The linguistic meaning of mercy is kind or forgiving attitude shown towards somebody by one who has the right or power to punish. Mercy in the Holy Qur’¡n is accompanied with various concepts and paragons. Mercy is a Divine truth and one of Allah’s attributes shown towards all beings especially man. All creatures are manifestation of Allah’s general and particular mercy.
Mercy in the Holy Qur’¡n
The Holy Qur’¡n has raised the question of mercy parts of which are referred to here:
1- The Holy Qur’¡n considers mercy the prophetic mission which is a source of perfection for human beings and their saving from the problems of this world and the punishment of the Hereafter. Allah knows whom He should bestow His mercy on as a result of his merit and whom He should send to convey His communication and to guide people:
Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy. (2:105)
2- The Holy Qur’¡n considers ease at some religious obligations especially those related to retribution and blood money as Allah’s mercy:
This is alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. (2:178)
3- The Holy Qur’¡n considers sublime morality, softness and courtesy as Allah’s mercy on human beings:
Thus, it is due to mercy from Allah that you deal with them gently. (3:159)
4- The Holy Qur’¡n considers the removal of punishment of those who deserve it on the Judgment Day as mercy of Allah:
He from whom is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him and this is a manifest achievement. (6:16)
5- The Holy Qur’¡n considers belief in and attention to Allah’s mercy for a sinner a source of encouragement for repentance, telling the Holy Prophet to assure people that Allah has ordained mercy on Himself. Therefore, one who has committed an indecent act out of ignorance and then has repented will receive Allah’s mercy for He is the Most Merciful:
And when those who believe in our communications come to you, say: Peace be on you, your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if any one of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful. (6:54)
6- The Holy Qur’¡n, in most verses, has been introduced as mercy from Allah:
So indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. (6:157)
7- The Holy Qur’¡n, in most verses, tells people that they will face perdition if they do not seek Allah’s mercy or they do not expose themselves to it:
So were it not for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you would certainly have been among the losers. (2:64)
8- The Holy Qur’¡n which guides the people to the Divine truth and spiritual values does not consider Allah’s mercy without reason rather considers it as a source of salvation, happiness, a cause for entering Paradise and something special for the benefactors:
Surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do good. (7: 56)
9- The Holy Qur’¡n considers Allah’s mercy a factor which rids man of hardships, liberates him from enemy and from the oppressors and tyranny:
So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected our communications. (7:72)
10- The Holy Qur’¡n considers expansion of breast, spiritual capacity and sublimity of spirit, which is a source of Divine grace, as Allah’s mercy:
Then they found one from among our servants whom We had granted knowledge from ourselves. (18:65)
11- The Holy Qur’¡n considers the Holy Prophet source of mercy to the worlds:
And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107)
12- The Holy Qur’¡n considers regeneration of plants in the spring as a sign of Allah’s mercy:
Look then at the signs of Allah’s mercy, how He gives life to the earth after its death, most surely He will raise the dead to life; and He has power over all things. (30:50)
13- The Holy Qur’¡n considers Allah’s mercy which manifests itself in every being as something comprehensive and the smallest thing which cannot be seen even with the most powerful scientific devices is not outside Allah’s mercy:
And My mercy encompasses all things. (7:156)
14- The Holy Qur’¡n considers the unbeliever’s despair of Allah’s mercy as features of unbelievers:
Surely none despairs of Allah’s mercy except the unbelieving people. (12:87)
15- The Holy Qur’¡n considers Allah’s mercy for people to be better than what they gain as wealth and position. Therefore; it is best for people to seek Allah’s mercy through faith, righteous deeds and sublime morality in stead of spending their lifetimes with gaining extra wealth and property:
And the mercy your Lord is better than what they amass. (43:32)
Source of Mercy
In view of the aforementioned verses, we should admit that there is nothing more valuable than Allah’s mercy in this universe. The source of this mercy in this world and the Hereafter is Ahl al-Bayt as referred to by Imam al-H¡d¢ (a.s) in al-Ziy¡rah al-J¡mi`ah al-Kab¢rah. Therefore, if anyone wishes to be immune from Allah’s punishment, to be endowed with sublime morality, to have the chance of repenting, to have a full share and benefit from the Holy Qur’¡n, to have expansion of breast, to have an easy reckoning and not to be touched by despair, one must adhere to Ahl al-Bayt so as to obtain what was brought up on the aforementioned verses and to be blessed with Allah’s guidance, favor and grace.
