their hearts as hard as stone—may Allah protect us. They said, “We never kiss our children.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “What power do I have over you if Allah has stripped mercy from your hearts?”—that is, I can do nothing for you once Allah has removed mercy from your hearts.

This narration is proof that kissing children is an expression of compassion, tenderness, and mercy toward them. It also shows that Allah, Exalted is He, places mercy in a person’s heart; when He does so, the person shows mercy to others, and when he shows mercy to others, Allah will show mercy to him. In the second report from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy by Allah.” We ask Allah for well-being.

Whoever fails to show mercy to people will not receive Allah’s mercy. The “people” intended here are those entitled to mercy—such as the believers, the ahl al-dhimmah (non-Muslims living under Muslim protection), and the like. As for belligerent disbelievers, they are not shown mercy; rather, they are fought, for Allah the Exalted described the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions: “Severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves” (Al-Fatḥ 29). And He said to the Prophet ﷺ: “O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh with them; their abode is Hell—what an evil destination” (Al-Tawbah 73).

Allah, Exalted is He, repeats this very verse in two surahs of the Noble Quran—Al-Tawbah and Al-Taḥrīm. He also says: “They do not set foot in any place that angers the disbelievers, nor do they inflict any injury upon an enemy, but it is recorded for them as a righteous deed” (Al-Tawbah 120).

Likewise, showing mercy to livestock and animals is one of the signs of Allah’s mercy, Mighty and Majestic