Struggling on the Slope of Mercy

Mercy is not a matter of possibility; it is a matter of iman. A believer is a person who, when they feel sorry for someone, intends to do the best they can without resorting to an excuse empty of purpose such as “I can't change anything” and instead aims to do his utmost and turns to climb the steep slope of mercy willfully. 

In surah al-Balad, rescuing someone from the yoke of slavery and feeding the orphans and the poor in times of famine are compared to aqaba, which means “a steep slope.”

The mufassirs say that this analogy is employed to explain the difficulty of choosing and exhibiting such behaviors out of mercy because climbing a steep slope is difficult. In fact, before this, it is stated in the surah that humans have been created to face all kinds of troubles and difficulties, but they have also been equipped with the tools and qualifications to withstand them. On the other hand, it is always said, “this world is a world of tests,” and to be tested means to be put to trial against adversities.

In the tafsirs, “freeing someone from the yoke” is explained with a series of examples, from freeing an enslaved person to freeing oneself from the sway of one's own nafs-al ammarah (the nafs which commands evil). Since these actions require effort and commitment to various undertakings that are not pleasing to the nafs, it is an ordeal, an adversity. In order to encourage believers to feed and look after orphans, the poor, and the helpless, times of hunger, famine, hardship, and absence are especially emphasized in these works. In other words, this will ensure that the people in need are helped not only in times of abundance but also in times of poverty. This approach also creates a premise for normalizing the practice of sharing what is immediately available without waiting for an excess of wealth to accumulate. By doing so, we will share in the hardship of the poor, which is another burden to bear but also a blessing in disguise for those of us who are relatively solvent.

Even considering such difficulties, heading for that steep slope called aqaba is undoubtedly possible with the mercy that is a requirement of perfect iman. That being the case, there is no harm in understanding “aqaba” as “the slope of mercy.”

It's about iman, not ability

Mercy, which means helping and supporting someone with pity and compassion, is the manifestation of Allah the Exalted’s name Ar-Rahman in our hearts. In the hadith, it was stated, “There is no doubt that the feeling of mercy is a part of Rahman.” (Bukhari, Adab, 13). Allah the Exalted treats all creatures, living and inanimate, with His name Ar-Rahman. He also gives sustenance to those who rebel against him; does not leave them without water, air, or provisions. For this reason, what is expected from a Muslim is to show mercy to all those oppressed, the afflicted, the weak, and the needy, regardless of their religion, language, or race.

However, feelings of pity and compassion that only remain in the heart and do not turn into action are not mercy. It is significant not to diminish this transformation from emotion to action into narrow archetypes and certain behaviors. Naturally, it is compassion to protect and watch over the oppressed, help the poor, give financial aid to them, and share our means with those in need if we can afford it. If we can't do these things, it is also mercy to share the problems of those who have fallen into trouble and taken shelter with us, comfort them with soothing words, meet their faults with tolerance, forgive their mistakes, and not marginalize or hurt them. Mercy is not a matter of ability; it is a matter of iman. A believer is a person who, when they feel sorry for someone, intends to do the best they can without resorting to an excuse empty of purpose such as “I can't change anything” and instead aims to do his utmost and turns to climb the steep slope of mercy willfully. Nonbelievers cannot bring themselves to climb this slope of mercy despite the vastness of their means because such rarefied mercy arises only in the hearts of those who seek to please Allah.

According to a narrative, surah al-Balad, which we mentioned at the beginning, was revealed subsequent to an event pointing to this truth. According to many commentators, the surah refers to a polytheist named Abu'l-Ashdayn, who boasted about his strength, valor, wealth, and the fact that he spent his wealth without blinking. When he was posed with the challenge, “Come, if you are as valiant as you say, let's climb the more difficult of the two paths offered to you, the aqaba, which is the steep road that requires mercy,” Abu'l-Ashdayn couldn’t muster the courage to take up the challenge and backed down.

Widespread hate speech

Don’t we face the same situations and challenges today? What else can explain the insensitivity of financially developed, powerful countries with high national incomes and strong economies that claim to be defenders of human rights despite the towering surge of refugee crises and people dying of hunger in other geographies? The largest economies in the world can’t gather the strength, or the will, to aid the world’s most vulnerable group of people or provide sufficient relief and means of survival for them. Considering that giving adequate help would cost them a negligible percentage of what they spend on excess and luxury and the fact that the world’s wealth is vastly greater than what it would take to create decent living conditions for those within and outside their borders, the strain it would place on their welfare isn't even worth noting.

Yet it feels easier to ignore the problem and point the finger at the only people who didn’t have a say in what direction their lives would take and whether they would have any issues with being displaced, deprived of hearth and home. Millions of people who may never again know a sense of normalcy in their lives face hate speech, alienation, and animosity wherever they go. With truly charitable souls being few and far between these days, the general tone of public response to such tragic situations ranges from indifference to unmitigated rancor. While the psychology of this response is far from conscientious thought, the consistent employment of it shows that it’s also the go-to way for most people to deal with such precarious circumstances that call for mercy instead of hatred and fear.

