Compassion in Islam is not merely a sentiment but an attitude that should be practiced in daily life. By adopting compassionate values, Muslims are expected to cultivate communities characterized by kindness, mercy, and harmony, aligning with Islamic teachings that advocate for mercy to the entire universe.

Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.

It is said that compassion entails certain elements that apply to the self or others: 1) recognising suffering, 2) understanding the universality of suffering in human experience, 3) feeling for the person suffering and emotionally connecting with their distress, 4) tolerating any uncomfortable feelings aroused.

Compassion also involves three elements: Kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity.

Compassion involves allowing ourselves to be moved by suffering to help alleviate and prevent it. An act of compassion is one that is intended to be helpful. Other virtues that harmonize with compassion include patience, wisdom, kindness, perseverance, warmth, and resolve.

Being compassionate is often termed applying the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would like them to do on to you.”

Many people think jihad is more central to Islam than compassion. But this is not so. Compassion is far more central to Islam than jihad. In fact, compassion represents the true spirit of Islam and compassion is far more vital to Islamic teachings than anything else.

There are certain keywords in the Quran which are greatly stressed of which four are very often repeated i.e. rahmah (The name “Ar-Rahmaan” is mentioned 55 times in the Quran. It is also mentioned 133 times in the basmalah.) , ihsan– benevolence, ‘adl-justice, and hikmah-wisdom.

A Muslim begins everything by reciting Bi Ism-i- Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim (i.e. begin in the name of Allah Who is Compassionate and Merciful). Thus a Muslim is supposed to invoke Allah the Compassionate and Merciful at every step.

The concept of sustenance of the whole world itself is based on His Mercy and Compassion for everything He has created. In fact, rahmah is so central to Allah’s existence that it embraces all that exists in the universe (wasi`at kulla shayin) see Surah Ghafir, Quran 40:7.

Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad (SAW) also as the Mercy of the World (21:107). Thus the Prophet of Islam also represents universal mercy. As the Messenger of Allah he is representative of His Mercy and hence the Prophet (SAW) himself is known as rahmatan lil alamin (mercy of the worlds). Thus a true follower of the Prophet (SAW) has to be merciful and compassionate as humanly as possible. Anyone who is cruel and is insensitive towards the sufferings of others cannot be a true follower. This aptly applies to our leaders.

This is a great pity that Muslims themselves except the sufis and their followers have forgotten the emphasis of the Holy Quran on the quality of compassion. The Sufis lay tremendous stress on compassion. Their very fundamental doctrine is what is called sulh-i-kul i.e. peace with all which means no violence and no aggressiveness. The majority of Muslims, of course, follow sufi approach. It is only some frustrated fringe groups of Muslims who keep on talking of jihad and power. These are ISIS, Boko Haram and other fringe groups.

It is important to note that in the Quran there is no concept of war of aggression and no concept of permissiveness of violence. Even where permission of war has been given it has been given to defend and protect rights of the oppressed and exploited, and not for achieving power.

There is no verse in the Quran which permits violence for territorial conquest or for achieving power. War has been qualified in the Quran by the words fi’ sabilillah i.e. in the way of Allah. Thus a war can be fought, only in the way of Allah.

And what is the way of Allah? Allah’s way is of justice, Allah’s way is of protecting the rights of the poor and exploited. The very first verse in the Quran permitting the use of violence reflects this very well.

Surat An-Nisa’, states: “And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?” (Quran 4:75)

Thus explaining the import of this verse, a noted commentator Maulana Muhammad Ali says in his The Holy Quran (Lahore, 1973, pp-211), “This verse explains what is meant by fighting in the way of Allah. Fighting to deliver them from the persecution of the oppressors was really fighting in the way of Allah.”

The Quran, again and again, shows its sympathy for the weaker sections of the society in which it includes, among others, the orphans, the widows, the poor and the exploited, the slaves and other politically or socially and economically emasculated. It emphasizes different ways of helping them. This is all on the grounds of compassion. A person cannot be compassionate unless he/she is sensitive to others suffering.

The Quran shows great compassion to orphans, the widows, the poor and the slaves. It wants to liberate these poorer and oppressed sections from their situation. Zakah, a toll tax, has been made obligatory on all believing Muslims, to help these people.

Thus the Quran says,: “(Zakat) charity is only for the poor and the needy and those employed to administer it, and those whose hearts are made to incline, and (to free) the captives, and those in debt, and in the way of Allah and for the wayfarer – an ordinance from Allah. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.” (Quran 9:60)

Thus all the categories indicated in the above verse except those who administer it, are of weaker sections of society – those who suffer i.e. the poor, the needy, the captives (in war), those indebted, the slaves and the wayfarers. They all stand in need of help. A believer who is well off must be sensitive to the needs of these categories and must help them financially to remove their sufferings on compassionate grounds. Thus even for the payment of Zakat compassion remains central.

An important corollary of the concept of compassion is empathy which relates to understanding the feeling of others, putting ourselves in their position and feeling their pains and anguish. In social relations, this is a very important aspect of life that determines the essence of being your brother’s keeper, a cardinal principle of most faiths.

Unfortunately compassion is missing in the relationship between us and our leaders in this country. They are as callous as the one-eye cyclops, giving stones for the hungry instead of bread, presiding over the impoverishment of the people and their pauperization. They watched gleefully as our country became the poverty capital of the world and a land flowing with oil, milk and honey degenerated into a citadel of hunger and abject poverty and its people increasingly turned into hewers of wood and drawers of water.

