Islamic Values

Rahmah(Compassion)
God had said in the Quran that His compassion is all-encompassing (Quran, 7:156).Moreover, to indicate the intensity and comprehensiveness of God’s compassion, two intensive forms of the word rahmah are used side by side and in opening verse of the Qur’an (Surah al- Fatihah) to describe God, and this is repeated in the third verse as an independent verse in the same chapter. The Quran and messenger Prophet Muhammad is also emphasized as embodiments of mercy and compassion (Quran, 21:107, 17:82). The pervasiveness of the value of rahmah in Islamic scripture is indicative of the level of importance assigned to it, and for Muslims to live up to such a value.

Life is sacred.
Consider the verse “…whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely…” (Quran, 5:32).

Justice
The Quran is abound with various commands related to justice: (i) Manifesting justice is equated to piety (Quran, 5:8) for God loves those who are just (Quran, 60:8) and does not side with those who are unjust (Quran, 3:57), (ii) Muslims are commanded to be just under all circumstances and without any discrimination (Quran, 4:135; 5:8) and (iii) Justice is both an individual and collective responsibility. In a hadith qudsi(Muslim), Prophet Muhammad had said of what God had mentioned: O my worshippers! I have made injustice unlawful for Myself, and have forbidden injustice among you; so do not be unjust.”

Ihsan (Benevolence)
In the Quran, justice and Ihsan(benevolence) go together (Quran 16:90), for justice must be tempered with benevolence. Rigorous justice sometimes may have an adverse impact and thus needs to be mitigated with thetender influence of benevolence. Benevolence is also complementary to compassion (rahmah) in helping to develop positive relationships within humanity.