Examples of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Non-Muslims

Example 1

‘Aisha narrated:

That she asked the Prophet (s) , ‘Have you encountered a day harder than the day of the battle) of Uhud?” The Prophet (s) replied, “Your tribes have troubled me a lot, and the worse trouble was the trouble on the day of ‘Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd-Yalail bin `Abd-Kulal and he did not respond to my demand. So I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and could not relax till I found myself at Qarnath-Tha-alib where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw Gabriel in it. He called me saying, ‘Allah has heard your people’s saying to you, and what they have replied back to you, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.’ The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, “O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akh-Shabain (i.e. two mountains) fall on them.” The Prophet (s) said, “No but I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship None besides Him.” (Bukhari)

Example 2

Abdullah bin ‘Umar narrated:

A woman was found killed in one of the battles fought by the Messenger of Allah (s).  So he forbade the killing of women and children. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Example 3

Anas narrated:

A young Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet (s) and he became sick. So the Prophet (s) went to visit him. He sat near his head and asked him to embrace Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was sitting there; the latter told him to obey Abul-Qasim (Muhammad) and the boy embraced Islam. The Prophet (s) came out saying: “Praises be to Allah Who saved the boy from the Hell-fire.” (Bukhari)

Example 4

Abdullah bin ‘Amr narrated:

The Prophet (s) said, “Whoever killed a Mu’ahid (non-Muslim living under Muslim protection) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years (of traveling). (Bukhari)

Example 5

Abu Hurairah narrated:

The Prophet (s) sent some cavalry towards Najd and they brought a man from the tribe of Banu Hanifa who was called Thumama bin Uthal. They fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque. The Prophet went to him and said, “What have you got, O Thumama?” He replied, “I have got a good thought, O Muhammad! If you should kill me, you would kill a person who has already killed somebody, and if you should set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful, and if you want property, then ask me whatever wealth you want.” He was left till the next day when the Prophet (s) said to him, “What have you got, Thumama?” He said, “What I told you, i.e. if you set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful.” The Prophet (s) left him till the day after, when he said, “What have you got, O Thumama?” He said, “I have got what I told you. “On that the Prophet (s) said, “Release Thumama.”

So he (i.e. Thumama) went to a garden of date-palm trees near to the Mosque, took a bath and then entered the Mosque and said, “I testify that None has the right to be worshiped except Allah, and also testify that Muhammad is His Apostle! By Allah, O Muhammad! There was no face on the surface of the earth most disliked by me than yours, but now your face has become the most beloved face to me. By Allah, there was no religion most disliked by me than yours, but now it is the most beloved religion to me. By Allah, there was no town most disliked by me than your town, but now it is the most beloved town to me. Your cavalry arrested me (at the time) when I was intending to perform the `Umra.  And now what do you think?” The Prophet (s) gave him good tidings (congratulated him) and ordered him to perform the `Umra. So when he came to Mecca, someone said to him, “You have become a Sabian?” Thumama replied, “No! By Allah, I have embraced Islam with Muhammad, Apostle of Allah. (Bukhari)

Example 6

Abu Hurairah narrated:

It was said to Allah’s Messenger (s): Invoke curse upon the polytheists, whereupon he said: “I have not been sent as the invoker of curse, but I have been sent as mercy.” (Muslim)

Example 7

Abu Hurairah narrated:

I invited my mother, who was a polytlieist, to Islam. I invited her one day and she said to me something about Allah’s Messenger (s) which I hated. I came to Allah’s Messenger (s) weeping and said: Allah’s Messenger, I invited my mother to Islam but she did not accept (my invitation). I invited her today but she said to me something which I did not like. (Kindly) supplicate Allah that He may set the mother of Abu Huraira right. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (s) said: “O Allah, set the mother of Abu Huraira on the right path.”

I came out quite pleased with the supplication of Allah’s Apostle (s) and when I came near the door it was closed from within. My mother heard the noise of my footsteps and she said: Abu Huraira, just wait, and I heard the noiee of falling of water. She took a bath and put on the shirt and quickly covered her head with a headdress and opened the door and then said: Abu Huraira, I bear witness to the fact that there is no god but Allah and Mubammad is His bondsman and His Messenger. He (Abu Huraira) said: I went back to Allah’s Messenger (s) and (this time) I was shedding the tears of joy. I said: Allah’s Messenger, be happy, for Allah has responded to your supplication and He has set on the right path the mother of Abu Huraira. He (the Prophet) praised Allah, and extolled Him and uttered good words.

I said: Allah’s Messenger, supplicate to Allah so that He may instil love of mine and that of my mother too in the believing servants and let our hearts be filled with their love, whereupon Allah’s Messenger (s) said: “O Allah, let there be love of these servants of yours, i. e. Abu Huraira and his mother, in the hearts of the believing servants and let their hearts be filled with the love of the believing servants.” (Abu Huraira said: This prayer) was so well granted by Allah that no believer was ever born who heard of me and who saw me but did not love me. (Muslim)

Example 8

Abu Hurairah narrated:

At-Tufail bin `Amr came to Allah’s Messenger (s) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (s)! The tribe of Daus has disobeyed (Allah and His Apostle) and refused (to embrace Islam), therefore, invoke Allah’s wrath for them.” The people thought that the Prophet (s) would invoke Allah’s wrath for them, but he said, “O Allah! Guide the tribe Of Daus and let them come to us.” (Bukhari)