Author: Shahina Siddiqui

These facts provide us with insight into what an important role mercy plays not only in the divine design, but also at the human level. Since the most beloved attribute of the creator is that he is merciful and that he sent his final prophet as a mercy to his creation, then it would logically follow that the most desired attribute that we must poses or aspire for is mercy. "A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering distresses him: he is deeply concerned for you and full of kindness and mercy towards the believers" (Qur'an 9:128).

Mercy, when present at an individual level, compels us to have empathy and to be charitable; it inspires a humble character and a soft personality. An individual who is merciful will offer comfort to those around her and be a reminder of what kindness can achieve. People who practise mercy in word and deed can defuse conflicts and bring reconciliation to situations. They act as the comfort zone for those who are distressed and those ridden with guilt. By reminding people of the fact that God is merciful, we offer them hope and an opportunity to repair and heal not only themselves but those who have been harmed or hurt.

Mercy also plays a very important role when it comes to relationships within a family. Mercy determines how forgiving we are and how tolerant we can be. Allah states in the Qur'an that in order to achieve peace and tranquillity in a marriage, God has placed love and mercy in our hearts for our spouses. We know marriages that are happy and successful often display a high level of mercy among spouses. Domestic abuse and other forms of dysfunctional behaviours are deterred by the presence of mercy. Mercy and cruelty cannot coexist in the same person, especially when to be merciful is a way of life and not a selective overture.

To be merciful is to be kind, caring, compassionate and forgiving. These four ingredients are essential for love to take root and to nourish and grow. We often see kindness expressed at an international level when it comes to natural disasters. However, the cruelty and pain we inflict on each other as human beings often goes on relentlessly. Why?

The challenge we face is not for lack of overt gestures of merciful acts, but in how we internalize the very essence of mercy in our being, our soul and our spirit so that it is a natural response, an active practice and a defining attribute.

Our merciful creator has shown mercy to us in the very creation of this universe and in the sustenance it provides us and in the guidance that was sent to us through God's messengers. I pray that we can honour these gifts with one of our own and that is to practise mercy at home, in society and in our world.