Page 20 - The Mercy of Believers

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THE MERCY OF BELIEVERS

with their wealth and themselves in the Way of
Allah, and those who have given refuge and help,
they are the friends and protectors of one another…
(Surat al-Anfal: 72)

Believers, whom Allah characterizes as those who
"give refuge", extend their help to those who, leaving
everything they owned behind, take refuge with them, al-
though they had no prior acquaintance with them.
Neither the wealth, nor the status, nor the occupations of
the refugees have any importance for them, since they
only help because they say they have faith in Allah.
Leaving this aside, they have no expectations from them,
whether immediate or long-term. Their purpose is to earn
Allah's approval and therefore, they expect their rewards
only from Allah.
The support provided by believers to those emigrants
is a sign of their elevated morality and understanding of
mercy. Yet, they essentially display this morality because
it is a command of Allah. This obligation of believers is re-
lated in the following verse:
Let not those of you who possess affluence and
ample wealth ever become remiss in helping (the
erring ones among) their relatives and the very poor
and those who have migrated in the way of Allah.
They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you
not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-
Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur: 22)
In compliance with this command of Allah, believers
accept those who flee their homes as their "brothers" and
demonstrate a deep compassion for them. They share all