Having Empathy and Concern Over Others’ Wellbeing

The unique characteristic of the Qur’an is that, because it is from Allah Who Knows what is in all our hearts, the Qur’an also describes the psychology and inner thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a characteristic not available in other books or biographies and neither one that you won’t be able to observe even if you were a companion of the Prophet together with him. Here Allah describes the Prophet’s feelings over others when they turn away from his guidance, in surah Al-Kahf, verse 6 :

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا

“Perhaps, you would kill yourself (O Muhammad ﷺ) in grief over their footsteps (when they turn away from you), because they do not have faith/belief in this narration (the Qur’an).”

This is also mirrored in surah ash-Shu’ara verse 3 and in surah Fatir verse 8 :

أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ فَرَآهُ حَسَنًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَاتٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

“Is he, the one who views his evil deeds and considers them to be good (equal to the one who is rightly guided)?

Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So do not destroy yourself in sorrow for them. Truly, Allah is the All-Knower of what they do”

Allah here is narrating to us the feelings of grief the Prophet felt when people do not have faith or perform righteousness.

This teaches us a very important sunnah as a believer, in having genuine concern over others’ wellbeing, especially with regards to their religion. Even though we will not bear the burdens and are not accountable over others’ sins and wrongdoings, we should have a genuine feeling of empathy over wanting them to be guided, wanting to save them from the Hellfire, wanting them to also be entitled for the Mercy of Allah with Paradise in the Hereafter.

Many of us today, we make some effort to give da’wah, deliver a message, share some knowledge, but when we a rejected, we give up and justify to ourselves, that “okay I’ve done my part”.

Imagine if you see person who is walking towards a pit of fire below; that person cannot see or perceive the fire, but you can see it. The believer should not only save himself, but to endeavour and try his level best to save that person; not just give up and let him walk into the fire after a few warnings.

This is essentially the way of life which drives the message of surah Al-‘Asr

“(I swear) By the Time. Verily, mankind is truly in a state of constant loss. Except : those who believe, and work righteousness, and continuously enjoin others towards truth, and enjoin others with patience and perserverence”

May Allah make us amongst those who develop concern and empathy over others to continuously enjoin others towards righteousness and good.

Reminder: recite surah Al-Kahf today.

من قرأ سورة الكهف يوم الجمعة أضاءله من النور ما بين الجمعتين

“Whomsoever recites surah Al-Kahf on the Day of Friday, will be given a light between the two Fridays (i.e. until the following Friday)”

(Narrated by Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqi. Graded “hasan” by ibn Hajar and “sahih” in Sahih Al-Jami’ Al-Albani)