Unfortunately, this method, or mode of behavior and thought, has also struck a vein of popularity among us Muslims. Whenever the news circulates that a new wave of immigrants is imminent due to a humanitarian crisis or conflict, we see an increase in the use of violent language dripping with hatred and ethnic and racial discrimination. This unbecoming vernacular particularly resonates with wealthy, prosperous, or secular circles. However, those people are the ones in the least contact with refugees. Perhaps a fraction of the resources and attention they allocate to their pets could be a lifesaver for many destitute, who have lost their homes and livelihoods through no fault of their own.

What's the purpose of mercy?

Make no mistake; people should show mercy to all creatures and, of course, to animals. However, aside from prioritizing humans in cases of similar necessity, mercy for animals is not an alternative to mercy for humans. More importantly, a person who claims to have mercy for animals or people cannot display a grudge, hatred, anger, or enmity towards the needy, impoverished, or otherwise desperate and deprived because such a hostile disposition is a sign of mercilessness.

In contrast to their attitude towards asylum seekers, some people's obsession with animal welfare seems like a warm pretense to relieve their conscience; they would far prefer to host animals than vulnerable people in their cities, towns, and neighborhoods.

While it is admirable to want to improve the lives of other living beings, a person's care for animals does not warrant the full merit of true mercy if they lack a greater compassion towards fellow human beings, especially those who fare worse than they do. While we won’t be going into the details of this type of behavior for lack of any benefit in doing so, we feel the pressing necessity to express this truth:

The mercy that our religion encourages is not meant to ease the conscience of those who show mercy. Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alayh) says that if a person who takes pity on someone helps him get rid of the pain caused by this pity and thus relax, it will not be a genuine mercy. According to him, the main purpose of compassion is not for people to find emotional comfort themselves by aiding others, but to provide relief to the needy and helpless with good deeds and any help they can afford to give them.

The reason why we talk so much about circles that openly reveal their hostility towards refugees with the language they use and, therefore, are not expected to show mercy is not to condemn them. We aim to draw attention to the reality that this group’s demeanor, which is incompatible with the proper Muslim attitude and their claims and accusations that are incongruous with the Islamic ideals of kindness and benevolence, are being increasingly adopted by Muslims today.

If that is not the case, how else can we explain our fatigue, struggling, and stumbling upon the slope of mercy that we climb with the enthusiasm of beingAnsar? Doesn’t it run against the grain of what we Muslims are supposed to uphold and represent to make excuses with increasing frequency just so we can shirk our duty to extend the hand of mercy? Does it not make the irony of it doubly poignant to shut our eyes and ears to the crisis happening at our very doorstep after admitting that these refugees are our brothers and sisters? 

Persevere in mercy despite everything

Yes, as in every community, there are unsavory people, criminals, and undesirables among the refugees as well. However, Muslims do not ignore the individuality of crime and try to punish the whole community to which that criminal belongs. They do not become hostile towards them under the influence of claims such as “They are taking government aid, and the jobs and benefits that should have been offered to us,” which would be a sign of selfishness and narrow heartedness. It is completely out of touch with Muslim morals to make the jobs that refugees take an excuse for morbid anger, with the irrational argument that they are taking away their jobs, as if the job market is teeming with aspiring candidates applying for the low-wage employment options that most people turn their nose up at. On the contrary, the right attitude, for a Muslim, is to appreciate their efforts to be productive and stand on their own feet. If one should harbor any concerns in this, it should be that these people are likely to be exploited through excessive labor and low wages. It is also worrying to see some members of society avoid them like the plague. A Muslim shouldn’t just walk by without a greeting or even so much as a word of “salam.” Nor should they hold any prejudice or unhealthy, negative assumptions about people, who they haven’t got a notion of what they are enduring. They should know that unless they feel another person's pain, that pain will not resonate within them and evoke a feeling of compassion. One can only empathize with the oppressed and the downtrodden if they know the truth of their situation. That is the only way they can understand that they should treat them the same way they would like to be treated if they were in a similar situation.

It is a foregone conclusion that the tenancy of refugees we host in many of our hometowns, cities, and countries can become more protracted than expected; this may cause what is called compassion fatigue for some of us. However, these people need love, care, compassion, respect, and to be treated equally and humanely, at least as much as, if not more than, they need financial support. And these, we may offer freely, because they do not require any wealth or resources; they require only iman.

Moreover, we are the ummah of a Prophet of mercy who is so compassionate that he would refuse to send the needy empty-handed by borrowing money from someone else when he did not have it so as to bring a measure of respite and comfort to the lives of others. What befits a Muslim is to rigorously uphold mercy even when there are a plethora of pragmatic reasons not to do so. Of course, this is easier said than done, but because it is an arduous challenge, those who climb the slope of mercy are described at the end of surah al-Balad as “those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.”

Ali Yurtgezen