Among the endless virtues of our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, one of the most beautiful was the compassion he had for all of Allah (swt)'s creation. He was compassionate toward children, the sick, the elderly, the poor. He showed mercy to animals, to plants, and even to his enemies. If there was not a single creation that wasn't touched with his compassion and mercy, then how is that today we don't even see the humanity in our fellow brothers and sisters? How is it that we don't realize that there is a living, breathing PERSON on the receiving end of our actions, our decisions, our words? A person who has a story, feelings, emotions, and needs. Indeed Allah (swt)'s mercy extends beyond our understanding, but the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "Allah shows compassion only to those among His slaves who are compassionate" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
In today's fast paced society, most everyone is rushing towards dunya. We want to be successful, rich, famous, known. We want more and more and more. Sometimes we become so blinded by our agendas that we forget about those in our ummah who need our help, or worse, we hurt them. I think we can all agree that generally, most of us, our families, our acquaintances are doing pretty okay for the most part alhamudulilah. We have enough where we live comfortable lives. But don't be fooled. There are literally hundreds of our fellow Muslim families, in Chicago alone, who can't say that about themselves. Whose job is it to do something for them? Do you think if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam lived amongst us now, he would live peacefully while his community had children who slept with stomachs aching with hunger? Not a chance. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with striving to be more successful. We all have responsibilities and needs to address and insha'Allah we'll have families of our own one day who we'll have to provide for, but we'll be on this same road for the rest of our lives. Why don't we slow down on this journey and pick up those who're stuck? Why don't we work on building something for our akhirah (which is everlasting fyi, unlike this fleeting world which we will all have to depart sooner or later)?
I know we're just young college students right now with big dreams, but we do have an abundance of opportunities to show compassion to our neighbors. Get involved with your local masjid with projects that serve the people. If there isn't one, start one. Everything starts with an idea, dedication, and effort. Volunteer at soup kitchens or nursing homes. Donate to even our own MSA bagged lunch events. Do something. This time and health we have right now is invaluable, make the most of it. Take a step back from school and work for one moment and reflect on what is it that's really important in the long-run. What of our actions will help us attain paradise insha'Allah and help others?
Be kind. Be merciful. Be generous. Be compassionate. Be human.
In today's fast paced society, most everyone is rushing towards dunya. We want to be successful, rich, famous, known. We want more and more and more. Sometimes we become so blinded by our agendas that we forget about those in our ummah who need our help, or worse, we hurt them. I think we can all agree that generally, most of us, our families, our acquaintances are doing pretty okay for the most part alhamudulilah. We have enough where we live comfortable lives. But don't be fooled. There are literally hundreds of our fellow Muslim families, in Chicago alone, who can't say that about themselves. Whose job is it to do something for them? Do you think if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam lived amongst us now, he would live peacefully while his community had children who slept with stomachs aching with hunger? Not a chance. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with striving to be more successful. We all have responsibilities and needs to address and insha'Allah we'll have families of our own one day who we'll have to provide for, but we'll be on this same road for the rest of our lives. Why don't we slow down on this journey and pick up those who're stuck? Why don't we work on building something for our akhirah (which is everlasting fyi, unlike this fleeting world which we will all have to depart sooner or later)?
I know we're just young college students right now with big dreams, but we do have an abundance of opportunities to show compassion to our neighbors. Get involved with your local masjid with projects that serve the people. If there isn't one, start one. Everything starts with an idea, dedication, and effort. Volunteer at soup kitchens or nursing homes. Donate to even our own MSA bagged lunch events. Do something. This time and health we have right now is invaluable, make the most of it. Take a step back from school and work for one moment and reflect on what is it that's really important in the long-run. What of our actions will help us attain paradise insha'Allah and help others?
Be kind. Be merciful. Be generous. Be compassionate. Be human.