Tunadhani mara nyingi kwamba mtu wa kawaida huenda akawa na uadui wa asili au mtazamo wa chuki dhidi ya Uislamu na Waislamu. Sisi sote, bila shaka, tunapokea taarifa za vyombo vya habari kwa njia tofauti; wapo ambao wanaweza kuwa rahisi zaidi kuathiriwa na dhana potofu kuliko wengine, kutegemea historia yao ya maisha, hali zao za kijamii na wasiwasi wao wa kweli. Mfungwa Thumāma ibn Uthāl (Allāh amridhie) alipoamua kukubali Uislamu, alimwambia Mtume ﷺ kwamba hakuna kitu alichokichukia zaidi kuliko "ardhi yako, lakini sasa ardhi yako imekuwa ardhi ninayoipenda zaidi kuliko zote." Hii ina maana kwamba mtazamo wake wa kuwatenga Uislamu na Waislamu uliathiri si tu mtazamo wake kwa Mtume ﷺ, bali pia kwa ardhi iliyohusishwa na Mtume ﷺ. Ardhi ya Mtume ﷺ

We often make an assumption that the average man might be naturally confrontational or hostile to Islam and Muslims. We all, of course, process media information in different ways; there are those who might be more susceptible to stereotyping than others depending on their background information, demographics and genuine concerns. When the prisoner Thumāma ibn Uthāl (Allāh be pleased with him) decided to accept Islam, he said to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that there was nothing he despised more than “your land, but now your land has become the most beloved of lands to me”. This means that his Othering of Islam and Muslims effected not only his perception of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but also of the land associated with the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet’s (peace be upon him)

uso uliobarikiwa, dini yake na mji wake vyote vilikuwa jambo la wasiwasi kwa Thumāma, lakini tabia ya kubadilisha moyo na uvumilivu wa Mtume ﷺ vilifungua upeo mpya wa kuelewa kwa mfungwa huyo. Ingawa mwanzoni alidhani kwamba Mtume ﷺ angeweza kweli kumuua, pia alijua kwamba kuachiliwa kwake kutoka utumwani kulikuwa jambo linalowezekana.

blessed face, his religion and city were all a point of concern for Thumāma, but the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) transformative character and forbearance opened a new space of understanding for the prisoner. Though he initially assumed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) could in fact have him killed, he also knew that his release from captivity was a possibility.

Katika mwingiliano wetu na wengine, tunapaswa kukumbuka kwamba sisi wanadamu kwa wingi tunafarijika kwa mambo yanayofanana – maonyesho ya wema na rehema. Allah anamweleza Mtume ﷺ kama mfano halisi wa tabia ya rehema: {Na hatukukutuma (ewe Muhammad) isipokuwa uwe rehema kwa walimwengu.} (Qur’ani 21:107) Rehema, huruma na uelewano ni sifa zinazohusiana za yaliyo bora ambayo watu wote wanayatafuta. Tunapendelea rehema kuliko ukali, uvumilivu kuliko hasira, wema kuliko ukatili. Mtume ﷺ

In our engagement with others, we should remember that we as humans are mostly comforted by similar things – displays of kindness and mercy. Allāh describes the Prophet (peace be upon him) as an embodiment of merciful character: “And We have not sent you (O Muḥammad) except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Qur’ān 21:107) Mercy, compassion and empathy are interlinked features of the best of what all people seek. We prefer mercy over harshness, forbearance over rage, kindness over cruelty. The Prophet (peace be upon him)

Mtume ﷺ aliagiza upole katika kila hali, na mara moja alimfundisha mkewe ‘Ā’isha (Allah amridhie): “Upole haupatikani katika kitu chochote isipokuwa kukifanya kiwe kizuri, wala haondolewi katika kitu chochote isipokuwa kukifanya kiwe na kasoro.” Allah Anajielezea Mwenyewe kwa majina mazuri zaidi: Al-Raḥmān, Al-Raḥīm – Mwenye Huruma, Mwenye Rehema, Mtoaji wa Huruma. Allah anaamuru huruma katika kila hali, na atatushughulikia kulingana na mwenendo wetu kwa wengine. Mtume ﷺ alieleza: “Mwenye huruma atarehemewa na Mwingi wa Rehema. Wahurumieni walioko ardhini, naye Aliye mbinguni atakuhurumieni.”127

instructed that kindness be applied in every situation, once teaching his wife ‘Ā’isha (Allāh be pleased with her): “Kindness is not found in something except that it makes it beautiful, and it is not removed from something except that it makes it tarnished.” Allāh describes Himself with the most beautiful names of Al-Raḥmān, Al-Raḥīm - the Merciful, Gracious, Bestower of Mercy. Allāh commands mercy in every situation and will deal with us in relation to our dealings with others. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained, “The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”127

