Human Kindness in Islam

Human Kindness in Islam:

“Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith.” (Muslim)

Every one is commanded to be kind to all creatures. Allaah gives an absolute and general command about kindness when He says,

“And do good. Truly, Allaah loves the good-doers.”

(Al-Baqarah 2:195)

He also says,

“Indeed, Allaah orders and good conduct.”

(An-Nahl 16:90)

Allaah also ordains kindness in a specified and detailed form. He ordains that the parents, the relatives, the neighbours, the poor, the weak, the distressed, the orphans and others should all be treated with kindness. Being kind to the creatures entails being generous to them and refraining from harming them. The most comprehensive verse on kindness in the Qur’aan is the word of Allaah that says,

“Worship Allaah and join none with Him in worship; and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allaah does not like such as are proud and boastful.”

(An-Nisaa 4:36)

The messenger of allah (S) said:“Those in whose hearts is no mercy for others will not attain the mercy of Allah.”

(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “He who is deprived of kindness is deprived of goodness.”

[Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Number 6270]

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Every act of kindness is sadaqah, and kindness includes meeting your brother with a cheerful face"

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1910

´Your smiling at your brother is an act of charity (sadaqah).'

Reported by al-Tirmidhi

“…Try to pass your mornings and evenings in a state where your heart is free from all ill-feelings, jealousy and hatred for everyone, and remember that this is my Sunnah, and he who loves my Sunnah will be with me in paradise.”

(Tirmidhi)

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "One Muslim should do six acts of kindness to another: he should greet him when he meets him, accept his invitation when he gives one, say 'Allah have mercy on you' when he sneezes, visit him when he is ill, follow his bier when he dies, and like for him what he likes for himself."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4643.

Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6274.

The bond that links a Muslim to his brother, regardless of race, colour or language, is the bond of faith in Allah:

{The Believers are but a single brotherhood . . .} (Qur'an 49:10)

The true Muslim is straightforward, never two-faced. He meets all people with a friendly, smiling face and does not differentiate between people in the face he presents to them. For he knows that being two- faced is the essence of hypocrisy and that hypocrisy and Islam do not go together. The two-faced person is a hypocrite, and the hypocrites will be in the lowest level of Hell.

Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said it is a hasan sahih hadith.

The Prophet (s) said:

´It is not permissible for a Muslim to be estranged from his brother for more than three days, both of them turning away from one another when they meet. The better of them is the one who is first to greet the other. (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet (s) said :

´A man should help his brother whether he is a wrong doer or is wronged. If he is a wrongdoer then he should stop him, and if he is wronged, then he should defend him.' (Muslim)

"Those who are kind and considerate to Allah's creatures, Allah bestows His kindness and affection on them. Show kindness to the creatures on the earth so that Allah may be kind to you."

Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi

"Three things in this world have been made lovely to me:

Avoiding affectation,

Treating people kindly and

Following the way of tasawwuf."

- Imam shafi’i

A Muslim's kindness should extend not only to other people but also to animals, which are deserving of kind treatment and mercy. In another story, Muhammad told of a dog that was circling around a well, suffering from extreme thirst. A woman saw the animal in this condition, so she drew some water and gave it to the dog to drink. “Allah appreciated her action and forgave her sins, simply on account of this kindness,” he said. His companions who were listening to the story asked Muhammad, “Are we rewarded for our kindness towards animals as well?” He answered, “There are rewards for kindness to every living thing.”

In another account, Muhammad warned those people who treat animals with cruelty. He told his companions, “A woman was doomed to Hellfire because she put a cat in a closet until the cat died from starvation. She did not give the cat anything to eat or drink, nor did she let the cat free to hunt for its food.”