Page 54 - The Mercy of Believers

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THE MERCY OF BELIEVERS

would no doubt debar one, who had made wickedness a
way of life, from taking advantage of believers' compas-
sion and good values. In such a case, a believer knows
that true compassion entails not only forgiveness but also
exhortations to be sincere and honest and to go in fear of
Allah, all of which expresses his compassion in a more
appropriate way.

Helping One Another in Goodness and
Piety

Believers show their compassion by encouraging one
another to engage in such deeds as would be most likely
to earn Allah's blessing. They know that true compassion
requires supporting one another in such a way as to be-
come people worthy of the Garden. In that respect, they
do their best to make up for each others' mistakes and
shortcomings. Such cooperation is also what Allah and
Qur'anic morality enjoin. The limits of such cooperation
is specified in the Qur'an as follows:
…Help each other to goodness and heedfulness. Do
not help each other to wrongdoing and enmity. Heed
Allah. Allah is severe in retribution. (Surat al-
Ma'ida: 2)

As is also expressed in the above verse, believers' not
helping one another in " wrongdoing and enmity" is an-
other manifestation of true compassion. When someone
asks help for same wicked aim, they do not behave igno-
rantly and say, "I might offend them" or "It would be im-
proper not to help" because they know that even if the
wrongdoer is frustrated by a refusal of help at that point,