Mercy

The Most Merciful of those in the earth

'Umar was heard to say, "Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not turn in repentance will not be turned to nor will he be protected or guarded."

Mu'awiya ibn Qurra reported that his father said, "A man said, 'Messenger of Allah, I was going to slaughter a sheep and then I felt sorry for it (or 'sorry for the sheep I was going to slaughter').' He said twice, 'Since you showed mercy to the sheep, Allah will show mercy to you.'"

Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the truthful confirmed one, Abu'l-Qasim, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Mercy is only removed from the one who is destined for wretchedness.’"

Jarir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah will not show mercy to a person who does not show mercy to other people."

Mercy towards the family

Anas ibn Malik said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most merciful of people towards members of his family. He had his son (Ibrahim) suckled in part of Madina and the husband of his wet-nurse was a blacksmith. We used to go to him and the house would be full of smoke from the bellows. He would kiss the child and take him in his lap."

Abu Hurayra said, "A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a child which he began to embrace. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said. “Do you show mercy towards me?” 'Yes,' the man replied. He said, “Allah is more merciful towards you than you are towards this child. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.””

Mercy to animals

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "One day a man became very thirsty while walking down the road. He came across a well, went down into it, and drank and then climbed out. In front of him he found a dog panting, eating the dust out of thirst. The man said, 'This dog is as thirsty as I was.' He went back down into the well and filled his show, putting it into his mouth (in order to climb back up) and then gave the dog water. Therefore Allah thanked him and forgave him." They said, "Messenger of Allah, will we have a reward on account of animals?" He said, "There is a reward on account of every living thing."

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A woman punished her cat by imprisoning it until it died of hunger and because of it, she entered the Fire. It was said and Allah knows best: 'You did not feed it nor give it water when you imprisoned it nor did you release it and let it eat from the plants of the earth."

'Abdullah ibn al-'As reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Show mercy and you will be shown mercy. Forgive and Allah will forgive you. Woe to the vessels that catch words (i.e. the ears). Woe to those who persist and consciously continue in what they are doing."

Abu Umama reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who shows mercy, even to an animal meant for slaughtering, will be shown mercy by Allah  on the Day of Rising."

Taking an egg from a small bird

'Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped in a place and then someone took a bird's eggs and the bird began to beat its wings around the head of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He asked, "Which of you has taken its eggs?" A man said, "Messenger of Allah, I have taken its eggs." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Return them out off mercy to the bird."

Birds in cages

Hisham ibn 'Urwa reported that Ibn az-Zubayr was in Makka and the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were carrying birds in cages.

Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in and saw a son of Abu Talha's called Abu 'Umayr. He had a sparrow which he used to play with." He said, "Abu 'Umayr, what happened to (or where is) the little sparrow?'"