Ibn al-Qayyim alieleza maneno ya Mtume ﷺ:

Ibn al-Qayyim explained the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words:

"Na Mwenyezi Mungu ni Mwenye huruma, na Yeye huwapenda wenye huruma, na Yeye husitiri dhambi za watu, na Yeye huwapenda wanaositiri dhambi za wengine." "Yeyote anayewasamehe wengine, Mwenyezi Mungu atamsamehe; yeyote anayewasamehe wengine, Mwenyezi Mungu atamsamehe; yeyote anayewasamehe wengine, Mwenyezi Mungu atamsamehe; yeyote anayewatendea wengine wema, Mwenyezi Mungu atamtendea wema. Kama unavyofanya ndivyo utakavyotendewa, basi kuwa jinsi unavyochagua kuwa, kwani hakika Mwenyezi Mungu atakuwa kwako kama ulivyo kwa waja Wake."128 Ili ukweli wa huruma ya kuhisi hisia za wengine uweze kutimizwa na kuondoa mielekeo ya kuwatenga watu na kuwanyima utu, ni lazima kufikia kuthamini kwa ukamilifu rehema. Katika kila kitu kinachotuzunguka, miongoni mwa binadamu na wanyama, kuna sehemu ya rehema hiyo ambayo Mwenyezi Mungu aliwajalia viumbe. Hili ni jambo ambalo Mwislamu hapaswi kamwe kulisahau.

“And Allāh is merciful, and He loves the merciful ones, and He veils the sins of people and He loves those who veil the sins of others ”Whoever pardons others, Allāh will pardon him; whoever forgives others, Allāh will forgive him; whoever excuses others, Allāh will excuse him; whoever shows excellence unto others, Allāh will deal excellently towards him. As you do so shall be done unto you, so be how you choose for indeed Allāh will be unto you as you are unto His servants.”128 In order for the truth of empathic concern to be realised and to offset tendencies of othering and dehumanisation, it is a holistic appreciation of mercy that needs to be realised. In everything around us, among humans and animals there is a part of that mercy which Allāh bestowed upon creation. This is something the Muslim must never lose sight of.

Watu wote, Waislamu na wasio Waislamu, wana kitu fulani cha rehema – cha huruma, huruma ya moyo, kujali, mapenzi; kwa hiyo mbinu zetu, mwingiliano wetu na mawasiliano yetu lazima yaongozwe na roho hiyo hiyo ya rehema. Mtume ﷺ alituagiza kuwa na rehema ya jumla kwa wote, na kuangalia viumbe vyote kwa jicho la huruma:

All people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, have something of mercy – of kindness, compassion, empathy, love, and so our approaches, interactions and communication must be inspired by the same spirit of mercy. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed us to have a general mercy for all, to look upon creation with an eye of compassion:

Abū Mūsa Al-Ash‘arī ameripoti: Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alisema: “Hamtaamini kikamilifu mpaka mpendane. Je, niwaambie kitu kitakachowafanya mpendane?”

“Abū Mūsa Al-Ash‘arī reported: The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘You will never have faith until you love each other. Shall I tell you what will make you love each other?

Walisema, "Hakika, ewe Mjumbe wa Allah." Nabii ﷺ akasema: Eneza amani baina yenu. Naapa kwa yule ambaye roho yangu iko mikononi mwake, hamtaingia Peponi mpaka muwe na huruma.

They said, ‘Of course, O Messenger of Allāh.’ The Prophet said: Spread peace between yourselves. By the one in whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you are merciful.

