Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Mercy Towards Disbelievers and Enemies

Compiled by Naved Ashrafi

Almighty Allah made the religion of Islam, a religion of mercy, ease, moderation, clemency and temperance. The Holy Prophet(peace be upon him) was sent as mercy to the whole of creation; and he is full of compassion and kindness. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the lesson of brotherhood, tolerance, moderation and peace. The following traditions show that in spite of immense hardships and painful ordeals, the mercy and compassion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained to the fore, even towards those who opposed and persecuted him. 

Hadith #1 

According to Hadrat Anas (Radiyallahu anhu): 

A Jewess brought poisoned meat of a sheep to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and he ate a little from it.(After the plot was discovered, as the poison became manifest) she was brought to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and he asked her why she did it. 

She replied ,"I wanted to assassinate you".  

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Allah will not empower you to do it". 

The Companions (RA) submitted, ” Shall we not kill her?” 

He (PBUH) replied, "No". (And he forgave the Jewess). 

According to Hadrat Anas (Radiyallahu anhu), "I continued to see the effect of her poison on the Messenger’s palate.” 

• Sahih Bukhari, Book on Giving Gifts and Its Virtue and How that is Encouraged, Chapter Accepting Gifts from the Polytheists,2:923 Hadith #2474; 
• Sahih Muslim , Book Al- Salam , Chapter Poison 4:1721 Hadith #2190;
• Ahmed b. Hanbal in al-Musnad 3:218 Hadith #13309; 
• Sunan Abu Dawud, Bk. Al-Diyat,4:173 Hadith #4508; 
• Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Sunan Al-Kubra 10:11 Hadith #19500 

Hadith #2 

According to Hadrat Asma (Radiyallahu Anha) , the daughter of Hadrat Abu Bakr (Radiyallahu Anhu), "During the days of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) , my mother came to see me, and at that time she was an idolater, so I sought counsel from Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) asking , “She is eager to see me, so shall I keep ties with her [even though she is an idolator]?”

He said ,”Yes, keep ties with your mother”

• Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Al-Jizya,Chapter on The Sinfulness of He who makes a contract and then betrays the trust, 3:1162 Hadith #3012; 
• Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Zakat 2:696 Hadith #1003;
• Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Zakat , Ch. Giving Charity to Non-Muslim Citizens, 2:127 Hadith #1668; 
• Abd Al- Razzaq Al-Musannaf 6:38 Hadith #9932;
• Al-Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir 24:78 Hadith #203 

Hadith #3 

According to Hadrat Anas b. Malik (Radiyallahu Anhu), “Eighty armed men from Mecca went to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) from Mount Tan’im with the intention of slaying him and his companions (ra) deceiving them unaware, but he captured them and spared them later, so Allah revealed:

“And He is the One Who held back the hands of those (disbelievers) from you and your hands from them on the frontier of Mecca (near al-Hudaybiya) after giving you the upper hand over their (party). And Allah best monitors what you do.” [Surah Al-Fath Chapter 48 : Verse 24]

• Muslim in al-sahih..Bk.:al-Jihad wa al-siyar (The Striving and Military Expeditions),Ch.:”The Saying of Allah Most High: (And it is He who restrained their hands from you) 3:1442 Hadith $1808;
• Ahmed b.Hanbal in al-Musnad,3:I24,290 Hadith #12276,14122;
• Abu Dawud in al-sunan: Bk.:al-Jihad (The Striving),Ch.:”Freeing captives Without Ransom,”3:61 , Hadith #2688

Hadith #4 

According to Hadrat Abu Hurayra (Radiyallahu Anhu), “It was submitted “O Messenger of Allah, invoke a curse against the idolaters.’

He replied, ‘I was not sent as a curser. I was only sent as (an embodiment of) mercy.'”

• Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Birr wa sila wa al-Adab , Chapter The Prohibition of invoking curse against creatures and other things, 4:2006 Hadith #2599; 
• Imam Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad,Hadith #321; 
• Abu Yala Al-Musnad 11:35 Hadith #6174;
• Al-Bayhaqi Shu’ab al-Iman 2:144, Hadith #403 

Hadith #5

According to Hadrat Abu Hurayra (Radiyallahu Anhu) , Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) said [on the day of conquest of Mecca], "Whoever enters the abode of Abu Sufyan is safe; whoever casts aside his weapon is safe; and whoever locks his door is safe.”

• Sahih Muslim , Kitab Al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Ch. The Conquest of Mecca, 3:1407 Hadith #1780;
• Abu Dawud in al-Sunan Book al-Kharaj wa al-imara wa al-fai, Ch. What has been narrated about Mecca, 3:162 Hadith #3021; 
• Al-Bazzar Al- Musnad 4:122 Hadith #1292; 
• Al-Daraqutni in al-Sunan 3:60 Hadith #233

Courtesy: Muhammad, the Merciful