A series of moral, doctrinal, and social statements from the esteemed religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, may his shadow remain (Words of Wisdom, episode number 31)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Mercy: The Core Teaching of Islam
The phrase Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful") is repeated 114 times in the Qur’an — matching the number of chapters (surahs) it contains. The attributes al-Rahman and al-Rahim, both descriptive of God's infinite and encompassing mercy, are also each repeated 114 times in the Qur’an. Beyond this specific verse, God repeatedly refers to His mercy and compassion throughout the Qur'anic text.
This high frequency underlines the importance and emphasis placed on mercy. Allah, who is Himself the source and embodiment of mercy, initiates acts of mercy and commands His servants to embrace this essential characteristic. The recurring mention of mercy in the Qur’an is a clear indication of its elevated position in the eyes of the Almighty.
Mercy is a foundational concept in Islam. Accordingly, in the hadith heritage passed down from the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure family) and the members of his blessed household, there is extensive emphasis and exhortation regarding this pivotal quality. From family life and social interaction to relations with friends, co-religionists, neighbors, and even non-Muslims and animals, all are influenced by this central Islamic teaching. Islam grounds all noble and virtuous character traits upon the principle of mercy. Human behavior and conduct are meant to be built on kindness and compassion toward others.
The scope of this quality extends even to the battlefield. Generally, warfare is associated with violence and bloodshed, with little room for compassion or leniency. However, Islam emphasizes mercy even in times of war — particularly toward defenseless enemies, those who surrender, and prisoners of war. One of the clearest examples of this is found in the compassionate conduct of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) during the battles that were forced upon him. In every such conflict, the Prophet was acting in self-defense; never once did he initiate hostilities.
Throughout the two decades of the Prophet's mission, his community faced numerous attacks and wars instigated by polytheists and other opponents. Often, enemies would travel hundreds of kilometers to launch offensives against Medina. In such circumstances, the Prophet (PBUH) had no choice but to mobilize the Muslims to defend themselves, with battles typically taking place close to Medina. Sometimes, the enemy forces came perilously close to the city, intending to massacre its residents.
Despite his inherently peaceful nature, the Prophet (PBUH) would only allow fighting in self-defense. Even when the danger was grave and the enemy was fully mobilized, the Prophet strictly forbade his followers from initiating violence. He never gave permission for a single arrow to be shot until the enemy had made the first move. It is beyond doubt that in all battles, it was always the enemy who started the conflict, and the Prophet and his companions merely defended themselves. Even in the face of open injustice, aggression, and repeated treaty violations, the Prophet would not permit his companions to strike first.
Based on the all-encompassing divine mercy — which forms the bedrock of Islamic teachings — the Prophet (PBUH) never gave his companions license to begin a war. This approach was fully mirrored in the conduct of his successor, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), during the brief but turbulent period of his rule. Imam Ali’s enemies aggressively sought to undermine the safety and sovereignty of the Muslim community, yet he, too, refused to initiate conflict, following the example of the Prophet (PBUH).
Even on the Day of Ashura — when the heavily armed enemy had surrounded Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his companions from all sides, cutting off their access and preparing for battle — the Imam continued to abstain from initiating combat. He warned his companions not to draw their swords or shoot any arrows before the enemy did.
In that harrowing and tragic moment, Imam Hussain (PBUH) declared:
"Indeed, I dislike being the one who begins fighting them."
This was not due to any lack of bravery or readiness on the part of the Imam or his followers — their valor was beyond question. They were fully prepared for battle. However, as long as the enemy had not yet unsheathed their swords against them, they refrained from violence and bloodshed.
Islam: The Promoter of Peace and Security in the World
Avoidance of violence, war, and bloodshed has always been a deeply rooted tradition of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny), one that the infallible Imams (peace be upon them) consistently upheld. They refrained from initiating conflict unless faced with imminent danger.
The peace-oriented approach of true Islam is profoundly thought-provoking. In a world torn by conflict and the bloody struggles witnessed throughout human history, Islam presents a rare and noble model of governance founded on the principles of humanity and civilization. These are values that, if adhered to by humankind, would prevent many of the violent disputes and tragic conflicts we have seen.
The mercy-based foundation of Islam heralds hope for human welfare and comfort. A society built upon such principles will inevitably enjoy safety and prosperity. What could be a better vision of a utopian society — that long-sought dream of humanity from its inception to the present day?
Undoubtedly, nothing rivals this. The so-called “utopia” has been little more than an unrealized idea — a mere name — and humankind has only seen glimpses of it through the merciful conduct of the Noble Prophet of Islam and his rightful successors (peace be upon them all).
