The Quran's (القرآن) Teachings of God's Love and Mercy for his Creation
The Quran is the last revelation given to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) from 610 to 632 AD in the arid lands of Mecca, in which it brings forth required justice to the evil-doers of mankind and establishes a compassionate relationship between the righteous believers and the creator of the universe, God; in Arabic it is termed "Al-ilah" or Allah, meaning The One God, similar cognates can be found in other Semitic Languages like Hebrew and Aramaic.
How God describes himself in the Quran (القرآن):
“Say, 'He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him'” (Quran 112:1-4)
This citation portrays the oneness of God, or also called Monotheism, meaning "Single God" from the Greek words μόνος (Single) and θεός (God). With this concept at hand, it should be noted that this is clearly stated in almost every chapter of the Quran and it is the main theme of the holy book, which is a major commonality between all the Abrahamic faiths (Christianity & Judaism).
However, the Quran expands the insight of theology by going into depth about the extensive nature of God and his endless mercy to mankind and other creatures in the heavens (Universe). Throughout its verses, there are several references to God's mercy and the holy text refers to him as the "Ar-Rahman (ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ)," meaning, "The Most Compassionate" and the "Ar-Rahim (ٱلرَّحِيمِ)," meaning, "The Most Merciful."
Example, the first Chapter (Al-Fatihah):
"In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. All praise is for Allah—Lord of all worlds, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help. Guide us along the Straight Path, the Path of those You have blessed—not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray." (Quran 1: 1-7)
This chapter, known as "Al-Fatihah" or "The Key" is among the most frequently recited Surahs of the Holy Quran, mainly due to the fact that practicing Muslims recite this at least 17 times a day during the 5 daily prayers that are prescribed as a religious obligation of the 5 pillars in Islam. Which subsequently makes this chapter a must-have in terms of memorization and recitation in the Classical Arabic language.
Beautiful Sunset in Istanbul Turkey, taken by Osman Köycü:
Furthermore, the Quran emphasizes a broad spectrum of mercy and compassion by describing the characteristics of the righteous individuals and how we should reflect these traits throughout our day-to-day lives. Also, the Quran commands the servants of God to be kind and just to those around them, sincere and humble in the face of both the poor and the rich. Most importantly, the Quran instructs us to be patient with the ignorant or unwise individuals and respond to their inquires with peace and patience.
Example, the 25th chapter (Al-Furqan):
"The ˹true˺ servants of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the foolish address them ˹improperly˺, they only respond with peace. ˹They are˺ those who spend ˹a good portion of˺ the night, prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord." (Quran 25:63-64)
The Quran doesn't only teach this, but it instructs the believers of God to come in peace between other communities who might not believe in the same religion. It teaches the believing Muslims to respect the Prophets of their time prior to the coming of Muhammad, who came with the same message of Monotheism. This is demonstrated by a key verse from the Quran, that states there shall be no force or compulsion in the religion of Islam; meaning a Muslim does not have the right to force an unbeliever to believe in this same message, it is ultimately all up to God's divine guidance.
Example, the 2nd chapter (Al-Baqara):
"Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." (Quran 2:256)
Ultimately, no matter how hard a human tries, we can still fall short in our capacity of mercy and compassion towards those around us. This is why a multitude of groups in the modern era and of the 7th century Arabia are in constant turmoil and it seems like there will never be mercy from mortal humans, which was foretold in the Quran, as Allah states, "And when they leave ˹you˺, they strive throughout the land to spread mischief in it and destroy crops and cattle. Allah does not like mischief." (Quran 2:205).
Even though this may be the case, God still allows the repentance of the wrong-doers because it is stated in the scripture that God's mercy is above all and that he is ultimately the most merciful and can forgive all sins if one turns back in regret for his crimes. This is one of the most essential tools of a sinner, repentance, because it allows the sins of an individual to be wiped away completely, it is one of God's blessings bestowed upon humanity from the time of Adam until the 21st century. Therefore this is a major testament to how forgiving God can be if an individual is sincere and submits to the will of Allah alone, without any partners in association.
Example, the 39th chapter (Az-Zumar):
"Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn to your Lord ˹in repentance˺, and ˹fully˺ submit to Him before the punishment reaches you, ˹for˺ then you will not be helped." (Quran 39:53-54)
Overall, these verses mentioned, alongside countless other references from the Holy Quran, specify the boundless mercy and compassion of God based on the teachings and attributes of God himself, who authored the book through the Angel Gabriel on the Mount of Hira in modern day Mecca, Saudi Arabia around the year 610 AD.
It was taught orally by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who was regarded as the "mercy to the worlds" (Quran 21:107) and a man of truthfulness by the Quraysh Tribesmen, but it must be understood that God (Allah) is the only one that Muhammad taught us to worship and sought to make this a inspiration for those who truly wish to submit to the God of Abraham, who is the Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate).
Works Cited:
Denova, Rebecca. “Monotheism in the Ancient World.” World History Encyclopedia, 6 July 2023, www.worldhistory.org/article/1454/monotheism-in-the-ancient-world/.
“The Noble Quran.” Quran.Com, quran.com/. Accessed 8 July 2023.