The Prophet Muhammad: a mercy for all creation

Allaah's Messengerkindest of men in the same way as he excelled all
others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes
brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. A Companion,
Shaddaad bin 'Aws reported the Apostle as saying: "Allaah has
commanded you to show kindness to everyone, so if you have to kill,
kill in a good manner, and if you slaughter an animal, slaughter it
gently. If anyone of you has to slay an animal, he should sharpenthe
blade first and treat the animal well." Ibn 'Abbaas relates that a man
threw a goat on its side and then started sharpening his knife. When
the Prophet saw him he said: "Do you want to kill it twice? Why didyou
not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?"
A Mercy for the Believers
The Messenger's compassion towards the believers was of the utmost
degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse,
which means: "There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among
yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over
you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful."
[Quran: 9:128]
Sa'd bin 'Ubaadah once became ill, so Allaah's Messenger visited him
in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in apitiful state, he
was moved to tears. Then, he said: "Allaah does not punish because of
tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this."- and he
pointed to his tongue. [Al-Bukhaari]
A Mercy Towards his Enemies
The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr wereamongst
his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given
the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery
speaker and was denouncing the Prophet . 'Umar one the Prophet's
closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled
out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet
replied: "Were I to do this, Allaah would disfigure me on the Day of
Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger."
In Makkah, his people inflicted him with every kind of suffering,
eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madeenah, and then waged war on
him for five years. However, when he conquered Makkah without
bloodshed in thetwenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the
Makkan unbelievers who were awaiting his decision about them: "How do
you expect me to treat you?" They responded unanimously: "You are a
noble one, the son of a noble one." He announced to them his decision:
"You may go free! No reproach this day shall be on you; may God forgive you."
A Mercy for Women
Prophet Muhammad was alsovery kind and affectionate towards women.
Women were very badly treated in those times.The Noble Prophet gave
themhonour and dignity at par with men in the community. 'Umar
reported: "We did not have much regard for women while we were at
Makkah, but they were better treated in Madeenah.Allaah's Messenger
established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which
improved their position and status."
A Mercy for Children
Allaah's Messenger was particularly compassionate towards children.
When he saw achild crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or
her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the
mother herself. Once he said: "I stand in prayer and wish to prolong
it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the prayer short for
the anxiety which the mother is feeling." [Al-Bukhaari]
He would take children in his arms and embrace them. He was once
hugging his beloved grandsons, Hasan and Husayn, when Aqrah bin Haabis
told him, 'I have got ten children. So far, I have not kissed any of
them.' Allaah's Messenger responded: "The one with no pityfor others
is not pitied." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
According to another version, he said: "What can I do for you if
Allaah has removed from you the feeling of compassion?" [At-Tirmithi]
A Mercy for Slaves
The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kind and generous treatment
upon slaves, servants and labourers engaged in manual work. Jaabir
related the Apostle of Allaah as saying: "Feed them with the food
which you eat, clothe them with such clothing as you wear, and do not
cause trouble to Allaah's creatures." The Apostle is further stated to
have said: "Those whom Allaah has made your dependents are your
brothers, servants and helpmates. Anybody whose brother has been made
subservient to him ought to feed him with the food he eats and clothe
him with the clothes he wears; command him not to do that which he is
unable to do andif it becomes necessary to do so then he should help
him in doing the job."
A Mercy for Animals
His compassion encompassed notonly human beings, but also animals.
The Prophet forbade his companions to keep the unintelligent creatures
hungry or thirsty, to disturb or to overburden them. He commended that
kindness and putting them at ease were meritorious acts tending to
bringman nearer to Allaah. Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet as saying:
"A traveller who was thirsty saw a well in the way.He got inside the
well and when he came out he saw a dog lickingmud due to thirst. The
man realised that the dog was as thirsty as him, so he got into the
well again, filled his leather sock with water and carried it out
holding it with his teeth. Thus, hequenched the thirst of the dog.
Allaah was pleased with this act of kindness and pardoned his sins."
The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allaah, is there recompense in
the matter of beasts and wild animals also?" The Prophet replied:
"There is recompense in regard to every creature that has a living
heart."
'Abdullaah bin 'Umar related that the Prophet said: "A woman was cast
away to hell only because she had withheld food and water from her cat
and refused to set it free so that the cat might satisfy its hunger by
eating worms and insects."
Once on return from a military campaign, a few Companions took away
the chicks of a bird from their nest to stroke them. The mother bird
came back and when it could not find its chicks in the nest, it began
to fly aroundscreeching. When informed of the matter, Allaah's
Messenger became angry and ordered the chicks to be put back in the
nest. [Abu Daawood]
Conclusion
The love and compassion of Allaah's Messenger for all kinds of
creatures was not of the kind claimed by today's 'humanists'. He was
sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He was more
compassionate than any other person. He was a Prophet raised by
Allaah, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and
happiness of conscious beings - mankind and jinn - and the harmony of
existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he is a
mercy for all the worlds.
"Indeed, in this [Quran] is notification for a worshipping people. And
We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds."
[Quran: