In Friday’s sermon the representative of the Shia Muslim Supreme Religious Authority, sheikh Abdul-Mehdi Elkerbela’i, delivered at the Imam Hussain Shrine on June 7, 2019, he talked about the principle of mercy and humanity and the role of humanitarian, mutual compassion in the society.
Elkerbela’i said Quran stresses mercy; an important ethical principle, and mentions this concept more than 300 times, which indicates the great significance of this principle, noting that God has numerous names and attributes most of which are based on mercy, compassion, sympathy, and kindness towards His worshippers.
He also said mercy is one of the attributes of the prophets, apostles, and the righteous, citing a verse from the Noble Quran, which says: “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds,” citing another verse about the companions of the Prophet, which says: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.”
Elkerbela’i indicated that people need each other, for life is based on cooperation and kindness that emerge from mercy; this is what verses from the Noble Quran and prophetic speeches stress, citing a prophetic speech: “God shows has no mercy upon those who don’t show mercy to others,” and “God has mercy upon the merciful.”
“One of the types of mercy is to show mercy to oneself by preventing themselves from committing sins to avoid God’s discontent and from vices," adding that every human self tends to do evil, and one must protect themselves from such tendency.
One of the heinous crimes committed against oneself, Elkerbela’i mentioned, is committing suicide and preventing oneself from the right to live life, as it is nowadays common – such a phenomenon reflects human cruelty.
He noted that such issues arise due to a lack of care; people and governmental organizations ought to build up people psychologically, but they are preoccupied with academic, materialistic, and living matters, noting that academic and scientific matters are essential, but there has to be a balance.
He called for exercising mercy in the system of life, especially in politics; officials in power must be merciful and work for their country’s interests. In addition, Elkerbela’i said mercy must be exercised by children toward their parents and siblings and vice versa, condemning the cruelty of some fathers who torture their children.
Elkerbela’i concluded, calling on people to show mercy to the aged parents whose children have neglected them, to the brothers whose eldest brother exercises cruelty towards them, and to the married couples and the rest of the society, citing a prophetic saying: “The example of believers in regard to mutual kindness, affection, sympathy is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches with sleeplessness and fever.”
Editing: Wela Esseffar
Translation: Mohammed Elobaidi
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