In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

God's mercy

[6:12] Say, "To whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth?" Say, "To GOD." He has decreed that mercy is His attribute. He will surely summon you all on the Day of Resurrection, which is inevitable. The ones who lose their souls are those who disbelieve.

[24:20] GOD showers you with His grace and mercy. GOD is Most Kind towards the believers, Most Merciful.

Mercy:

- An act of kindness, compassion, or favor
- Something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing

The words we speak out are simply sounds - no more than that. When we utter the word God or Allah, we are using a sound to point at the Absolute Truth. The sound by itself is worth nothing compared to the truth behind it. The same applies to all of God's attributes. They are simply sounds, words that we can use, while the actual magnitude of their divinity and implementations are far beyond our human sounds, utterances, or thoughts.

God's mercy is one of His attributes that encompasses all visions, and all words or sounds ; all things (40:7). The very first mercy God showered us with is our birth on earth as a second chance to fix out initial mistake in Heaven when we doubted God's absolute authority:

The Original Sin [16:61] If GOD punished the people for their transgressions, He would have annihilated every creature on earth. But He respites them for a specific, predetermined time. Once their interim ends, they cannot delay it by one hour, nor advance it.

[18:58] Yet, your Lord is the Forgiver, full of mercy. If He called them to account for their deeds, He would annihilate them right there and then. Instead, He gives them a respite until a specific, predetermined time; then they can never escape.

The Quran spells out for us who can attain God's mercy and how. The formula is prescribed clearly and in a straightforward manner. It is our belief in the truth, our reverence, our worship, our repentance, and our efforts to lead a righteous life by following His commands, and striving in His cause that would open all the doors for God's mercy and make us earn that divine blessing. Please read and reflect on all the following elements in God's prescription of mercy:

[57:28] O you who believe, you shall reverence GOD and believe in His messenger. He will then grant you double the reward from His mercy, endow you with light to guide you, and forgive you. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[7:156] "And decree for us righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have repented to You." He said, "My retribution befalls whomever I will. But My mercy encompasses all things. However, I will specify it for those who (1) lead a righteous life, (2) give the obligatory charity (Zakat), (3) believe in our revelations, and
[7:157] "(4) follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad), whom they find written in their Torah and Gospel.* He exhorts them to be righteous, enjoins them from evil, allows for them all good food, and prohibits that which is bad, and unloads the burdens and the shackles imposed upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and follow the light that came with him are the successful ones."

[9:71] The believing men and women are allies of one another. They advocate righteousness and forbid evil, they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they obey GOD and His messenger. These will be showered by GOD's mercy. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.

[7:56] Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight, and worship Him out of reverence, and out of hope. Surely, GOD's mercy is attainable by the righteous.

[7:96] Had the people of those communities believed and turned righteous, we would have showered them with blessings from the heaven and the earth. Since they decided to disbelieve, we punished them for what they earned.

[29:23] Those who disbelieve in GOD's revelations, and in meeting Him, have despaired from My mercy. They have incurred a painful retribution.

[6:51] And preach with this (Quran) to those who reverence the summoning before their Lord - they have none beside Him as a Lord and Master, nor an intercessor - that they may attain salvation.

[3:132] You shall obey GOD and the messenger, that you may attain mercy.

[24:21] O you who believe, do not follow the steps of Satan. Anyone who follows the steps of Satan should know that he advocates evil and vice. If it were not for GOD's grace towards you, and His mercy, none of you would have been purified. But GOD purifies whomever He wills. GOD is Hearer, Knower.

[6:54] ... Your Lord has decreed that mercy is His attribute. Thus, anyone among you who commits a transgression out of ignorance, and repents thereafter and reforms, then He is Forgiving, Most Merciful."

[2:218] Those who believe, and those who emigrate and strive in the cause of GOD, have deserved GOD's mercy. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

Based on all of the above, we can easily recognize that the tools that help us make the right decisions and guide us to the straight path of God demonstrate God's mercy ; His proofs, His message, and His laws in His scriptures delivered through His human messengers are indeed awesome manifestations of His divine mercy:

[16:44] We provided them with the proofs and the scriptures. And we sent down to you this message, to proclaim for the people everything that is sent down to them, perhaps they will reflect.

[40:13] He is the One who continuously shows you His proofs, and sends down to you from the sky provisions. Only those who totally submit will be able to take heed.

[27:93] And say, "Praise be to GOD; He will show you His proofs, until you recognize them. Your Lord is never unaware of anything you do."

[21:107] We have sent you out of mercy from us towards the whole world.

[44:5] It is a predetermined command from us that we send messengers.
[44:6] This is a mercy from your Lord. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.

[7:63] "Is it too much of a wonder that a reminder should come to you from your Lord, through a man like you, to warn you, and to lead you to righteousness, that you may attain mercy?"

[6:154] And we gave Moses the scripture, complete with the best commandments, and detailing everything, and a beacon and mercy, that they may believe in meeting their Lord.
[6:155] This too is a blessed scripture that we have revealed; you shall follow it and lead a righteous life, that you may attain mercy.

[7:52] We have given them a scripture that is fully detailed, with knowledge, guidance, and mercy for the people who believe.

[16:64] We have revealed this scripture to you, to point out for them what they dispute, and to provide guidance and mercy for people who believe.

[16:89] The day will come when we will raise from every community a witness from among them, and bring you as the witness of these people. We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for everything, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.

[27:76] This Quran settles many issues for the Children of Israel; issues that they are still disputing.
[27:77] And most assuredly, it is a guide and mercy for the believers.

[10:57] O people, enlightenment has come to you herein from your Lord, and healing for anything that troubles your hearts, and guidance, and mercy for the believers.

Another conclusion we can make in the light of all the above verses is that attaining God's mercy is a choice that is available for every human. It is we who choose to be among His constituents of mercy, and it is also we who choose to stay out of it by our very own volition.

[10:9] As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, their Lord guides them, by virtue of their belief. Rivers will flow beneath them in the gardens of bliss.

[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns.

[10:44] GOD never wrongs the people; it is the people who wrong their own souls.

[2:175] It is they who chose the straying instead of guidance, and the retribution instead of forgiveness. Consequently, they will have to endure Hell.

Our appreciation to God's immense mercy must never run out. We are surrounded by its signs:

[30:50] You shall appreciate GOD's continuous mercy, and how He revives the land that has been dead. He will just as certainly resurrect the dead. He is Omnipotent.

We also should never stop imploring God for such a great bounty:

[3:8] "Our Lord, let not our hearts waver, now that You have guided us. Shower us with Your mercy; You are the Grantor.

[23:109] ... `Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and shower us with mercy. Of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful.'

[23:118] ... "My Lord, shower us with forgiveness and mercy. Of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful."

[40:7] .. "Our Lord, Your mercy and Your knowledge encompass all things. Forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and spare them the retribution of Hell.
[40:8] "Our Lord, and admit them into the gardens of Eden that You promised for them and for the righteous among their parents, spouses, and children. You are the Almighty, Most Wise.
[40:9] "And protect them from falling in sin. Whomever You protect from falling in sin, on that day, has attained mercy from You. This is the greatest triumph."

Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.