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Mercy

Prophet Muhammad

مُحَمَّد

The Messenger of Allah, a mercy to all the worlds, whose light gathered the lost back to their Lord.

Who they are

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

The final Prophet, born in Makkah, raised an orphan, entrusted with the Qur'an. He carried the heaviest burden with the gentlest heart — patient with the harsh, kind to the small, forgiving to those who wounded him. His character was the Qur'an walking among people.

What can they teach my heart today?

Mercy in small moments

Where today can you be the softer voice in a hard conversation? Choose one moment to respond with mercy instead of reflex.

Family

Family connections

Son of ʿAbdullah and Lady Aminah. Raised by his grandfather ʿAbd al-Muttalib and his uncle Abu Talib. Married Lady Khadijah, the first to believe in him. Father of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (ع), through whom the line of the Imams continues.

Timeline

Major life events

  1. 570 CE
    Born in Makkah, the Year of the Elephant
  2. 610 CE
    First revelation in the Cave of Hira'
  3. 622 CE
    Hijrah to Madinah
  4. 10 AH
    Event of Ghadir Khumm — appointment of Imam Ali (ع)
  5. 11 AH
    Returned to his Lord in Madinah
Sayings

Important narrations

The most beloved of you to me, and the closest to me on the Day of Judgement, are those who are best in character.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi · also in al-Kafi
I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.
Mustadrak al-Hakim · widely transmitted
None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Bihar al-Anwar
Whispered prayers

Duas connected to them

Salawat

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

Established in many Shia and Sunni sources

In the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt

Their light in the Book of Allah

He is the recipient of the Qur'an, and 'a beautiful example' (33:21). The verse of mawaddah (42:23) commands love for his family. The Qur'an describes him as 'a mercy to the worlds' (21:107).

Ayat al-Tathir · the Verse of Purification
Surah al-Ahzab 33:33

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا

Allah only wishes to remove all impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you with a thorough purification.

Allah testifies to the purity of the Ahlulbayt (ع). The grammar shifts in the middle of the verse — singling them out — and the Prophet ﷺ gathered Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn (peace be upon them) under his cloak when this was revealed.

· Hadith al-Kisa' — al-Hakim, Mustadrak; Muslim, Sahih (book of virtues); al-Tirmidhi.· Bihar al-Anwar · ʿUyun Akhbar al-Rida — extended Shia narrations.
Read the tafsir
Ayat al-Mawaddah · the Verse of Love
Surah al-Shura 42:23

قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ

Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it except love of those near of kin.

The Prophet ﷺ asks for no payment for his message — only that the Ummah love his near family. Love for the Ahlulbayt (ع) is the reward of prophethood.

· Tafsir al-Tabari; al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur — Sunni sources naming Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn.· al-Kafi · Bihar al-Anwar.
Read the tafsir
Ayat al-Mubahalah · the Verse of Mutual Imploration
Surah Aal ʿImran 3:61

فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمْ

Whoever disputes with you about it after the knowledge that has come to you — say: come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our selves and yourselves…

When the Christians of Najran came to debate, the Prophet ﷺ brought only Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn (ع). 'Our sons' = Hasan and Husayn. 'Our women' = Fatima. 'Our selves' = Ali, who in the Qur'an is called the Prophet's own self.

· Sahih Muslim — narrated by Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas.· Tafsir al-Razi; al-Zamakhshari, al-Kashshaf — extended Sunni tafsir.
Read the tafsir
Places

Important places

  • Makkah · birthplace
  • Cave of Hira'
  • Madinah · al-Masjid al-Nabawi
For little hearts

A lesson for children

The Prophet ﷺ never raised his voice in anger at a child, and let children climb on his back in prayer. Kindness to the small is the way of the greatest.

Sources

With gratitude

  • Qur'an
  • Nahj al-Balagha
  • al-Kafi
  • Bihar al-Anwar
  • al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah
A gentle hand

Continue Your Journey

A gentle hand

Continue Your Journey

Soft suggestions to keep walking quietly, at your own pace.