Fruits of a Leadership Based on Love and Mercy The Character of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) By Imam Didmar Faja September 5, 2025

Introduction

Human history has known many leaders who ruled through force, power, or wealth. But it has rarely happened that a leader built his foundation on love and mercy, winning the hearts of people not through violence, but through gentleness, sacrifice, and personal example. This extraordinary leader is the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He did not merely build a state or a society, but he built hearts, shaped characters, and inspired generations to walk toward peace and goodness. His love for people, for his birthplace, for the city to which he emigrated, as well as his mercy even toward opponents, are the cornerstones of his leadership.
This article summarizes some of these dimensions of his character, showing us how love and mercy are the most beautiful fruits of prophetic leadership.

Loving People

Love for people and the desire that they be guided was an inseparable part of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) personality. Even when facing hostility and violence, he prayed:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“O Allah, forgive my people, for they do not know.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al- Mufrad and Muslim)

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered Madinah, the girls of the Banu Najjar tribe welcomed him with songs and drums, saying: “We are the daughters of Banu Najjar, how wonderful a neighbor Muhammad is!”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Do you love me?” They replied: “Yes.” He then said:
الَُّله يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّكُنَّ

“Allah knows that I love you.” (Musnad Ibn Majah)

This love did not remain only in words but was realized in actions. From the very first days of his stay in Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) established brotherhood between the emigrants (muhajirun) and the helpers (ansar), and reconciled tribes that had been in conflict for years.

The people of Madinah showed extraordinary love for the emigrants, sharing their wealth and homes, even preferring them over themselves. This sacrifice and love is described in the Qur’an:
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالِْإيمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَٰى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ

“But those who had settled in the city and had accepted the faith before them love those who emigrated to them, and find no jealousy in their hearts for what they were given, but give them preference over themselves, even though they too are in need.” (Surah al-Hashr, 59:9)
Special Love for the Birthplace

A Muslim naturally has love for his birthplace. It is only normal for a person to have a special attachment to the land where he was raised, for there lie the first memories and feelings that become deeply rooted in his soul. We see this in the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who, addressing Makkah, said:
وَالَِّله إِنَّكِ لَخَيْرُ أَرْضِ الَِّله وَأَحَبُّ أَرْضِ الَِّله إِلَيَّ، وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْكِ مَا خَرَجْتُ

“By Allah, you are the best of Allah’s lands and the most beloved land to me. Had your people not expelled me, I would never have left you.” (Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi)

Here it is understood that Makkah was not only his birthplace but also the holiest place due to the presence of the Blessed Ka‘bah.

Loving the Land Where One Lives and Finds New Opportunities

Often people migrate in search of new opportunities. Even though the new land cannot replace the birthplace, the Muslim must uphold Islamic values both in his homeland and in the land where he settles. He should contribute to the betterment of the new society, as after a certain time he becomes part of it.

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was forced to emigrate to Madinah, he prayed:
اللَّهُمَّ حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا الَْمدِينَةَ كَحُبِّنَا مَكَّةَ أَوْ أَشَدَّ

“O Allah, make us love Madinah as we love Makkah, or even more.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Madinah, which was previously called Yathrib – a place known for sicknesses and for internal conflicts between the Aws and Khazraj tribes – was transformed into a prosperous city with the arrival of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He established peace among the tribes and conveyed to its inhabitants the universal values of Islam. For this reason, he called the city Madinah (The City) or Taybah (The Good), giving it a new identity based on love and purity.
Mercy Toward Opponents

His mercy became clearer than ever on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He entered with an army that could not be resisted, but instead of seeking revenge, he said:

“What do you think I will do with you?” They replied:

“You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother.”

Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared the noteworthy words:
اذْهَبُوا فَأَنْتُمُ الطُّلَقَاءُ

“Go, for you are free.” (Ibn Hisham in his Sirah; al-Tabari in his Tarikh)

This was the great moment of forgiveness, when yesterday’s enemies were transformed into forgiven brothers.

Conclusion

From the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we learn that his leadership was built on love and mercy. He loved his birthplace, he loved the land where he lived after migration, he loved people regardless of their origin, and he showed mercy even to his opponents.

This love and mercy were not merely feelings, but they became a social reality: peace, justice, brotherhood, and harmony. And this is the greatest fruit of his leadership: a city illuminated with the light of spirit and the universal values of Islam, which continues to inspire the world to this day.

About Mufti Didmar Faja

Shaykh Didmar Faja is currently the Imām of the United Islamic Center of Arizona (UICA) in Glendale, Arizona. He is the founder and director of the Greenway Academy, an Islamic school co-located with UICA, and founder and director of two Islamic centers in Mexico, La Comunidad Musalmana de Sonora (in the State of Sonora) and La Comunidad Musulmana de Durango (in the State of Durango). He is a religious and spiritual advisor for Naqshbandiyya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE) where he delivers a monthly address on topics relating to Islamic spirituality and an instructor at Madina Institute USA in Atlanta, GA where he teaches Al-Arba’­īn of Imam Al-Nawawi and usūl al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) according to the Hanafī school of thought.


Shaykh Didmar is frequently invited to lecture at events and conferences held in the United States and abroad and he is an active participant in, and organizer of, multi-faith activities in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The focus of his work is teaching traditional Islam in accordance with the four schools of ahl al-sunnah wa jama’ah, with emphasis on the Hanafī school. He particularly enjoys training students in the art of Qur’anic recitation and is the founder of Arizona’s annual Qur’an Competition.

Shaykh Didmar completed his primary Islamic education in the city of his birth, Shkodër, Albania, while attending the Haxhi Sheh Shamia. He completed his Islamic High school (Imam Hatip) in Istanbul, Turkey. After moving to the US in 1999, he completed his post-secondary education and earned a Bachelor’s in Islamic Studies. Later, he completed his Masters of Divinity (MDiv) in Islamic Chaplaincy from Bayan Graduate. His classical studies have focused on ma’qūl wa manqūl (Islamic speculative and traditional knowledge). He received ijāzāt in fatwā (authorization to issue Islamic non-binding legal opinions) and other Islamic disciplines from the Mufti and the Imam of Abū Hanīfa Mosque of Baghdad, Shaykh Watheq Alobaidi, as well as other scholars. Throughout his life, he has been blessed to study under well-qualified and righteous scholars of various backgrounds, including Albanians, Kurds, Turks and Arabs. Currently, Shaykh Didmar also serves as the head of the Imams Council of Arizona..

He is the author of Shprehi Dhuntitë e Zotit Tënd! (Express the Gifts of You Your Lord!) (2012), an edited anthology of Albanian-language sermons delivered on various Islamic topics, and Shpjegimi i Dyzet e Dy Thënieve Profetike (Commentary on the Forty-Two Prophetic Statements) (2014), an Albanian-language translation and commentary of Al-Arba’­īn of Imam Al-Nawawi. He has published articles on various Islamic topics in several magazines and newspapers in the United States and Albania (in both English and Albanian).

Shaykh Didmar previously served as the Imām of the Albanian American Islamic Center of Arizona – Greenway Masjid (2004 – 2014) and taught Qur’an and Islamic Studies at the Arizona Cultural Academy (2002 – 2009), a full-time Islamic school in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a member of the Arizona Police Reports. He is fluent in Albanian, English, Arabic and Turkish.                                             Source: https://uislamicca.com/home/imam/