THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

Once, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz saw an animal that was hungry, with no apparent means of getting food. He said that this animal, too, was one of those referred to as “the deprived” in the Quran (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 17, p. 39). The famous Quranic commentator Al-Razi further expands on this idea, explaining that “the deprived” also includes trees. If a tree is drying up due to lack of water, it too is considered “deprived,” and it becomes the responsibility of believers to provide it with water. When faith in God takes root in a person’s heart, it creates a deep attachment to the Creator, which in turn awakens a profound sense of service to His creation. Such a person does not see fulfilling the needs of others as a mere responsibility—they begin to feel that every deprived being has a rightful claim upon them, whether it be a human, an animal, or even a tree. Islam instills in a person a deep sense of seriousness and sensitivity toward all of creation. Such a person starts to view all people as part of their own extended family. They come to recognize that their wealth is a gift from God, and this awareness compels them to spend it generously in God’s cause, in service to His creation. MERCY AND SWORD In the Quran, the Prophet of Islam is referred to as a mercy to the worlds (21:107). A hadith also mentions that