Central Khutbah: “The Mercy of Allah – An Inspiration for the Believers”

Brothers and sisters, Allah the Most High says in the Quran:
“But My mercy encompasses all things. So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakat and those who believe in Our signs.” (Al-A’raf, 156).

This verse reminds us of the infinite mercy of Allah that pervades everything in existence. Allah’s mercy extends to both believers and non-believers, to the righteous and the unrighteous. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“If the believer knew the severity of Allah’s punishment, he would never hope to enter Paradise, and if the disbeliever knew the vastness of Allah’s mercy, he would never despair of entering Paradise.” (Muslim).

Another narration transmitted by Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that Allah has written in His Book:
“My mercy prevails over My wrath.” (Bukhari).
Through this message, Allah teaches us that His mercy surpasses His anger and that the doors of His mercy remain ever open for those who sincerely repent.

The mercy of Allah toward His servants manifests in countless blessings. He forgives sins, delays punishment, and rejoices in the repentance of His servants, even though He has no need of the worlds. His mercy encompasses all realms, the heavens and the earth, and every being within them feels His blessings. Allah loves us, as revealed in the Quran:
“And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate.” (Hud, 90).

Allah’s mercy is also evident through the angels who bear His Throne and continuously seek forgiveness for the believers:
“Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.” (Al-Ghafir, 7).

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya highlights the signs of Allah’s mercy through the wonders of the world around us. He explains that Allah, in His mercy, sent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a guide for humanity, taught us what we did not know, saved us from misguidance, and directed us to the path of salvation. By His mercy, Allah provided the sun for warmth, the moon for light, the rain that nourishes crops, and countless other blessings. Allah has granted us love and compassion for one another and made us interdependent, ensuring the survival of our world.

One of the greatest signs of Allah’s mercy is that He has shared it among all His creations. It is narrated that Allah created one hundred portions of mercy but sent down only one portion to the earth. This single portion is the source of the love, compassion, and empathy that exist among all creatures.

Brothers and sisters, let us remember the sublime words of the Exalted in Surah Ar-Rahman:
“The Most Merciful. He taught the Quran. He created man. He taught him eloquence.” (verses 1-4).

Through these words, we see that the creation and education of humanity are direct results of Allah’s mercy. It is no surprise that the scholar Hassan al-Basri said:
“I would not wish for my fate on the Day of Judgment to be entrusted to my own mother, despite her love for me, for Allah’s mercy toward me is far greater than my mother’s love for me.”

We implore Allah to envelop us in His mercy, forgive us our sins, and include us among those with whom He is pleased. Amin.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on November 15, 2024, at the “Association Islamique et Culturelle Al-Rahma” in Differdange)