How Can I Demonstrate to Non-Muslims Islam’s True Mercy and Compassion?

Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle

Question

How can I convince non-Muslims that mercy and kindness are really at the core of the Islamic faith?

Answer

Thank you for your important question.

The best way to convince non-Muslims of this is to be an example of mercy and compassion yourself. A living example is always the best proof.

The second means is to have them read the Quran and Sunna as a whole and always try to understand each piece of the puzzle in light of the whole.

One of the best ways to do that is to have them read the Sira. Books like Lings’ “Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources,” Armstrong’s “Muhammad,” and Ramadan’s “In the Footsteps of the Prophet” are a good place to start. Prince Ghazi’s “Love in the Holy Quran,” and his “A Thinking Persons Guide to Islam” are also very useful.

Once it is clear to us and to them that mercy, compassion, and–in Christian parlance–agape love surround every aspect of Islamic dealings, then the rest is quite easy to understand and contextualize.

With regards to your specific issue, please see:
Muslim Scholars On Spousal Abuse
Did the Companions Ever Engage In Domestic Violence?
Abusive Relationship

I pray this helps.

[Shaykh] Farid Dingle
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language