Witnesses of Mercy for Peace and Reconciliation

59 WITNESSING MERCY FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIAT ION Dr. Abdulaziz Saud Aldhowaihy Dr. Aldhowaihy is associate professor, Department of Islamic Culture, College of Education, King Saud University. He holds a PhD and a masters degree from Imam Mohammed Bin Saud University on comparative Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic politics. In his posi- tion as professor at the King Saud University, he is key in the supervision and discussion of doctoral and master arbitration and scientific research. He has held executive positions at the King Saud University, and presides at other universities, participating in scientific conferences inside and outside of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Al-Dhowaihy has authored many scientific papers on the Islamic judicial and political systems and has been invited to join a great number of academic committees. He has also been invited to speak at conferences such as the Third International Conference on Religion and Spirituality in Society held in the US in 2013 where he spoke on morals in Islam. He has also spoken on the determinates of prestigious values in Islam as a member of the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations at its annual members’ news and com- mentary event, Civilitas, in 2015. Himself, this saying was with Him: ‘Verily, My mercy predominates My wrath’.” 1 Among the demonstrations of mercy in Islam are the following: God calls for the care of orphans and for good works performed for their benefit through showing acts of charity to help nurture them toward an ideal socialisa- tion, and guiding them through the trials of their orphan years. “And (remember) when we made a covenant with the children of Israel, (saying): “Worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents and to the kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor-due.” Then, after that, ye slid back, save a few of you, being averse.” So did God the exalted, command compassion, mercy and grace toward orphans and urged guardianship for them and protection of their wealth. Among the demonstrations of mercy in Sharia con- cerning the care and supervision of animals, we have a prophetic tradition full of sayings concerning mercy and friendship toward animals, and forbidding harm done to them. The Prophet (PBUH) forbade striking an animal in the face or branding it there. 7 A story from Sahih Muslim tells that “a woman was punished because she had kept a cat tied until it died, and (as a punishment of this offence) she was thrown into hell. She had not provided it with food or drink, and had not freed it so that it could eat the insects of the earth”. In contrast, the Prophet (PBUH) tells of some- one entering heaven because of compassion showed to an animal. “A prostitute saw a dog moving around a well on a hot day and hanging out its tongue because of thirst. She drew water for it in her shoe and she was pardoned (for this act of hers).” 8 In closing, I would like to thank everyone present at this meeting. I invite us to praise God the lord of the universe and ask the blessings of God upon our Prophet Muham- mad, his family and companions. Peace Be unto Them. 1 Sahih Al-Bukhari 2 Sunnah of Al-Trimidhi 3 Al-‘Iraf: 156 4 Ghafir: 7 5 Al-Tirmidhi, which is said to be a valid tradition 6 Surah Baqarah: 83 7 Sahih Muslim 8 Muslim