Longing for Mercy

Fatima was all alone for Eid al-Adha, and her loneliness felt like more than she could bear. Her loneliness was all her fault, wasn’t it? 

Fatima remembered how fiercely she had argued with her father about marrying Ahmed. She was young and in love. How could her father say no? When she ran away to marry Ahmed, her father said she should never return.

She thought she would be able to bear the shame because of her love for Ahmed. But soon, she had to admit that her father had been right. Ahmed was not the man she thought she fell in love with. He left her for another woman.

Fatima felt ashamed of herself. She believed she had met justice and was paying her account. She understood justice well. But oh, how her heart longed for mercy!

The Most Gracious and Most Merciful

If we are honest, we have all made blunders and ignored the voice of wisdom. We have offended others. Others have offended us. Our communities are made of people who make mistakes. And how hard it is to forgive each other and ourselves!

Is There Mercy for Our Mistakes?

Think of how many times you have repeated the simple phrase “bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem”—“in the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Gracious.” What is so special about mercy?

Perhaps it is because our communities—and our own hearts—need mercy so much.

Mercy: The Better Path

Some years ago, a man named Abdul-Rahman fought with and killed his neighbor Kareem. Life came to a standstill for both families in this small Egyptian village. Kareem’s family sought revenge, while Abdul-Rahman’s family fearfully tried to protect him. Abdul-Rahman didn’t want the cycle of revenge to continue. He asked the village leaders for counsel, and they recommended the ritual of the death shroud.

Abdul-Rahman brought his own white burial shroud and placed a knife on top. He walked to meet Kareem’s family in the marketplace, as the whole village watched. Abdul-Rahman knelt in front of Habib, the victim’s brother, and offered the shroud and the knife. He asked for mercy and reconciliation.

Habib placed the knife against Abdul-Rahman’s neck. The village leaders brought a sheep, and Habib had to make his decision: mercy or revenge? As he held the knife against Abdul-Rahman’s neck, his actions declared, “I have you in my power now. All eyes are seeing this; everyone knows that I have the right to kill you and the ability to do so. But I choose mercy and reconciliation. I will end the blood feud.”

He turned from Abdul-Rahman and slaughtered the sheep instead. When the rush of pain, anger, and justice had been absorbed by the animal, Habib embraced Abdul-Rahman. Peace between the two families was restored.

If human beings can find ways to combine justice with mercy, certainly God can do the same!

Jesus the Messiah: The Mercy from God

Where can we learn about God’s mercy? It is very easy. You have probably heard that Jesus the Messiah (also known as Isa al-Masih) is called the “Mercy” from God. This means that he completely embodies mercy. His Way—his teachings in the Gospels, which are also known as the Injeel—this is the path of forgiveness and reconciliation. 

Jesus the Messiah can fulfill such a wonderful role because he is the only one sent by God who is completely sinless. Every prophet and holy messenger needed forgiveness for their mistakes, but not Jesus the Messiah. He was taken directly to heaven instead of waiting for the Day of Judgment because he never made a mistake—not even a tiny one.

For this reason he is called the Mercy from God. He gave us an example of pure mercy and taught how to receive God’s mercy.

How Can Jesus the Messiah Help Me?

It is recorded that John the Baptist (also known as Yahya) saw Jesus the Messiah in a crowd and, under inspiration from God, cried out, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (the Gospels, John 1:29). Jesus the Messiah is like the sheep who made a way of reconciliation for Abdul-Rahman. 

If we are punished for our mistakes, this is justice. But Jesus the Messiah, who was entirely sinless, volunteered to take responsibility for our mistakes. No one forced him. He willingly took death upon himself to answer the demand for justice. He was the only completely innocent person who ever lived, and yet he allowed himself to be treated like the sheep in Abdul-Rahman’s story. This is why, after he suffered for us, God raised him up to heaven. 

Maybe you have conflict in your life. Maybe you’re like Fatima, cast away by the ones you love. Maybe you’ve been hurt by someone, or your reputation has been unfairly damaged. Maybe you’re like Abdul-Rahman, guilty and afraid of retaliation.

Jesus the Messiah can help. You can simply make a short supplication like this:

Oh Lord, I can never compensate for my sins. But I know You sent Jesus the Messiah as Your Mercy to us. Please forgive me because of the good deed that he did for all humankind. Help me understand the way of Jesus the Messiah so I can experience Your mercy in my life. Amen.

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