Walisema, "Ee Mjumbe wa Allah, sisi sote ni wenye huruma." Mtume ﷺ akasema: "Hapana, si huruma kati yenu tu, bali ni huruma kwa ujumla, ni huruma kwa ujumla."129

They said, ‘O Messenger of Allāh, all of us are merciful.’ The Prophet said: Actually, it is not mercy between yourselves, but rather it is mercy in general, it is mercy in general.”129

"Huruma ni uwezo wa kushiriki furaha au huzuni, hisia na mihemko ya mtu mwingine. Uwezo huu huleta uelewano, huruma na aina mbalimbali za mahusiano mengine baina ya watu. Kuna njia mbili ambazo kwazo tunaweza kupata huruma: ya kwanza, kwa sababu tumewahi kuwa katika hali ambayo mtu mwingine yuko nayo. Tunajua kutokana na uzoefu wa kibinafsi jinsi inavyohisiwa, na ya pili ni kwa sababu tunaweza kuwazia jinsi wanavyojisikia. Uwezo wetu wa kuwazia unaweza kutokana na uzoefu kama huo wa kwetu, kutokana na hadithi ya rafiki au mwanafamilia aliyepitia hali hiyo, au kutokana na kuangalia kinachomtokea mgeni. Ingawa huruma inaweza kuwa njia ya kushiriki furaha au shangwe ya mtu mwingine, huruma inayohusiana na matatizo ndiyo ambayo ina uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kutusukuma kuchukua hatua."

“Empathy is the capacity to share the happiness or sadness, the emotions and feelings of another person. This ability leads to understanding, to compassion and to a wide range of other connections between people. There are two ways that we are able to experience empathy: one, because we have been in the situation that the other person has. We know from personal experience how it feels, and the other is because we can imagine how they feel. Our ability to imagine may come from a similar experience of our own, from a story of a friend or family member who has had that experience or from the observations of what happens to a stranger. And although empathy can be a way of sharing someone else’s joy or happiness, the empathy that connects difficulties is the one that’s most likely to move us to action.

Kuelewa matatizo ya wengine kunaweza kuleta jibu lenye lengo, aina ya msaada yenye mwelekeo, kwa kujaribu kurekebisha kosa, kujaribu kutatua tatizo, au kwa kushiriki tu uelewa.

Understanding the troubles of others can bring a focused response, a focused kind of help by trying to right a wrong, by trying to fix a problem, or simply by sharing an understanding.

Vitendo hivyo vinaweza kuwa rahisi kama tabasamu au tata kama juhudi ya misaada ya kimataifa nchini Haiti.”130 (04:03-05:19)

These actions can be as simple as a smile or as complex as an international relief effort in Haiti.”130 (04:03-05:19)

Anachokigusa Dkt. Lisa Rossbacher ni wazo kwamba kanuni za mwenendo wa binadamu zipo kwa maana ya kimataifa, kati ya binadamu wote, na kwa hiyo kuhisi kwa ajili ya wengine kunaakisiwa kwa njia ya kimwili na ya kimfano. Wazo hili linaibua hisia za udhaifu wa mtu mwenyewe, pamoja na kutambua kwamba hofu, hisia kuu inayoenea katika vita, ni ya wanadamu wote, ikiwa ni pamoja na watu wa upande wa adui. Ni "katika kukubali udhaifu wa mtu mwenyewe ndipo huanzia huruma."

Ingawa kamwe haiwezekani kuelewa kikamilifu muktadha na mambo yanayounda hali ya maisha ya mtu mwingine, au kile alichopaswa kuwa amehisi katika hali hiyo, bado kuna utambuzi unaopatikana kupitia tafakuri ya kina juu ya udhaifu wa mtu mwenyewe, na kile alichowahi kuhisi (kikipitishwa kupitia viwango vya kumbukumbu) katika wakati unaofanana. Haihitaji kuiga hali hiyo, mazingira yake, jinsia yake au zama zake katika historia, lakini ni ya kiuwepo kadiri 'kuhisi pamoja na' kunavyochangia katika muundo wa 'nafsi' yetu wenyewe. Muislamu anapozungumza na wengine, anapaswa kuweza kuweka ndani ya mzungumzaji wake mazingatio yake ya huruma kwa yule anayeelekezwa kwake. Mama wanaweza kuhisi kutokana na mazingatio yao wenyewe ya kiuzazi, na baba nao wanaweza kuthamini changamoto na furaha za ubaba. Watu katika jamii wanaweza kuhusiana na masuala yale yale ya kijamii kama vile uhalifu mitaani, kupanda kwa gharama za nyumba, ada za vyuo vikuu, kustaafu na upweke.