They are most unconcerned with the plight of the people who have been sentenced back into the ‘dark ages’, with no light at the end of the proverbial tunnel; with water everywhere but none to drink and the country turned into one big camp of IDP. To all intents and purposes, we are experiencing a ‘Gazafication’ of the country, all because the leaders lack compassion.

Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba’da idh hadaytana wa hab lana milladunka rahmah innaka antal Wahhab.  Our Lord! (they say), Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure. (Quran 3:8) 

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Giving and receiving are two aspects of the same flow of energy in the universe. It’s important to be both a good giver and a good receiver. Giving can inspire positive change and healing in a world so needing it. The attitudinal healing definition of giving and receiving comes from an egoless place.

The principles of giving are regular giving, participatory giving, intentional giving, proportional giving, anticipatory giving, effective giving, and accountable giving.

In the Christian faith, the forms of giving are; Tithe, Offertory, Pledges and Thanksgiving which we must give according to proportion and purpose, out of love, generosity, conviction and willingness, because God loves a cheerful giver.

It is written in 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 about the ‘The Cheerful Giver’: The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

In Islam, giving and receiving are both encouraged, and are considered to have many benefits:

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught that giving charity, or sadaqah, brings blessings, or barakah, into one’s life. Those who give generously may be rewarded with gains, success, and a sense of prosperity.

The Quran says, “Whatever good you send forth for your souls before you, you shall find it with Allah” (Quran 2:110).

 Among the benefits of giving to charity are: It makes you feel good; Giving to charity strengthens personal values, It’s more impactful than ever. Giving can reintroduce friends and family to the importance of generosity.

The spiritual definition of giving is that it reflects God’s character as a generous provider, emphasizing selflessness, generosity, and the desire to bless and assist needy people. Men are expected to model the behavior by giving according to the good books, which means giving freely, joyfully, and without anticipating anything in return.

The golden rule of giving is: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The basic idea behind the Law of Giving and Receiving is to consciously participate in the dynamic flow of abundance that is the nature of life itself.

Generosity and acts of giving have been linked to improved mental health. Engaging in selfless actions can reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, leading to greater overall well-being and happiness. Giving can strengthen interpersonal bonds.

What is the concept of giving? One is able to give to others without the assurance that he/she will receive something in return. Giving is only giving if it is done unconditionally. For a person to behave generously, the inner equivalent of gratitude has to be present. No person can act with generosity if there is not gratitude in his/her heart. He cannot give what he does not have.

For a Muslim, giving and receiving gifts is a righteous deed that can be a way to express love and respect, seek Allah’s blessings, and strengthen bonds between people:

• Gifts should be given with a pure intention, and not as a bribe or charity. The Prophet Muhammad(SAW) said, “Actions are only judged according to the intentions behind them”.

• It’s considered impolite to refuse a gift, and it can hurt the other person. If you can’t reciprocate with a gift, you should at least respond with thanks.

• Gifts should be given in line with your financial means, and should be suitable to the other person’s needs and wishes.

• Avoid ostentation when giving gifts.

• Gifts promote harmony and love between Muslims.

• Giving to others can help you develop compassion and empathy for others.

• Giving to others is a reminder that nothing we own in this world belongs to us, and that it can be taken away just as easily as it was given.

When giving and receiving gifts it should be given with a sincere intention and be a means of expressing love and respect. Sadaqah literally means “righteousness” and refers to the voluntary giving of alms or charity. In Islamic terminology, sadaqah has been defined as an act of “giving”.

Gift-giving in Islam should always begin and be based on pure and sincere intention. Giving gifts is one of the good manners that maintains and strengthens relations between the giver and the recipient. It is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and he recommended Muslims also do this. Aisha (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to accept gifts and reward people for giving them.”

Was Sick But You Did Not Visit Me (Hadith Qudsi). Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, ‘Son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. ‘My Lord, How could I visit You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was sick and you didn’t visit him? If you had visited him you would have found Me there. ’Then Allah will say, ‘Son of Adam, I needed food but you did not feed Me’. ‘My Lord, How could I feed You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was hungry but you did not feed him? If you had fed him you would have found its reward with Me.’ ‘Son of Adam, I was thirsty, but you did not give Me something to drink.’ ‘My Lord, How could I give a drink when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was thirsty but you did not give him a drink? If you had given him a drink, you would have found its reward with Me.‘ (Al-Bukhari)

Just as the Prophet (SAW) was sent as a mercy to mankind, so should we be a mercy to everyone whose lives we touch. In serving others and giving to others, we find our Lord. In His mercy, the path to Him is one of peace and improving the world around us. Only by helping others can we help ourselves. We cannot live a life of consumption and selfishness and expect to win the pleasure of Allah along the way.

It is out of the mercy and wisdom of Allah that He made serving others and creating a peaceful, compassionate earth one of the landmarks in the journey to Him. We cannot afford to ignore the suffering around us, because in those pleas for help is a call to getting closer to our Creator. In this hadith, the Prophet (SAW) tells us that if you ever hoped for a direct route to the pleasure of Allah, here it is.

Therefore, we have to revive our sensitivity to the simple acts of service we can do everyday. When we hear of someone who is sick or in need, the impulse that we feel to help should be so strong that it is impossible to ignore. Instead, many of us have desensitized ourselves to suffering because it is out of sync with the lifestyles we choose. At most, we may be persuaded to donate, but usually not more.

Yet, in the feeding of the poor, relieving the thirst and suffering, and comforting the sick lies an incredible closeness to Almighty Allah, so much that He says that He is there Himself, Glory to Him.

May Allah be pleased with us and grant us Jannatul Firdous here and in the Hereafter. Ameen

Barka Juma’at and Happy weekend