Observing Allah’s Mercy

Allah’s Name, Ar-Rahmaan, emphasizes His mercy for all things, big and small, pious or wretched… His mercy extends to all things from the heavens to the earth and everything in between. The prophet (saw) said,

“Allah made mercy into one hundred parts. He kept ninety-nine parts with Himself and sent down one part to the earth. From that one part, the creation is merciful to each other, such that a horse raises its hoof over its child for fear of trampling it.”

This reminds us that Allah’s mercy is so great that just ONE part of it contains all the mercy on the earth, between every creature until the end of time. Subhanallah! Today, go outside into nature – it can be your backyard, a walk around the block, a trip to the park, or make a day of it and explore a local Nature Center. You task is to observe Allah’s mercy in three ways:

1. Search for an example of the mercy Allah puts between animals… this can be a mother bird going out to get food for it’s babies, a cat cleaning it’s young, even an ant or similar insect aiding it’s brethren. Look high and low until you find an example of this mercy BETWEEN animals. 

2. Observe the mercy that people share between one another or for other creatures. Perhaps a parent is being patient with a frustrated child in the park, someone pauses to hold a door open for a stranger, or you may see a small dish of water sitting ou for stray animals, or a birdhouse hanging from a tree. Find a real example of mercy and reflect upon it as just a small part of the mercy Allah has sent down for all of creation.

3. Look for examples of Allah’s mercy for His creation. We are surrounded by Allah’s mercy for us everyday, but we tend to forget it. Consider how Allah brings clouds to provide shade on hot days, or how he transitions day into night so that we have a time to rest. Reflect on the breeze that blows through the trees carrying tiny seeds that will become food, shelter, and sources of beauty for all of creation. No one has to make any effort to bring this to pass, Allah provides it free-of-charge as a mercy to all of creation. Take time to reflect on Allah’s mercies in your life… the one’s you so easily forget. 

Ready to Take it a Step Further?

After reflecting on the three points above, write or draw about it. You can make a simple journal entry about what you observed, draw or paint a picture to represent each observation, or even write a poem. Do you enjoy making stories? Tell a short story about a person who forgot all about Allah’s mercy until he or she took a walk and couldn’t help but notice it all around.

Do you think anyone made the same observations as you?
SHARE your reflections in the community forum!  

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