Though there can never be a full understanding of the context and factors that make up another person’s life circumstances or what a person must have ‘felt’ in that circumstance, there is nonetheless a realisation, through critical self-reflection of one’s own vulnerability, what one had felt (mediated by the gradients of memory) at a similar moment. It need not mimic the circumstance, setting, value of gender or time in history, but is existential in as much as ‘feeling for’ contributes to our very own make up of ‘self’. When the Muslim speaks with others, he or she should be able to insert their own empathetic considerations onto the addressee. Mothers are able to ‘feel’ out of their own maternal considerations, fathers too can appreciate the challenges and joys of fatherhood. People in a society can relate to the same kinds of social concerns like street crime, rise in housing costs, university tuition fees, retirement and loneliness.

Huruma (empathy) ni uwezo wa kushiriki hisia za mtu mwingine, katika furaha yake au huzuni yake. Hili linaweza kufanyika kupitia kuchukua mtazamo wa mwenzetu, kwa kukumbuka wakati ambapo sisi wenyewe tulikuwa katika hali hiyo hiyo au hali inayofanana nayo. Tulijua jinsi uzoefu huo ulivyohisiwa, na tunaweza kuthamini jinsi mtu huyo anavyohisi. Mchakato huo wa kiakili unaweza kuzaa hisia kali za huruma, za masikitiko ya pamoja na miunganiko mingine mingi kati ya watu. Hata tunaweza kuhisi pamoja na hisia za mwenzetu kutokana na tunachojua kumhusu na kutokana na kiwango cha ukaribu wetu naye. Hili linaonyeshwa vizuri sana katika simulizi ifuatayo:

Empathy is the ability to share in the emotions of another person, in his or her happiness or sadness. This can be done through perspective taking, recalling a time wherein we had been in the same or similar situation. We knew how such an experience felt and can appreciate how that other person is feeling. Such cognitive processing can produce strong emotions of compassion, of sympathy and so many other connections between people. We might even associate with another’s feelings due to what we know of them and due to the degree of closeness to them. This is shown beautifully in the following narration:

Huruma pia inahusu kuwasilisha uelewa wako wa hisia za mtu mwingine. Humpa mtu faraja kubwa anapoona mtu mwingine anaelewa hisia zake, na anajua kwamba huzuni au wasiwasi wake unastahili kusikilizwa. Jambo hili lina manufaa makubwa wakati mtu anaposimulia hadithi yake binafsi, msiba, au anapotoa habari njema. Ni vizuri kumfariji, au kukubali shida zake au furaha yake. Katika hali kama hizi, unaweza kuonyesha umuhimu wake kwa kusema tu: "Inaonekana ulipitia wakati mgumu sana. Niambie zaidi kuhusu hilo. Ulikabiliana nalo vipi?" Kusema tu "niambie zaidi..." kuhusu maelezo ya furaha au huzuni humweka mtu katika nafasi ya thamani. Hilo hufanya maneno yako, mwongozo na maelekezo yako yapokelewe vizuri zaidi na yathaminiwe.

Empathy is also about communicating your understanding of another person’s feelings. It provides great relief when someone else identifies with your feelings and you know that your distress or concern is worthy enough to be listened to. It goes a very long way, when speaking with someone who is recounting a personal story, tragedy, or sharing a good news, to reassure them, or to acknowledge their difficulties or happiness. In such circumstances, you may express their importance by simply uttering “It sounds like you had a really difficult time. Tell me more about it/how did you cope?” The simple saying of “tell me more…” about a happy or a sad description puts the person in a place of importance. It then makes your words, guidance and instruction better received and appreciated.

Baadhi ya simulizi zenye nguvu zaidi za huruma huibuka katika hali zenye hatari na mashaka makubwa zaidi.

Some of the most evocative accounts of empathy emerge in the most precarious situations.

Kwa kutambua hali ya mwisho au katika muktadha wa kitendo cha kupinga, binadamu anaweza kusukumwa kufanya tabia ambazo si za kawaida hata katika hali hizo. Hizi zinaweza kuonekana kuwa kweli si za kawaida kwa kiasi kwamba zinahusiana na miktadha yake na hali ya kujitolea nafsi inayopatikana ndani yake. "Kushiriki" maumivu ya mwingine, "kuwazia" maumivu hayo ndiko, kama Rossbacher alivyofafanua, msingi wa huruma.

