As human beings, we need to act kindly to achieve a better life. Islam itself has taught human to be righteous and kind to others. Here some reasons why we need kindness in our lives:
- Allah Loves Kindness
Allah loves kindness in all matters as Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الْأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ
“O Aisha, Allah is kind and He loves kindness in all matters.” (Bukhari)
2. Allah Concerns of Us
Believe it, Allah concerns for us because he is kind and merciful. By knowing about that, we as his believers should reflect his kindness by spreading goodness among us. It is written in the Qur’an:
لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer, for he is concerned over you and to the believers he is kind and merciful. (Qur’an, 9:128)
3. Completing Our Prayers
How useless it is, praying without spreading kindness. It is important to maintain our prayers by doing good things. How could we close our eyes seeing evils and badness? Qur’an has also told us not only to pray, but also spread kindness. As it is written below:
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ
“Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who pray to be seen and withhold small acts of kindness.” (Qur’an, 107:4-7)
4. Allah Rewards Kindness with Goodness
We should keep our faith that Allah will reward us who spread kindness with kindness. It’s told in the hadith below:
يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ وَيُعْطِي عَلَى الرِّفْقِ مَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى الْعُنْفِ وَمَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ
“O Aisha, Allah is gentle and He loves gentleness, and He rewards for gentleness what is not granted for harshness, and He does not reward anything else like it.” (Muslim)
It is also said in the Qur’an:
“The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness.” (Al Quran 55:61)
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5. Allah Will Guide Us Till The End
Spreading kindness in our lives is what Allah obligates us to do. When we follow the path of Islam, by having so much indulgence to do kindness, we will surely in the path of Allah, and He will guide us till the end. It is proven in the Qur’an:
“And as for those who strive in Our path — We will surely guide them in Our ways. And Indeed, Allah is with those who are of service to others.” (Qur’an 29:70)
6. Being Kind Because We Are Gracious
We should be kind because as the believer of Allah, we are gracious as Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْلَفٌ وَلَا خَيْرَ فِيمَنْ لَا يَأْلَفُ وَلَا يُؤْلَفُ
“The believer is gracious, for there is no goodness in one who is neither kind nor friendly.” (Musnad Ahmad)
See also: Qur’an verses about love
7. We Need to Be Kind to Animal and Environment
Basically, when we hear the word “kindness”, what pops up in our mind is only being kind to other people. But actually, being kind is not as limited as that. We need to reflect our kindness to our surrounding, including animal and environment.
Do you remember the story of a thirsty man who filled his shoe with water to feed a thirsty dog? His kindness actually was rewarded by Allah a forgiven of all of his sins. In Islam, it is also prohibited to hunt animals and cut plants for pleasure. That’s why wee need to be kind not only to other people, but also animal and environment.
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8. Our Prophet Told Us to Be Kind To Neighbors
Al Qur’an has told us to be kind to neighbors either they are near, nor strangers. Our prophet also said that we are not a believer if we eats our fill when our neighbor beside is hungry. He also added that we are not believer if we enjoy safety meanwhile our neighbors are not safe from his injurious conduct. Our prophets always told us the benefits of kindness.
9. Good Things for The Day of Judgement
Our prophet already told us that whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment should do good to his neighbor. Far from what He said before, it is a common knowledge of people that Allah has also promised his believer a paradise if they keep doing good deeds. Kindness is one of good deeds we can do to achieve Allah’s paradise and become the dweller of it forever. As said in the ayah below:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
“And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever.” (Quran, 2:82)
See also: benefits of forgiving in Islam
10. We Need to be Kind to Children
Our prophet, Muhammad, is very kind to children. As his people, Muslims should strive his compassion to children especially orphans. Prophet Muhammad once said, “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children is not one of us.” He also said, “I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this (putting his index and middle finger together).”
11. We Need to be Kind to Parents
Besides being kind to animal, environment, neighbors, and children, we should also be kind to parents. Kindness and respect to parents are written throughout Al Qur’an.
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and be good to your parents. Whether one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say to them a word of annoyance and do not repel them but rather speak to them a noble word. Lower to them the wing of humility for them out of mercy and say: My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small. (Qur’an, 17:23-24)
12. Kindness Forbids Us into the Hellfire
As the devout believer of Allah, we must not want to be burn into the Hellfire because of our sins. Besides of praying, what makes Allah forgives our sins is our own kindness. So that, it is better to be kind as Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَنْ يَحْرُمُ عَلَى النَّارِ أَوْ بِمَنْ تَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ النَّارُ عَلَى كُلِّ قَرِيبٍ هَيِّنٍ سَهْلٍ
“Shall I not tell you for whom the Hellfire is forbidden? It is every person accessible, polite, and mild.” (Tirmidhi)
13. Kindness is The Moment of Reflection
Once you realize that this life is only an exam for you to pass it well, you will realize that you need to do good things. The realization is something important to achieve because when we already realize that, we will wholeheartedly have kindness upon us. The law of life is getting what we give. So, when we do good things, we receive good things too. When we do kindness, we will have a glimpse of moment to think and reflect our deeds while we do good to others. The reflection makes us do better and better good things as possible.
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14. We Get Healthier Once We Spread Kindness
Getting healthier is also one of benefits of kindness in Islam. Research discovered that act of kindness can make us healthier since the emotional warmth that we get can lower our blood pressure. Besides that, it also slows our aging. So, are you sure that you won’t do kindness?
15. Kindness Makes You Easier to Have Self-Control
Managing a self-control is difficult. You need to be so much patient to achieve that. If we don’t have much capable to manage our self-control, we can’t easily interact and get along with people. So that, by acting kindness, we can also challenge our self-control because acting kindness prohibits us to be so much in anger. (See also: importance of good manner in islam)
Above all the reasons I have mentioned, it is important to act kindness sincerely. Believe it, when you do good, you will deserve good too. Now, it’s time for us to raise our spirit, and may peace be upon us!