The behaviour between the believers is one of patience and mercy:
‘Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to piety and compassion.’ (Surat-al-Balad (90), ayah 17)
The verses of the Qur’an and sayings and practices of Muhammad (PBUH.) exemplify the high position of love and mercy. For example, the gates of paradise were opened, and Allah’s forgiveness and appreciation of Allah was bestowed upon a man who gave water to a dog overcome with thirst. Muslim and others narrate that Abu Hurairah (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH.) said:
‘While a man was walking he became very thirsty due to the intense heat of the day. To his relief he found a well into which he quickly climbed down to get some water. After he had satisfied his thirst and come back out of the well he found a dog so thirsty that it was eating the earth in an attempt to quench its thirst. He said to himself: "Thirst has overwhelmed this dog to the same extent that it had done me." So he re-entered the well, filled his slipper and held it with his teeth until he got to the top of the well, where he immediately gave it to the dog to drink from. Allah (the exalted) thanked the man for what he had done and forgave him. One of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH.) said: "Is there reward to be gained from being compassionate to the animals?". The Prophet (PBUH.) said: "In every living being there is a reward to be gained"’
Long before any animal rights organisations were founded in the west, compassion towards animals was, and will always be, a characteristic of Islam and the commandment of Muhammad (PBUH.) to every Muslim. Abu Hurairah (RA) said that the Prophet (PBUH.) said:
‘Do not use the backs of your camels as pulpits, for Allah ordained them to take you to places you would only otherwise reach with great suffering, and created the earth for you, so on it carry out your business.’ Narrated by Abu Dawood.
Abdul-Rahman Ibn Abdullah (RA) relates that his father, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
‘While we were on a journey with the Messenger (PBUH.) we saw a Pochard (a type of duck) with two of its chicks. When we took away the chicks the mother started fighting for them back. When the Prophet came and saw what was happening he said: "Who frightened this bird by taking away its chicks? Return its chicks to it immediately". He also noticed that an ant village had been burnt, about which he asked: "Who burnt this?", we said: "It was us!", he said: "It is not for anyone to burn with fire except the Creator of the fire (Allah)"’ Also narrated by Abu-Dawood
Ibn Al-Haakim relates, regarding the life of Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz (the fifth Khalifah of Islam) that he prohibited the riding of horses except for a need, and wrote to Hiyaan, his governor in Egypt, that he had received news that some caravan camels in Egypt were used to carry up to one thousand pounds in weight at a time. He warned Hiyaan that if he (Hiyaan) received his letter, he should not allow a camel to carry more than six hundred pounds. The Fustaat (an ancient village south of Cairo) was named so because during the conquest of Egypt by ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas (RA) a dove built a nest at the top of his tent (Fustaat). When the time to leave the city came, he left the tent exactly where it was so as not to disturb the resident dove. People started building around this tent eventually leading to the growth of the city of Fustaat.
All this is but a small example of the mercy of Islam that can be found within the hearts of the believers. For Islam is indeed a religion of mercy and peace.
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