“Islam Enjoins Compassion and Mercy”
Honorable Muslims!
Our sublime religion, Islam, is a religion of compassion and mercy. One of our Lord’s (swt) beautiful names is “al-Rahman”. Allah alone is the ultimate source of mercy. Each and every prophet of Allah (swt) is a messenger of mercy. Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw), whose ‘ummah we are honored to be a member of, is the last prophet sent as mercy to the worlds.
Dear Muslims!
Our Prophet (saw) built compassion instead of violence and mercy instead of hatred. He (saw) treated every living and non-living being with compassion and mercy. It is he (saw) who informed us that taking one life is equivalent to taking the life of all humanity, and hurting one heart is equivalent to destroying the Throne of al-Rahman. He (saw) taught us that every human being, regardless of religion, language or skin color, is worthy of respect, and that their life, blood, property and dignity are inviolable. He (saw) showed us that there is a moral code to war as well, and that the lives of innocent people, even the environment and animals, should not be harmed.
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Violence is the greatest enemy of humanity. Those who rely on violence and hatred do the greatest evil to the family of humanity. One of the most painful examples of this great evil is happening today in Palestine. The oppressors, who refuse to respect rights and laws, inflict all kinds of violence on our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Places of worship, hospitals and schools are being brutally bombed, and Muslims are being forced out of their homelands through oppression and violence. Murderers without a conscience are committing a great genocide in Gaza, making no distinction between women, children and the elderly. In Palestine, the most basic rights such as human rights, children’s rights and the right to education are being trampled upon by the occupying oppressors. While those who claim to defend these rights turn a blind eye to these massacres with their hypocritical attitudes, the number of people of mercy and conscience is increasing day by day.
It must not be forgotten that violence can never be the path to success for anyone or any society. Those who massacre the innocent people in Gaza will have to face frustration in this world and a painful punishment in the Hereafter. Our Prophet’s (saw) warning is very clear: “Among the people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be those who oppress people and inflict violence.”1
[1] Ibn Hanbal, IV, 90.
Friday Khutba of Tokyo Camii “Islam Enjoins Compassion and Mercy”(PDF)