The Principles of Prophetic Education (5): “Instill Love and Compassion!”
In the perspective of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) towards life and existence, love and compassion are very prominent and defining principles. As he was sent as a mercy to the worlds, especially to humanity, he built all his interactions and relationships—ranging from family life to neighborly relations, from his efforts in conveying the message and guiding others to social and administrative affairs—on the foundation of love and compassion. In this sense, love and compassion also form the core of his educational and teaching activities. He was a teacher who transformed life in all its dimensions into a haven of love and kindness.
The Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent as a mercy not just to believers, but to all worlds. 1 Mercy is a phenomenon that arises from a blend of love, care, and effort. Its reflection upon the world is seen in selfless service. This is why, as the Qur’an states, the common declaration of all prophets has been:
“I do not ask you for any reward for my message or service. My reward is only with God.” 2
This selflessness is a clear expression and reflection of the deep love they felt for humanity. Those who love do not expect anything in return for their actions on behalf of the ones they love.
The Last Prophet Who Loved Humanity from the Heart: Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Qur’an acknowledges and highlights the deep love, concern, and mercy that the Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him) felt for humanity, revealing his sensitivity and devotion with these words: “O Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), you are about to consume yourself with grief because they do not believe.” 3
Thus, someone who does not love cannot show interest, offer compassion, endure their counterpart, or give their heart and life for others. Mere love without interest and effort holds no value. True love and mercy are the essence of education and teaching; one who does not love people unconditionally cannot fully fulfill the role of a teacher. Even if they try, they will not succeed in every aspect. They might show how to build a better world but fail to illuminate the path to eternal life.
In this sense, love for humanity for the sake of God is the spirit of education. The deep love for humanity in the heart of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and his compassionate and merciful attitude were the greatest reasons why even his fiercest enemies opened their hearts to Islam in just 23 short years. With this selfless love, he dissolved the hatred, anger, vengeance, and hostility in the hearts of those he encountered and won a place in their hearts.
His statement, “The best of people and the most beloved to God are those who are most beneficial to humanity,” 4 is another expression of this universal love. By calling believers to be of benefit to all of humanity, it clearly shows that he loved, embraced, and cared for all people.
A Teacher-Student Relationship Based on Love
The relationship between the Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him), sent as a teacher to humanity, and his first students, the Companions, was founded on love and compassion. The Qur’an describes him in this context, saying:
“A Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has come to you from among yourselves; your suffering distresses him; he is deeply concerned for you and full of kindness and mercy towards the believers.” 5 Thus, the Prophet did not simply love the believers; as a natural result of this love, he cared for them with the tenderness of a father. While educating and nurturing them, he approached them with love and compassion. Even in the most difficult times, the Qur’an testifies that he treated them gently with the vast mercy that God placed in his heart. 6
As a teacher, just as he loved his students, they too loved him more than their own lives. As the Beloved of God and the Prophet of Love, he planted seeds of love in their hearts. The affection, attention, and respect he received were the fruits of the deep love he had sown. They loved their teacher more than anything and listened to him with utmost attentiveness, striving to follow his way. They loved him so deeply that they never hesitated to obey his commands and prohibitions wholeheartedly. Indeed, the natural outcome and most obvious sign of loving the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was living according to his Sunnah.
Never Has There Been a Student Who Loved Their Teacher So Much!
Education is a matter of the heart and love. A teacher is someone who, with love and compassion, opens the doors of hearts and wins a place in people’s souls. In this regard, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was an unparalleled example to follow.
One day, a Companion from the Ansar came to visit the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), I love you more than myself, my family, and my wealth. When I think of you, I cannot bear it, and I come to see you immediately. But when I think about your death and my own death, I realize that when you enter Paradise, you will be with the prophets in the highest ranks. I fear that even if I enter Paradise, I will not be able to see you there.” He poured out his heart and then sat aside, filled with sadness. Soon after, a verse was revealed to the Prophet: “Whoever obeys God and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) will be with those upon whom God has bestowed favor: the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And what excellent companions they are!”.
The Prophet called the Companion and shared the good news with him through this verse, relieving him of the burning worry in his heart. 7
He Also Encouraged People to Love One Another
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not only love people and treat them with mercy; he also taught them to love one another. He linked this concept directly to the perfection of faith, saying: “By Him in whose hand my soul is, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another.”
He even provided guidance on how they could foster this love: “Shall I tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves!” 8
The love he encouraged among them was not an ordinary kind of affection but one that followed immediately after the love for God and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and it was essential for experiencing the true sweetness of faith. 9 However, according to the Prophet, this love had to be purely for the sake of God: “One of the most virtuous deeds is to love or hate someone solely for the sake of God.” 10
Such love is free from selfish desires or egotism. Therefore, a believer loves their fellow believers and their brothers and sisters in humanity solely for the sake of God, expecting the reward for this love only from Him.
While teaching humanity about love, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave it as mere words; he connected it with faith and emphasized that it should manifest in life through empathy and compassion in personal relationships. He said: “None of you truly believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.” 11 We understand the meaning of this even more clearly from what he said to the respected Abu Hurayra: “Love for people what you love for yourself, and you will be a true believer.” 12 This reflects that a person’s heart is free from deceit, lies, cheating, envy, and other evils toward others and instead is filled with brotherhood, love, compassion, and mercy.
