The Importance of Showing Mercy to Others
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 7376
Narrated Jarir bin `Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.”
Meaning:
This hadith is a powerful warning and a beautiful reminder. If we want Allah’s mercy – in this world and the next — we must first show mercy to others, Not just to family or friends, but to all people – rich or poor, good or bad, even those who wrong us.
🔁 Mercy is a two-way street.
- Want Allah to forgive you? Forgive others.
- Want Allah to ease your pain? Ease someone else’s pain.
- Want Allah to be gentle with your flaws? Be gentle with the flaws of others.
How to Be Merciful:
- Forgive – Let go of grudges and don’t hold hate.
- Help those in need – Feed, support, and protect the weak.
- Speak kindly – Even when correcting someone.
- Cover mistakes – Don’t expose others’ faults.
- Be gentle in power – If you’re in authority, be soft-hearted.
- Treat everyone fairly – Regardless of status or background.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 90:13-17
Freeing a slave, or feeding on a day of hunger, an orphan near of kin, or a needy person in misery. Then he became of those who believe and advise one another to patience and mercy.
➡ True belief includes acts of mercy.
📖Quran 24:22
Let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
➡ If you want mercy, give mercy.
📖Quran 3:159
It is by mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have fled from around you.
➡ Even leadership must be rooted in gentleness and mercy.
📖Quran 7:56
The mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.
➡ The more good you do, the closer His mercy becomes.