Empathy in Islam
Is empathy encouraged in Islam? Absolutely! Consider this Qur’anic verse about our beloved Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Salam.
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.”
[Qur’an: Chapter 9, Verse 128]
Our Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Salam. would always feel our suffering and is praised by Allah for his empathetic nature. The Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Salam. himself also encouraged us to feel empathy for each other, he was reported to have said:
“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.”
[Bukhari]
This Qur’an describes believers as those who practice compassion, which is a form of empathy that moves one to help others.
“And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass? It is the freeing of a slave, or feeding on a day of severe hunger, an orphan of near relationship, or a needy person in misery. And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.”
[Qur’an: Chapter 90, Verses 12-17]
One account of the Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Sallam’s empathy in action is when he was sitting in with his companions one morning, and members of a miserable tribe approached them. They had no shoes and their skin was stuck to their bones because of hunger. The Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Salam became instantly moved upon seeing their condition and the color of his face changed. He had Bilal give the call to prayer and gathered his companions. After praying, they took up a collection for the tribe, generously helping them.
[Muslim]
The Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Salam even had care and empathy for animals. Once, upon entering a garden, the Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Sallam saw a camel that was just skin and bones. Upon seeing it, Rasulullah Salallahu'alaihis Sallam the camel began crying, then he put his hand on its head until it was comforted. He said to the owner of that camel: “Don’t you fear Allah about this beast that Allah has given in your possession? It has complained to me that you keep it hungry and load it heavily which fatigues it.”
[Abu Dawud]
There is also the famous hadith about the Prophet’s empathy for mothers in the masjid, that was narrated by Anas bin Mali RA;
“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I start prayer and I want to make it long, but then I hear an infant crying, so I make my prayer short, because I know the distress caused to the mother by his crying.’”
[Ibn Majah]