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) built an exemplary society and civilization with a sense of love and brotherhood that was previously unknown. One of the principles he taught his community is to be like the parts of a single body: “Believers, in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion, are like one body. When one part of the body is in pain, the entire body shares in that pain, remaining sleepless and restless.” 13
For this reason, the Prophet commanded Muslims to develop their relationships in every field based on love and its various manifestations—respect, tolerance, peace, compassion, mutual assistance in goodness, and cooperation. 14 He also instructed them to share their struggles and conduct their affairs through consultation. In fact, to strengthen love and brotherhood, he recommended that those who love one another for the sake of God should inform each other of this love, making it a part of his Sunnah. 15
Showing Love and Compassion to Other Living Beings
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) not only taught love for God, His messengers, and fellow humans but also instilled a sense of love, compassion, and respect for animals and all other creatures. He emphasized the importance of caring for their rights. Indeed, those who are deprived of the ability to love their environment, nature, and all living and non-living things cannot truly love what should be loved most. At the core of creation lies love and mercy. The universe as a whole is bound together by love and compassion. A lack of love or feelings of hatred toward anything in nature, apart from harmful qualities, conflicts with the innate love that God has placed in human nature and eventually leads to its corruption.
In this sense, humans should love the animals in nature. (You can read more about the Prophet’s sensitivity in treating animals in detail.) Animals are both a manifestation of God’s names and attributes, serving as works of art that reflect His greatness, and they are entrusted to human beings, fulfilling important roles in maintaining ecological balance. According to the Qur’an, animals also form communities:
“There is no creature that moves on the earth, nor a bird that flies with its wings, except that they form communities like yours…” 16
In addition to their right to live, animals also have rights to love and compassion. Just as they must not violate each other’s rights, humans must also refrain from infringing upon their rights. On the Day of Resurrection, they too will be resurrected, 17 and the hornless sheep will take its right from the horned sheep, 18 and humans will be held accountable for any oppression they inflicted upon them. Likewise, they will be rewarded for any kindness and compassion they showed. When a Companion asked, “O Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), is there a reward for the good we do to animals?” the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “There is reward in doing good to every living being that has a moist liver (i.e., every living creature)”. This highlights the importance of treating all creatures with kindness. 19
On many occasions, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions to show love and compassion toward animals and all living beings. He emphasized that such treatment was not only commendable but also rewarded in the sight of God.
After completing the burial of his deceased mother, Sa’d ibn Ubada came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked, “Can I give charity on behalf of my deceased mother?” The Prophet replied, “Yes, you can.” Sa’d then inquired, “What is the best and most valuable charity I can give on her behalf?” The Prophet responded, “Providing water for humans and animals.” 20
By including animals in the answer, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught a timeless lesson to humanity about caring for and protecting all living beings, addressing a question that would resonate with every believer until the end of time.
In summary, one of the universal principles the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave his followers to instill love and mercy was this: “The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth, and the One above the heavens will have mercy on you.” 21
Conclusion
One of the names of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), who was sent as a mercy to the worlds and as a teacher, is “al-Habib.” 22 Habib means “the one who loves and is loved.” The fact that this name was given to him, and that he is referred to as “Habibullah” (the Beloved of God), clearly shows that his path of preaching, guidance, and education was entirely based on love. As the poet eloquently puts it, “From love, Muhammad was born; without Muhammad, what would love yield?” Those who understand that love is the essence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will embark on their journey with love, constantly speaking of love, sitting with love, rising with love, and breathing love and compassion in everything they do.
Therefore, mothers, fathers, teachers, and spiritual guides who follow and love the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) must constantly instill love and compassion in those they teach, blocking the path to violence from the very beginning. They should raise their children and students to be warriors of love and mercy, devoted to spreading these values throughout their lives.
Author: Dr. Selim Koç
Footnotes:
1.Al-Anbiya, 21:107
2.Ash-Shu’ara, 26:109
3.Ash-Shu’ara, 26:3; Fatir, 35:8; Al-Kahf, 18:6
4.Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat (5787, see also 6026)
5.At-Tawbah, 9:128
6.See Al Imran, 3:159
7.Qadi ‘Iyad, Ash-Shifa, II/18; Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat, I/152
8.Muslim, Iman 93, 94; Tirmidhi, At’ima 45
9.See Bukhari, (6941)
10.Abu Dawud, Sunnah (4599)
11.Bukhari, Iman 6; Muslim, Iman 71; Tirmidhi, Sifat al-Qiyamah 59
12.Tirmidhi, Zuhd 2; Ibn Majah, Zuhd 24
13.Bukhari, Adab 26, 27; Muslim, Birr 66
14.See Bukhari, Iman 7, Mazalim 3, Adab 57; Muslim, Dhikr 38, Birr 32, 58; Tirmidhi, Birr 18
15.See Tirmidhi, 2392; Abu Dawud, 5125
16.Al-An’am, 6:38
17.See At-Takwir, 81:5
18.See Muslim, 2582; Musnad, II/363 (8741); Haythami, Zawaid, X/352
19.Bukhari, Musaqat (1094), Wudu 33, Mazalim 23, Adab 27; Muslim, Salam (2244)
20.Nasa’i, Wills 9; Ibn Majah, Adab; Musnad, V/284
21.Abu Dawud, Adab 66; Tirmidhi, Birr 16
22.See Tirmidhi, Manaqib 1; Darimi, Introduction 8
