Week 3 Day 1

I am meditating on the Bismillah – Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim. This week I want to reflect on the phrase ir-Rahim. Both rahman and rahim are derived from the Semitic root rhm, which signifies the womb and nourishing-tenderness and loving-kindness. According to Ibn Qayyum (1350 AD), rahman describes the quality of limitless grace with which God embraces the whole of the world and all of those who dwell in it, while rahim describes the general embracing grace of God as it interacts with us in the particular circumstances of our lives, always proactive, prevenient, responsive.

Week 3 Day 2

Nora Amath, from AMARAH, says that ‘God opens almost every chapter of the Qu’ran with those very words: “Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Rahiim”, most commonly translated as “The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful”. As Muslims, we need to deeply reflect on the significance of this, because out of His 99 Most Glorious Attributes, these are the 2 that God refers to Himself the most in His Revelation. “He is the Lord of mercy, the Giver of mercy” (Quran 59: 22). There are many verses in the Quran where Allah (SWT) emphasises this: “My mercy encompasses all.” (Quran 7:156)’.

Week 3 Day 3

Once you realise that you are immersed in the ‘ocean’ of God’s endless providential compassion and that His ‘mercy encompasses all’, you can learn to ‘float in it’. To float you don’t have to do anything – but let go. ‘Floating is putting your full weight on the water trusting you will always be supported.’ The sea of mercy will support you. The confidence you need to have in order to let go  – and float in the ocean of God’s mercy – comes from letting God’s mercy wash over you, soaking in the scriptural assurances of His mercy, and living in them, ‘not simply trying to believe them’.[1]

Week 3 Day 4

My friend Nora says ‘in one of the traditions, the Prophet Muhammad states: “Those who have no mercy on other human beings will not receive the mercy of God”. She says ‘it is important to note that in this hadith the word used is nas, that is ‘people’, not just Muslims or believers of Islam’. She says ‘Abdullah bin Umro bin Aas, reports that the Prophet (SWS) said: “Have mercy on those who are on earth, the One in heavens will have mercy on you”.’ (Tirmidhi). She says that ‘the mercy needs to extend to all “those who are on earth” including animals and all living things’.

Week 3 Day 5

Lets remember the Mercy Rule in all religions. Jainism: ‘One who neglects existence disregards their own existence’. Taoism: ‘Regard your neighbour’s loss or gain as your own.’ Hinduism: ‘Never do to others what would pain you’. Buddhism: ‘Hurt not others with that which hurts yourself.’ Zoroastrianism: ‘Do not to others what is not well for oneself.‘ Confucianism: ‘Do not impose on others what you do not yourself desire’. Judaism: ‘What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour.’ Bahai: ‘Desire not for anyone the things you do not desire for yourself’. Christianity ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. ‘Islam: ‘Do unto all people as you would they should do to you.’ And Sikhism: ‘Treat others as you would be treated yourself.’

Week 3 Day 6

Jesus said ‘learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”.’ (Matt.9:13) ‘If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the innocent.’ (Matt.12:7) ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’. (Luke 6:36-38)

Week 3 Day 7

One day the teachers of the law brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. They said to Jesus, “Teacher, the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” He said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One at a time they all went away. Jesus asked her, “Is there no one to condemn you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Neither do I.” Jesus said. “Go and do not do it again.” Thus the prophet Jesus prohibited stoning. (John 8:1-12) We must abolish stoning. http://www.ishr.org/Abolish-Stoning-Worldwide.784.0.html