Kindness is a natural result of faith

Goodness and Kindness in Islam

Goodness or kindness is a natural result of faith and the outstanding virtues of humanity. It is one of the principles of our faith to help our fellow human beings. We have compiled a list of acts that you can do to help others. Some are obvious and others are often overlooked, but of great importance too. Managing self-control is difficult. You need to be so patient to achieve that. If we don’t have much capacity to manage our self-control, we can’t easily interact and get along with people. Allah says:

لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer, for he is concerned over you and to the believers, he is kind and merciful.” (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:128)

We should keep our faith that Allah will reward us who spread kindness with kindness. Spreading kindness in our lives is what Allah obligates us to do. When we follow the path of Islam, by having so much indulgence to do kindness, we will surely be in the path of Allah, and He will guide us till the end. Allah says:

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ

“Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who pray to be seen and withhold small acts of kindness.” (Surah Al-Maun, 107:4-7)

Getting healthier is also one of the benefits of kindness in Islam. The research discovered that an act of kindness can make us healthier since the emotional warmth that we get can lower our blood pressure. Besides being kind to animals, the environment, neighbours, and children, we should also be kind to parents. Kindness and respect for parents are written throughout Al Qur’an. Allah says:

وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ 

“Nothing is the life of this world but play and amusement, but best is the Home in the Hereafter, for those who are righteous, will you not then understand?” (Surah Al-Anam 6:32)

Al Qur’an has told us to be kind to neighbours whether they are near or strangers. Our prophet also said that we are not a believer if we eat our fill when our neighbour beside is hungry. He also added that we are not a believer if we enjoy safety while our neighbours are not safe from his injurious conduct. Our prophets always told us the benefits of kindness. Allah says:

ﺛُﻢَّ ﻗَﻔَّﻴْﻨَﺎ ﻋَﻠَﻰٰ ﺁﺛَﺎﺭِﻫِﻢ ﺑِﺮُﺳُﻠِﻨَﺎ ﻭَﻗَﻔَّﻴْﻨَﺎ ﺑِﻌِﻴﺴَﻰ ﺍﺑْﻦِ ﻣَﺮْﻳَﻢَ ﻭَﺁﺗَﻴْﻨَﺎﻩُ ﺍﻟْﺈِﻧﺠِﻴﻞَ ﻭَﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎ ﻓِﻲ ﻗُﻠُﻮﺏِ ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺍﺗَّﺒَﻌُﻮﻩُ ﺭَﺃْﻓَﺔً ﻭَﺭَﺣْﻤَﺔً

“Then We sent Our messengers in their footsteps and followed them with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. We placed in the hearts of those who followed him kindness and mercy.” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:128)

Allah loves kindness in all matters. Believe it, Allah concerns for us because he is kind and merciful. By knowing about that, we as his believers should reflect his kindness by spreading goodness among us. It is important to maintain our prayers by doing good things. How could we close our eyes to seeing evils and badness? Qur’an has also told us not only to pray but also spread kindness.

Here are some  benefits of treating relatives with kindness:

  1. Kind words sweet to the soul and healthy for the body
  2. Kindness means giving gallantly, warding off evil
  3. Kindness is the depth the accuracy in our deeds
  4. Kindness makes you easier to have self-control
  5. Kindness is an outstanding virtue of humanity
  6. Kindness is excellence in work, charity affairs
  7. Kindness is bestowing favour, mercifulness
  8. Kindness is may also mean originality
  9. Kindness is the moment of reflection
  10. Kindness and love of God our Savior 
  11. Kindness forbids us into the hellfire
  12. Kindness is a natural result of faith
  13. Make Du’a for others in private
  14. Allah loves kindness
  15. We need to be kind to parents
  16. Allah will guide us till the ends
  17. We need to be Kind to Children
  18. Kindness forbids us into the Hellfire
  19. Allah rewards kindness with goodness
  20. We get healthier once we spread kindness
  21. Our Prophet told us to be kind to neighbours
  22. We need to be kind to animals and the environment
  23. Allah wishes something to accomplish it excellently

Once you realize that this life is only an exam for you to pass it well,  you will realize that you need to do good things. The realization is something important to achieve because when we already realize that, we will wholeheartedly have kindness upon us. The law of life is getting what we give. So, when we do good things, we receive good things too. Allah says:

مَّنْ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِۦۖ وَمَنْ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيْهَاۗ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّٰمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ

“Whoever does righteousness – it is for his [own] soul, and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants.” (Surah Fussilat 41:46)

When we do kindness, we will have a glimpse of the moment to think and reflect on our deeds while we do good to others. Reflection makes us do better and better good things as possible. When we hear the word “kindness”, what pops up in our mind is only being kind to other people. But actually, being kind is not as limited as that. We need to reflect our kindness to our surroundings, including animals and the environment. Allah says:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

“And of the people (is the one) who sells his self-seeking pleasure (of) Allah. And Allah (is) full of Kindness to His servants.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:207)

Do you remember the story of a thirsty man who filled his shoe with water to feed a thirsty dog? His kindness was rewarded by Allah a forgiven of all of his sins. In Islam, it is also prohibited to hunt animals and cut plants for pleasure. That’s why we need to be kind not only to other people but also to animals and the environment.

Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:

  • “The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness.” (Quran 55:61)
  • “And there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of kindness to (His) devotees.” (Surah Al-Baqara, 207)
  • “Or that He may not call them to account by a process of slow wastage – for thy Lord is indeed full of kindness and mercy.” (Surah An-Nahl, 47)
  • “Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, and that Allah is full of kindness and mercy, (ye would be ruined indeed).” (Surah An-Nur, 20)
  • “Peace be upon you because you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!” (Ar-Rad 13:24)
  • “My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (Surah Al-Isra, 24)

Therefore, we should train ourselves and our children to be kind and gentle in all matters, among the Muslims, among the unbelievers, and even with the animals. We should resist the temptation to indulge in cruelty and savagery. Times will come when must apply justice to criminals, but we have to remember that the opportunity for repentance will remain and even a great tyrant like Pharaoh should be given his portion of kindness. Allah says:

ﻓَﻮَﻳْﻞٌ ﻟِّﻠْﻤُﺼَﻠِّﻴﻦَ ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﻫُﻢْ ﻋَﻦ ﺻَﻠَﺎﺗِﻬِﻢْ ﺳَﺎﻫُﻮﻥَ ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﻫُﻢْ ﻳُﺮَﺍﺀُﻭﻥَ ﻭَﻳَﻤْﻨَﻌُﻮﻥَ ﺍﻟْﻤَﺎﻋُﻮﻥَ

“Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who pray to be seen and withhold small acts of kindness.” (Surah Taha 20:44)

Our prophet already told us that whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment should do good to his neighbour. Far from what He said before, it is a common knowledge of people that Allah has also promised his believer a paradise if they keep doing good deeds. Kindness is one of the good deeds we can do to achieve Allah’s paradise and become the dweller of it forever. Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

“And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:82)

Our prophet, Muhammad, is very kind to children. As his people, Muslims should strive for his compassion for children, especially orphans.  Prophet Muhammad once said, “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children is not one of us.” He also said, “I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this (putting his index and middle finger together).”