Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) - A Spring of Mercy

The Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, is like a spring of pure water in the heart of a desert, or like a source of light in the darkness enveloping the universe. Whoever appeals to this spring can take as much water as to quench his thirst and is purified of all his dirt or pollution, spiritual, or intellectual, and illuminated with the light of belief.

Mercy was like a magical key in the hands of Prophet Muhammad, who is the last Messenger of God, upon him be peace and blessings. He opened with this key the doors of the hearts so hardened and rusty as one thought it was impossible to open them, and lighted a torch of belief in them.

God's Messenger, preached Islam, the religion of universal mercy. Despite this, some so-called 'champions of humanism' accuse Islam of being 'a religion of sword'. However, this is a sheer deception. They seem to wail over an animal killed in some part of the world or raise their voices whenever one of them is harmed, but they do not bat an eyelid when others are massacred. Their world is built on personal interest. It should be pointed out that the abuse of the feeling of compassion is as harmful and sometimes more harmful than being devoid of compassion altogether. The compassion of our Prophet Muhammad was based on justice, not on whims or prejudice.

[Taken from "Prophet Muhammad as Commander", by M. Fethullah Gulen, pg. 2-3]