His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, shared a message on X titled The Message of Mercy from his book Letters.
Text of the message:
“The Message of Mercy
To philanthropists, propagators of hope, pioneers of humanitarian work, and those who extend kindness and charity to people, the people closest to the Lord of all people, I write this letter.
A while ago, a friend asked me: Why do you launch a large community campaign every year during Ramadan when you have many humanitarian institutions doing good work throughout the year? What is the need for this?
My short answer was: I want to spread compassion in society.
Yes, my brothers, life is based on mercy. Life was created through the mercy of God. Civilisations are measured by the amount of compassion in the hearts of their people.
Life has taught me that the universe is built on mercy. The sun, the air, the rain, the water, motherhood, fatherhood and sustenance are all manifestations of God’s mercy upon us. The Almighty says: “Your Lord has written mercy on Himself.” Before He prescribed it for His servants, He decreed it upon Himself for all His creation.
Even when He sent His Prophet to us, the Almighty said: “We have sent you only as a mercy to the worlds.” This mercy is for all worlds, not only for Arabs, Muslims or people, but for all creation, including humans, birds, animals, trees and the universe itself.
Life has taught me that mercy is what makes a human being truly human. It is what makes a father a father, a teacher a teacher and a ruler a ruler.
A ruthless society has no life. Laws may prevent crime, but mercy prevents cruelty in society. The police may maintain security, but it is mercy that spreads love. Courts resolve disputes, but mercy can prevent them before they begin. Mercy reduces hatred, anger, revenge and all the ills of society. It makes society one large family, not a forest where the strong devour the weak.
Civilisation is, at its core, based on mercy. The most dangerous threat to societies is not economic volatility but hard-heartedness. How can homes, institutions and communities live with themselves and coexist with others if they lose compassion and empathy? Mercy is not only a moral virtue. It is the foundation upon which life is built, societies remain cohesive and human beings become truly human.
Life has taught me this: If you want to know the truth about a person, look at how they treat those who do not need them, those who are not afraid of them, and those from whom they expect nothing.
Mercy reveals the depth of a person’s humanity and the level of a society’s civilisation. It is reflected in how a person looks upon the poor, deals with the young and the elderly, and sympathises with the sick and the weak. Mercy is the bond that unites, strengthens and elevates society.
Spreading mercy in society is a moral, religious and national duty. We spread mercy through charity campaigns in our communities, by treating workers in our homes with compassion, by sharing positive stories in our schools, by encouraging generosity in future generations, and through public-benefit institutions in our country. Mercy preserves the soul, humanity and stability of society.
Perhaps those closest to this great mission are philanthropists and pioneers of humanitarian work in our societies. They are closest to those in need and the most compassionate towards the weak and the destitute. Their task is not only to develop their institutions, sustain their work and maximise their impact, but above all to spread compassion throughout society.
The greatest thing we can do as pioneers of humanitarian work is to make mercy part of the lives of our children, our families and our schools; part of the mission of our country and the culture of our homeland; and part of our values, civilisation and humanity.
May God help you in serving the nation and spreading mercy in the hearts of people.
Your brother,
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum”