The Prophet of Islam and his blessed family never abandoned the path of mercy, even in the most tumultuous and violent moments of human history — such as during warfare.
Moreover, when hostilities ceased and both sides, weary from battle, laid down their arms, the Prophet and his family scrupulously avoided mistreating prisoners of war or oppressing those who had been part of the enemy camp. Such behavior is virtually unparalleled in human history. In modern times, the end of war often marks the beginning of revenge, punishment, and the dark aftermath of conflict.
Yet the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) would forbid any form of transgression, even after victory — not even against the leaders of the opposing army.
The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), followed the same pattern. When a war ended, it was as if it had never occurred — he harbored no grudges and would show great concern for the welfare of captives. What trait could better define a utopian civilization? What else could more effectively bring tranquility, well-being, and peace of mind to humanity?
If today’s Westerners — and all those who claim to champion freedom — were to truly understand Islam as defined by the Qur’an and exemplified by the conduct of the Prophet Muhammad and his family (peace be upon them), without doubt, a utopia would spread across the globe, and humanity’s long-cherished dream would become a reality.
The many crises facing humanity’s seven billion inhabitants — wherever they may be on this planet — stem from a neglect of mercy, a concept that has faded from the modern human lexicon.
There is no doubt that the responsibility for spreading a culture of love and compassion initially falls upon Muslims themselves, as they are the ones who claim to follow the Prophet of God and his pure family. If Muslims genuinely strive to present Islam’s mercy-based teachings to the world, goodness, virtue, and ease will proliferate globally.
Establishing and spreading mercy requires a renewed and thoughtful engagement with the life and culture of Islam. Mercy is one of the foundational principles of Islam that permeates every aspect — even warfare. Without such a perspective, it is impossible to arrive at a healthy, genuine understanding of Islam and its teachings.
If husbands and wives commit to treating one another with mercy, if parents and children, tribal leaders and their people, rulers and citizens, managers and subordinates — all adopt this merciful approach — and both sides uphold it sincerely, then the spread of goodness and virtue will no longer be a far-fetched hope. As a result, many of society’s economic, social, and behavioral problems will be resolved. In this way, the utopia humanity seeks will come closer to realization. We pray to God for this hope to be fulfilled.
Graduates of the School of Mercy
Leafing through the pages of history — from distant times to the present day — we find that the true followers of Islam, especially those committed to the noble path of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), have consistently adhered to the principle of mercy in their lives.
A striking example is found in the Iraqi Revolution of 1920 (Thawrat al-‘Ashreen), now over a century past. During this time, Britain, from across the seas, launched a military campaign against Iraq, dispatching troops and weaponry to a small and underpopulated nation — with a population of barely five million at the time.
The vulnerable and defenseless people of Iraq found themselves the target of the well-armed and aggressive British military. In this critical situation, the late Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad Taqi al-Shirazi (may God sanctify his soul) made great efforts to prevent the British from establishing a presence in Iraq and sought to resolve the conflict peacefully and without war. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful, as the British insisted on continuing their aggressive incursion.
Eventually, with great reluctance, Ayatollah Shirazi issued a fatwa declaring the defense of Iraq obligatory. This included defense of Islam, one’s dignity and family, personal safety, and homeland. Notably, his famous ruling emphasized that if peaceful efforts proved ineffective, people should not passively witness aggression that could lead to their deaths or the violation of their sanctities — they had the right to self-defense in such a case.
The conduct of this great religious scholar demonstrates the merciful spirit of Islam — a message of peace and security for all humanity. Even though the hostile enemy had traveled thousands of kilometers to wage war and violate Iraq’s sovereignty, this noble figure of religion and spirituality continued to discourage war and violence among his fellow citizens for as long as possible. Only when peace was unattainable did he affirm the necessity of self-defense. Furthermore, he emphasized that once the war ended, there must be no killing, looting, or revenge and that prisoners of war should be treated humanely.
Though the invading enemy initiated the war, lit its flames, and violated Iraq’s integrity, the post-war treatment of them was never to deviate from the merciful way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
This noble trait, essential to realizing a utopian society for humankind, is unique to the Qur’an and the authentic, unaltered Islam. The Prophet and the Infallible Imams, as well as their sincere followers, embodied this principle in their conduct and lives.
We look forward to the day when Islam’s mercy-centered culture spreads far and wide, and when the nations of the world adopt Islamic principles as their model — that they may be freed from the many crises and hardships afflicting the world today. And may Allah’s blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family.
