Your Lord is Most Compassionate, and loves the doers of that which is good and beautiful

 بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

...إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٌۭ

innal laaha binnaasi la Ra’oofur Raheem

Part of Al-Baqarah (The Cow) - 2:143....behold, God is most compassionate towards people, a Dispenser of Grace"
 

...وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

wa ahsinoo; innal laaha yuhibbul muhsineen

Part of Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:195 (last part of the ayat)... and persevere in doing good: behold, God loves the doers of good.. 

 

Your Lord is Most Compassionate, and loves the doers of that which is good and beautiful 
A Muslim must be kind. Those whose Lord is named ٱلْرَّحْمَـٰنُ (’Ar-Raḥmaān/The Most Gracious) and ٱلْرَّحِيْمُ(’Ar-Raḥīm/The Most Merciful) , and whose Prophet(ﷺ), is the Prophet(ﷺ) who was not sent except as رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ (Mercy to the worlds), can they be anything other than kind?

Lesson 1: 
A story is narrated by Shaykh Mukhtar Al-Kunti in his book Fath al-Wadud, page 358-359:

يُرْوَى أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ اسْتَضَافَهُ مُشْرِكٌ فَحَرَمَهُ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ انْصَرَفَ وَقَدْ يَئِسَ مِنَ الْقِرَى، فَنَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلَامَ وَيَقُولُ لَكَ: لِمَ حَرَمْتَ عَبْدِي؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ مُشْرِكٌ. فَقَالَ لَهُ جِبْرِيلُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ لَكَ: أَأَنْتَ خَلَقْتَهُ أَمْ أَنَا؟ فَقَالَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ: أَكَانَ كُفْرُهُ بِكَ أَمْ بِي؟ فَقَالَ: بَلْ كَانَ كُفْرُهُ بِكَ. قَالَ: إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ: أَأَنْتَ كُنْتَ تَرْزُقُهُ فِيمَا مَضَىٰ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ أَمْ أَنَا؟ قَالَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ رَازِقُنِي وَرَازِقُهُ. قَالَ: إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ: أَهُوَ خَلَقَ الْكُفْرَ فِي قَلْبِهِ أَمْ أَنَا خَلَقْتُهُ وَجَبَلْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ: بَلْ أَنْتَ. قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ: إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ: أَكَانَ كُفْرُهُ يَضُرُّهُ أَوْ يَضُرُّكَ؟ قَالَ: بَلْ يَضُرُّهُ. قَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ: إِنْ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ كَذَٰلِكَ، فَلِمَ حَرَمْتَهُ وَهُوَ عَبْدِي وَأَخُوكَ؟ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَخْلُو مِنْ حَالَتَيْنِ: إِمَّا أَنْ أُشْقِيَهُ فَأَجْعَلَهُ غِذَاءً لِنَارِي وَمَحَلًّا لِجَرَيَانِ وَاجِبِ غَضَبِي وَاقْتِدَارِي، وَإِمَّا أَنْ أَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَجْعَلَهُ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ أَحِبَّائِي وَأُسْكِنَهُ دَارَ رَحْمَتِي وَعَطَائِي؛ فَلَحِقَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَلَقِيَهُ وَجِيفًا، فَتَلَطَّفَ بِهِ، وَرَاوَدَهُ عَلَى الرُّجُوعِ لِمَطْعَمِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ لَكَ نَبَأً: حَرَمْتَنِي أَوَّلًا، ثُمَّ تَلَطَّفْتَ آخِرًا، وَكَأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَطْلُبُ الْحَاجَةَ إِلَيَّ! فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَبِّي عَاتَبَنِي فِيكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: نِعْمَ الرَّبُّ رَبُّكَ إِذْ يُعَاتِبُ حَبِيبَهُ فِي عَدُوِّهِ، فَأَسْلَمَ وَلَازَمَ الْعِبَادَةَ مَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حَتَّىٰ مَاتَ، رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ.

It is related that a polytheist once sought hospitality from Abraham, peace be upon him, but he (Abraham) withheld (provisions) from him. (Note: Abraham had asked him to recite the basmalah, when offered payment, and the idolater refused to offer basmalah because he did not believe, leading to a heated debate.)Waking up from a nap, the man departed, having lost hope of any hospitality. Then Gabriel, peace be upon him, descended to Abraham and said, “Your Lord sends you peace and says to you: Why did you withhold (provisions) from My servant?” Abraham replied, “Because he is a polytheist.” Gabriel said, “God says to you: Did you create him, or did I?” Abraham said, “Indeed, You did.” Then he said, “He says to you: Was his unbelief directed against you, or against Me?” Abraham answered, “Indeed, his unbelief was against You.” He said, “He says to you: Were you the one providing for him throughout the years of his life that have passed, or was it I?” Abraham said, “Indeed, You are the one who provides for me and for him.” He said, “He says to you: Was it he who created the unbelief in his heart, or was it I who created him and fashioned him upon it?” Abraham said, “Indeed, You did.” Gabriel said, “He says to you: Did his unbelief harm him, or harm you?” Abraham answered, “Indeed, it harms him.” He said, “He says to you: If that is so, then why did you withhold (provisions) from him, when he is My servant and your brother? He can only be in one of two states: either I decree misery for him and make him fuel for My Fire, a place for the unfolding of the due force of My wrath and My power; or I turn to him in mercy, make him one of My beloved ones and settle him in the abode of My mercy and My bounty.”

