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As for the claim that “mercy is weakness and frailty in one’s nature, and suffering pain on account of the one shown mercy,” it is false.

First, weakness and frailty are blameworthy in human beings, whereas mercy is praiseworthy. Allah Most High says:

“and counsel one another to patience and counsel one another to mercy”

[al-Balad: 17]

Allah has forbidden His servants to lose heart and grieve. He says:

“Do not lose heart or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are believers.”

[Āl Imrān: 139]

Yet He has urged them to show mercy. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said in an authentic hadith:

“Mercy is not taken away except from a wretched person.”

He also said:

“Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”

And he said:

“The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in heaven will show mercy to you.”

It is inconceivable that he would say, “Weakness and frailty are not taken away except from a wretched person.” However, because mercy is accompanied by weakness and frailty in the case of many people—as with the mercy of women and the like—the mistaken person supposes that this is invariably the case.

Moreover, even if it were assumed that mercy necessarily entailed this in the case of created beings, it would not follow that it necessarily entailed the same with respect to Allah Most High,