of "and they are not being tormented for something major" is "something major" according to their opinion or "something major" for them to have abandoned doing.
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also said:
"Who protects his tongue from unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse; I shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise."
Also Abu Mousa Al-Ash’aree narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"I asked the Messenger of Allah: Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of Allah replied, "He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands."
And Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying, ‘Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked."
So, Muslims, you should beware of slipping of your tongues and do not give it free hand to wreak havoc on you. For a too free tongue destroys its owner and causes him calamities and evils.