So Abraham, peace be upon him, went after the man and found him hurrying on. He treated him gently and urged him to return to his food. The man said to him, “There is something remarkable here: first you turned me away, then later you treated me gently, as though you were the one in need of something from me!” Abraham said, “My Lord admonished me concerning you.” The man replied, “What a Lord your Lord is, that He reproves His beloved on account of His enemy.” Then he embraced Islam and remained devoted to worship with Abraham, peace be upon him, until he died. May God’s mercy be upon him.

(Note: A similar story is mentioned in the risalah of Qushayri, although not in so much detail. )

Lesson 2: 

While sailing across a large body of water, Maʿrūf Karkhī and his students found their peace disrupted by a lively group of youths on the same boat. Reveling in the rhythm of their music and the haze of wine, the young men presented a stark contrast to the tranquil demeanor of the saint and his followers. The more they drank the more noise they started to make, and with the tambourines and the singing, the students of Ma'ruf started to get annoyed. 

They talked amongst each other, ''They disobey God openly! Let us request our shaykh to pray to Allah to punish them!’. One of them went up to the saint and asked him to do a prayer against them, hoping that they get struck by lightning, or drown or something. Ma’ruf, ever the embodiment of calm, asked them to join in with him as he prayed for them, which they readily agreed. However to their surprise, he prayed:

 ‘My Allah, make them as joyful in the Hereafter as you make them joyful and merry in this world!’"

The sentiment left Ma’ruf's students bewildered. They asked: 'We hoped that you will pray for their punishment, instead you are praying for their happiness in the Hereafter?' This sentiment reflected that being close with the Shaykh had not yet benefited them in realizing that the ultimate role of the human being is to be a manifestation of Divine Character, and one of the most beautiful characters is that of Cmpassion and Mercy. 

News of this act of Ma'ruf spread throughout the boat. Some of the youth realized that they are the focus of the attention of the people in the boat and started asking around as to what the saint and the disciples were talking about. Once they heard what had happened, it resonated deeply with them. A realization dawned upon them about the depth of Divine Compassion. Feeling a sudden introspection, they set aside their drinks, laid down their instruments, and approached the sage with humility.

To his disciples, Ma’ruf remarked, "Your hearts' wishes have been met, yet not a soul was harmed."


Through this encounter, the youths discovered that true contentment lay not in fleeting distractions but in sincere reflection and connection to the Divine. And Ma’ruf's students learned a more nuanced lesson: to be on a spiritual path does not signify its completion. One must aspire for universal salvation and compassion, extending it even to those who appear to diverge from the path.

Lesson 3: 

Once the disciples of Mevlana Rumi came late from the masjid. Upon being asked the reason for the delay, he answered, “A preacher had mounted the pulpit and was giving advice. I suddenly felt overwhelmed, as did the others, and we weret able to leave.”

 “What did he say that made everyone overwhelmed?” asked our Master.

 “He was basically talking about this verse:"

 

  الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَـذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ لَقَدْ جَاءتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ ...

"All praise is due to God, who has guided us unto this; for we would certainly not have found the right path unless God had guided us! Indeed, our Sustainer's apostles have told us the truth!" (Part of 7:43)'

 

"And he was arguing about our superiority over the others and of those of different faiths. This made almost everyone in the mosque abandoned themselves to supplication and lament.”

Our Master, smiling sadly, said “What a malicious one! Witness how the blind are leading the blind!  They look down on the others, thinking, gloating: ‘I am better than you.’

But we should instead be measuring ourselves by the standards of Prophets and Friends of God—then we would see our proper worth and understand what constitutes real religious perfection."

 

“Bahauddin, if you want to remain forever in the gardens of paradise, befriend everyone and let no grudge against anyone live in your heart.”  

 

Then he recited: 

با دل گفتم ز دیگران بیش مباش

رو مرهم ریش باش چون نیش مباش

خواهی که ز هیچکس به تو بد نرسد

بدگوی و بدآموز و بداندیش مباش

I said to my heart:
do not set yourself above others.
Be a balm for wounds, not a sting.
If you want no harm to come to you from anyone,
speak no ill, teach no wrong, and think no ill.   

 

 

A slightly different version of the poem is preserved in Nafahāt al-uns, where Jāmī quotes Sultan Valad reporting Rumi’s advice to Baha al-Din. 

 
«بهاءالدّین! اگر خواهی که دایما در بهشت برین باشی، با همه کس دوست شو و کین کسی را در دل مدار!»

“Bahauddin, if you wish to live forever in the highest paradise, be a friend to everyone and keep no resentment toward anyone in your heart.” 

بیشی طلبی ز هیچ کس بیش مباش
چون مرهم و موم باش چون نیش مباش
خواهی که ز هیچ کس به تو بد نرسد
بدگوی و بدآموز و بد اندیش مباش

Do not ask for more, and do not place yourself above others.
Be gentle and healing, not sharp and stinging.
If you do not want harm to come to you from anyone,
do not speak ill, teach what is wrong, or think ill.

«تمامی انبیا علیهم السلام این کرده‌اند و این سیرت را به صورت آورده، لاجرم کافّه عالمیان مغلوب خلق ایشان گشته‌اند و مجذوب لطف ایشان شده. چون دوستان را یاد می‌کنی، بوستان درونت از خوشی می‌شکفد و از گل و ریحان پر می‌شود و چون ذکر دشمنان می‌کنی، باغ درونت از خار و مار پر می‌شود و پژمرده خاطر می‌گردی.» 

 

 “All the prophets, peace be upon them, lived this way and gave visible form to (embodied/actualized) this character. That is why all people were won over by their conduct and drawn to their kindness. When you remember your friends, the inner garden of your heart blossoms with joy and fills with flowers and fragrant herbs. But when you dwell on your enemies, that inner garden fills with thorns and snakes, and your spirit grows tired and begins to wither.”