Cherishing a selfless love.

“Divine Compassion: We see this in the subtleties of kindness, fine points of affection, and rays of compassion on the face of the human comprehensive nature. The referent is the All-Compassionate, in In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.”¹⁾

“The Gracious All-Merciful One, Who causes everything to serve life; Who demonstrates His Compassion in the self-sacrifice, the extraordinary sweetness of compassion, of motherhood in plants and animals; Who subjects animate life to humanity and thereby displays our importance and status as the finest and loveliest weave from the Divine Lordship as well as His Mercy’s brilliance—that One has, due to His absolute lack of need, made His Mercy an acceptable intercessor for His animate creatures and humanity. So, if you are truly human, say: In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, and find that intercessor.”²⁾

“The seal of Mercy and Divine Oneness is impressed upon the earth and upon humanity’s nature. The mercy stamped upon us is not less than the compassion and mercy stamped upon the universe.”³⁾

“As a mother’s compassion is only a small spark from God’s Compassion, people of perfection take great pleasure in their helplessness and fear of God.”⁴⁾

“There are many ways to Almighty God. All true ways have been derived from the Qur’an, but some are safer, more comprehensive, and direct than others. The way I have derived from the Qur’an depends upon our perception and admission of our innate impotence or helplessness and poverty before God’s Might and Riches, and upon affection and reflection. This way is as sure as the way of love, or even safer, for it elevates you so as to be loved by God on account of your sincere devotion to Him. Your perception and admission of your impotence leads you to the Divine Name the All-Merciful. Affection is more effective than love and leads to the Name the All-Compassionate. Reflection is brighter and more comprehensive than love, and leads to the Name the All-Wise.”⁵⁾

“A woman’s greatest charm and beauty lie in her lovable good conduct accompanied with the kindness and grace particular to womanhood, and in her elevated, serious, and sincere compassion. That beauty of compassion and good conduct increase until she dies. It is through the love and respect for her compassion and good conduct that one can observe her rights to the end. If she is loved because of her physical beauty, she is deprived of her rights and the love and respect due to her at a time when she needs them most.”⁶⁾

“… a sensible man does not build his love for his companion for life on her physical, brief beauty, which will last only five to ten years. Rather, he should build it on her compassion and good conduct that is particular to womanhood, which are the best and most permanent of beauties, so that when that helpless one gets older, her husband’s love for her may persist. For his wife is not merely his temporary helper or companion in this worldly life, but an eternal, lovable companion of life for all eternity. Therefore, as they grow older, they should increasingly love, respect, and show compassion to each other. Modern family life, which is subject to an eternal separation after a temporary, animal companionship under the veil of civilization, is being destroyed at its very foundations.”⁷⁾

“The Qur’an is the unique book commanding true justice, real freedom, balanced equality, goodness, honor, virtue, and compassion for all creation. It is also the matchless book forbidding oppression, polytheism, injustice, ignorance, bribery, interest, lying, and bearing false witness.”⁸⁾

“… those who criticize the volunteers do not pay attention to their religious devotion but only see their efforts for dialogue with others from a narrow-minded perspective. However, in our time when the world is full of antagonism and weapons of mass destruction, dialogue activities centered around love, respect, compassion, and tolerance are very important.”⁹⁾

“We should acquire the character traits of God, and be compassionate and merciful. Otherwise, people may say, ‘Since God is the All-Benevolent, the Companion, the All-Subtle, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, why don’t you try to take your share of His manifestations in that spacious sphere?’”¹⁰⁾

“In fact, the essence of our path is compassion. The course of action of those who are in this service of faith and the Qur’an is contemplation and their vision is compassion. If these two main lines are maintained, the meaning of helplessness, neediness, enthusiasm and gratitude become clear.”¹¹⁾

Contemplation

Enthusiasm

Love

Thankfulness

M. Fethullah Gülen, “Compassion”, The Fountain, January-March 1993.

Daniel Goleman, “Why aren’t we more compassionate?”

Karen Armstrong, “My wish: The Charter for Compassion”

M. Fethullah Gülen, “Women: Heroines of Compassion”

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