He has also coupled mercy with patience, as in His words, Most High:

“And urge one another to patience and urge one another to compassion.”

Mercy includes kindness to creation through zakat and other means. Here, too, there is a fourfold division. Some people are patient but show no mercy, such as those marked by strength and hardness. Others show mercy but lack patience, such as those marked by weakness and gentleness, including many women and those who resemble them. Others have neither patience nor mercy, such as those marked by hardness and panic. The praiseworthy person is the one who is both patient and merciful.

As the jurists have said concerning the qualities of a person entrusted with authority: he should be strong without harshness and gentle without weakness. Through patience he is strong, and through gentleness he shows mercy. Through patience the servant is granted victory, for victory comes with patience; and through mercy Allah Most High shows him mercy. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allah shows mercy only to those of His servants who are merciful.”

He also said:

“Whoever shows no mercy will be shown no mercy.”

And he said:

“Mercy is stripped away only from a wretched person. The Most Merciful shows mercy to those who are merciful. Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in heaven will show mercy to you.”

Allah knows best. End.