With realisation of a sense of finality or in the context of an act of defiance, humans can be propelled into enacting behaviours that are not typical even in the said circumstances. These might be viewed as indeed atypical in so much as the contexts to which they belong and the sense of self-sacrifice found in them. The ‘sharing’ in another’s pain, the ‘imagining’ of that pain is, as Rossbacher defined, the foundation of empathy.

Tzvetan Todorov anatoa mifano kadhaa ya waathiriwa wa Holocaust ambao, walipokabiliwa na kifo, walichagua kujitangulia kufa kwao "kufuatia" kwa kufa pamoja na wengine. Todorov anaeleza kisa cha J. Kosciuszkowa, ambaye anaeleza kuhusu mama aliyejifungua mtoto huko Auschwitz.

Huruma ni usimulizi wa kufikirika, na wahusika wake wanaweza kuwa karibu sana na mtu mwenyewe. Usimulizi huo husimuliwa kwenye turubai ya mtu mwenyewe. Ikiwa kurejesha utu kwa watu kunahitaji uwezo wa kuhurumia, basi mambo madogo tunayoyatambua katika hali yetu ya kimwili na kihisia yanapaswa kuzingatiwa pia kwa watu wengine. Mfano bora wa jinsi vitendo vidogo vinavyoweza kuleta mabadiliko makubwa katika maisha ya wengine, na kuwavuta watu karibu na Allāh, unatoka kwa Mtume ﷺ. Alifundisha kwamba kufikisha wito wa Kiislamu ndiyo jumla ya wewe ulivyo. Maneno mazuri yanaweza kuwa na athari ya kudumu. Mara nyingi ni "jinsi" ya kusema jambo ndiyo inayopita "nini" kilichosemwa.

Empathy is an imagined storying and the actors can be very much one’s own. The storying is told on one’s own canvas. If re-humanising requires the ability to empathise then the fine points we recognise in our own physical and emotional being need to be considered in other people. The best example of the way simple gestures can have a transformative effect on the lives of others, and draw people closer to Allāh comes from the Prophet (peace be upon him). He taught that the conveying of the Islamic call is the entirety of you. Words well-spoken can have a lasting impact. It is often the ‘how’ of what is said that transcends the ‘what’ of whatever was said.

Baada ya kutekwa kwa Makkah, mmoja wa watu wa Makkah, Fuḍāla ibn Umayr, ingawa alikuwa amekubali Uislamu kwa jina tu, alikuwa na hamu kubwa ya kulipiza kisasi, na alikuwa ameapa kumuua kwa siri Mtume ﷺ. Wakati Mtume ﷺ alipokuwa akifanya ṭawāf (kuzunguka Kaaba), Fuḍāla alikuwa ameficha upanga wake chini ya nguo zake, akijiandaa kwa kitendo cha kikatili alichokuwa karibu kukifanya. Ghafla, alijikuta yuko karibu sana na Mtume ﷺ. Mtume ﷺ alimtazama Fuḍāla na kumuuliza, "Ulikuwa unajiambia nini?" Fuḍāla alikwepa swali hilo kwa kusema kwamba alikuwa anamsifu Allah tu. Mtume ﷺ alitabasamu kwa Fuḍāla na kusema, "Mwombe Allah akusamehe," kisha akaweka mkono wake kifuani mwa Fuḍāla. Baadaye Fuḍāla alisema, "Wallahi, tangu wakati alipoondoa mkono wake kifuani mwangu, hakukubaki chochote katika viumbe vya Allah isipokuwa yeye alikuwa mpenzi zaidi kwangu kuliko kitu hicho."153

After the conquest of Makkah, one of the Makkans, Fuḍāla ibn Umayr, though having nominally accepted Islam, was keen on revenge, and had vowed to assassinate the Prophet (peace be upon him). As the Prophet (peace be upon him) was performing ṭawāf (circumambulation of the Ka‘ba), Fuḍāla had hidden his sword under his clothing and was preparing himself for the dastardly deed he was about to commit. Instantly, he found himself within reach of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet looked up at Fuḍāla and asked, “What is it that you were saying to yourself?” Fuḍāla brushed off the question by saying he was simply praising Allāh. The Prophet (peace be upon him) smiled at Fuḍāla and said, “Ask Allāh to forgive you,” placing his hand on Fuḍāla’s chest. Fuḍāla would later say, “By Allāh, from the moment he lifted his hand from my chest, there remained nothing of Allāh’s creation except that he was more beloved to me than it.”153