Mercy (part 3)

“Moses, when tending [his father-in-law] Jethro’s flock in the wilderness, proved himself a tender shepherd. He was not above carrying a little lamb that ran away in its search for water on his shoulder back to the flock. God said, ‘This tender shepherd of man's flock shall be the shepherd of my own flock.’” (Exodus Rabbah 2, 2)

Tziporah:
This biographical sketch of Moses the shepherd is found in a collection of classical midrashim, or legends, written in the 9th-11th centuries. When I read Yasmina’s post about the Prophet Mohammed, this story immediately came to mind. In particular, the verse of Quran describing Mohammed himself as “a mercy to all creatures” struck me as so similar to the rabbinic sages’ description of Moses’ compassion toward the lamb. How can a prophet or leader, a teacher or parent, relate to God’s creatures except with mercy and lovingkindness? Without these qualities, he or she would surely fail. One of the 99 names of God that I have studied with Yasmina is ‘Al Rabb, the Master, Lord, Nurturer or Sustainer. God nurtures His creatures through eloquent guidance and educational discipline, signs and tests. Similarly, God nurtured Moses, offering divine guidance and signs, as well as discipline and tests, including the test of the runaway lamb described in this legend. The etymology of ‘Al Rabb is akin that of the Hebrew word HaRav, the master or teacher, an honorific that the rabbis bestow upon Moses. A striking parallel in our religious traditions is the extent to which our prophets are a shining reflection of the divine attribute of mercy.

Mercy (continued)

Dear Readers,

Please add your comments to Grace’s response below. We hope this new format of posting
each writer’s response separately will enable you to join our conversation more easily. My response will appear next Wednesday. Until then, we look forward to hearing from you, Tziporah

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (The Gospel of Matthew 5:7)

Grace:

I am grateful, Yasmina, for your words about the Prophet Mohammed, for I agree that misconceptions about him, his teachings, and his followers can only lead to fears and misgivings that create barriers where bridges are needed. Mohammed’s teachings about women will surely surprise many Christians, including some who fail to see that even the Apostle Paul (who is commonly viewed as misogynistic) admonished husbands to “love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her.” (Ephesians 5:25) The concept of mercy lies, too, at the very heart of Christian teaching. For example, in the beloved Parable of the Good Samaritan, one’s neighbor is defined as “the one who showed mercy.” (The Gospel of Luke 10:37) Similarly, this biblical verse virtually mirrors the Hadith you cite: “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others.” (James 2:13a) Our three religious traditions are different from one another in particularity. Yet, whether it is through Moses, Jesus, or Mohammed that our gaze is directed to God, we come to discover a universal truth that love of God and the manifestation of God’s love for us is not complete until we can express that love for one another, for all people everywhere, and, as Mohammed emphasized, for all of God’s creation.

Mercy

Dear Readers, please join our conversation by commenting on Yasmina's explanation of this verse of Quran, written in honor of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammed [Peace and Blessings be upon him]. Tziporah & Grace will be responding in the coming weeks.

“We sent thee [O Muhammad] not but as a Mercy to all creatures.” (al-Anbiya 21:107)

Yasmina:

Not bound by time, not limited to a group, not restricted to humans; this short verse describes the prophet of Islam [Peace and Blessings be upon him] as a Mercy that is manifested in the Book he was given and in his example, which Muslims seek to emulate.  The occasion of his day of birth more than 1,400 years ago is an opportunity to contemplate the meanings of that mercy.  Misunderstood by many today, his teachings challenged the modes of conduct fourteen centuries ago; but the issues he condemned and the actions he praised are still relevant today. Among these issues are the treatment of women and stewardship of the environment. From the beginning, he stressed to the men of his time that “The best among you is the one who is best to his wife”1 and reinforced the need for stewardship of the earth through the teachings of the Quran. When asked, “Messenger of God, will we have a reward on account of animals? He answered: “There is a reward on account of every living thing.”2 Most of all, his emphasis was on the importance of good character, clearly indicating that dealing with people in an honorable manner is a means for acquiring the Mercy of God: “God will not show mercy to a person who does not show mercy to other people.”3

---

1 Muslim: Hadith 3466

2 Bukhari: Hadith 378

3 Bukhari: Hadith 375