Empathy, compassion, soft-heartedness and generosity are the molecular building blocks to our existence.
In a culture that celebrates busy-ness, excess, and extroversion as measures of a good life, these qualities are most often overlooked, if not neglected. However these traits are vital, in order to thrive.
We have become a self-obsessed nation, our phones and devices creating an empathy gap; we live in our own little bubble, making it easier for us to walk past without noticing the subtleties around us.
In the story of Sulaiman alai: قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌۭ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ '…an ant warned, 'O ants! Go quickly into your homes so Solomon and his armies do not crush you, unknowingly.' (27:18)
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا So Solomon smiled at her words (27:19)
Sulaiman alai could have easily ignored the ant and just walked over them, crushing them like we do so often in our day unknowingly, but he showed compassion by moving away from it. That seemingly minuscule deed was noble enough that it was mentioned in the Quran, such a simple action that was carried out to a creature, of which he would not receive any benefit from.
Widen your boundary of compassion and empathy. Do it with love and not just because you want something in return. Begin with those closest to you - your family, your daily acquaintances, your friends.
Release any animosity or grudges you have towards them. Help them out whenever you can, be kinder to them, find out their needs. Learn to engage with one another, asking questions, getting curious and trying to understand their perspective rather than dominate conversations. And sometimes, all you need to do is simply listen.
'Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing the himself' - Leo Tolstoy
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, 'The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.' ♥️
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