The Holy Prophet’s recommendation about Ahl al-Bayt during twenty-three years of his mission was that it is impossible to understand the Holy Qur’¡n without them. Zayd ibn Arqam, a trustworthy Sunni narrator, is reported as saying:
قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 3 يَوْماً فِينَا خَطِيباً بِمَاءٍ يُدْعَى خُمّاً، بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ، فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَوَعَظَ وَذَكَّرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: ”أمَّا بَعْدُ، ألأ أيُّهَا النَّاسُ، فَإنَّمَا أنَا بَشَرٌ يُوشَكُ أنْ يَأتِيَ رَسُولُ رَبِّي فَأُجِيبُ. وَأنَا تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ: أوَّلُهُمَا كِتَابُ اللهِ، فِيهِ الْهُدَى وَالنُّورُ، فَخُذُوا بِكِتَابِ اللهِ وَاسْتَمْسِكُوا بِهِ.“ فَحَثَّ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ وَرَغَّبَ فِيهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ”وَأهْلُ بَيْتِي. أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللهَ فِي أهْلِ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللهَ فِي أهْلِ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللهَ فِي أهْلِ بَيْتِي.“
One day, Allah’s Messenger stopped at Ghad¢r Khumm, a place between Mecca and Medina, and delivered a sermon. After praising Allah, he said, “I am a human who will pass away soon. So I am leaving two worthy things behind. One is the Book of Allah being guidance and light. Hold fast of it.” He encouraged people in relation to the Holy Qur’¡n, saying, “…and then my Ahl al-Bayt, I remind you of Allah in relation to my Ahl al-Bayt. I remind you of Allah in relation to my Ahl al-Bayt.”[1]
Manifestations of Ahl al-Bayt’s Mercy
Ahl al-Bayt are sources of mercy. Anyone who resorts to them by getting to know them and their knowledge and by loving and obeying them will enjoy Allah’s mercy, favor and grace during his lifetime, at deathbed, in the duration between his death and Resurrection and or the Judgment Day. In this relation, Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) says:
إنَّمَا أحَدُكُمْ حِينَ يَبْلُغُ نَفَسُهُ هَهُنَا يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ فَيَقُولُ: ”أمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَرْجُو فَقَدْ أُعْطِيتَهُ! وَأمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَخَافُهُ فَقَدْ أُمِنْتَ مِنْهُ!“ وَيُفْتَحُ لَهُ بَابٌ إلَى مَنْزِلِهِ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُ: ”أُنْظُرْ إلَى مَسْكَنِكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَانْظُرْ هَذَا رَسُولُ اللهِ وَعَلِيٌّ وَالْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ رُفَقَاؤكَ.“ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ اللهِ:
When the breath of one of you comes to his throat, the Angel of Death comes down on him saying, “You were granted what you longed for; you were given safety for what you were afraid of.” Then a gate of Paradise is opened to his house; he is said, “Look at your abode in Paradise; behold! These are Allah’s Messenger, `Al¢, °asan, °usayn and your friends.”[2] And these are the words of Allah, “They shall have good news in this world’s life and in the hereafter. (10:64)”
The Holy Prophet has said:
وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لأ تُفَارِقُ رُوحٌ جَسَدَ صَاحِبِهَا حَتَّى تَأكُلَ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الْجَنَّةِ أوْ مِنْ شَجَرَةِ الزُّقُّومِ. وَحِينَ تَرَى مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ تَرَانِي وَتَرَى عَلِيّاً وَفَاطِمَةَ وَحَسَناً وَحُسَيْناً. فَإنْ كَانَ يُحِبُّنَا، قُلْتُ: ”يَا مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ، إرْفِقْ بِهِ؛ إنَّهُ كَانَ يُحِبُّنِي وَيُحِبُّ أهْلَ بَيْتِي.“ وَإنْ كَانَ يُبْغِضُنَا، قُلْتُ: ”يَا مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ، شَدِّدْ عَلَيْهِ؛ إنَّهُ كَانَ يُبْغِضُنِي وَيُبْغِضُ أهْلَ بَيْتِي.“
I swear by the One in Whose hand is my life, a soul never leaves the body of a person without eating of the fruits of Paradise or of the Zaqq£m (bitter) Tree (of Hellfire). When you see the Angel of Death, you will also see me, `Al¢, F¡§imah, °asan and °usayn. If he is one who loved us, I will tell the Angel of Death to befriend him, for he loves me and my Ahl al-Bayt; and if he is our enemy, I will tell the Angel of Death to be tough with him for he is the enemy of me and Ahl al-Bayt.[3]
