Hubbry Logo
MercyMercyMain
Open search
Mercy
Community hub
Mercy
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Mercy
Mercy
Mercy
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
The Seven Works of Mercy, by Frans II Francken, 1605.

Mercy (/ˈmɜːr.si/, MUR-see; from Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces "price paid, wages", from Latin merc-, merxi "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts.

In the social and legal context, mercy may refer both to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict), or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e.g., a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims).[1]

Definition

[edit]

"Mercy" can be defined as "compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power"; and also "a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion."[2] "To be at someone's mercy" indicates a person being "without defense against someone."[3]

Law and ethics

[edit]
The Spirit of Compassion, commemorating World War I, South Australia, 1931

In a judicial context mercy is often termed "clemency". It is a sovereign prerogative that resides in the executive and is entirely discretionary. John Locke defined it as "the power to act according to discretion, for the public good, without the prescription of the Law, and sometimes even against it."[4] The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit explained that "The very nature of clemency is that it is grounded solely in the will of the dispenser of clemency. He need give no reasons for granting it or for denying it."[5]

Religions

[edit]

The concept of a merciful God appears in various religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Performing acts of mercy as a component of religious beliefs is also emphasized through actions such as the giving of alms, care for the sick, and Works of Mercy.

Christianity

[edit]

Hebrews 4:16 says, "So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help." Grace and mercy are similar in that both are free gifts of God and both are dispensed absent any merit on the part of the recipient. Grace is the favor of God, a divine assistance. Grace is what one receives that one does not deserve while mercy is what one receives when one does not get what one deserves.[6]

An emphasis on mercy appears in the New Testament, for example in the Magnificat[7] and Benedictus (Song of Zechariah),[8] in Luke's Gospel, and in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."[9] In Ephesians 2:4–5 Apostle Paul refers to the mercy of God in terms of salvation: "God, who is rich in mercy... even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."

Psalm 117 calls upon all nations to praise the Lord on account of his "merciful kindness". This is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 15:11 to show that God has now fulfilled this prophecy and promise through Jesus Christ, who has been merciful in giving his life as a sacrifice for his people, both Jew and gentile. 1 Peter 2:9–10 reads:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This devotional element of mercy as part of the Christian tradition was echoed by Saint Augustine who called mercy "ever ancient, ever new".[9][10] The Works of Mercy (seven corporal and seven spiritual works) are part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.[11]

Roman Catholicism

[edit]
See also: Divine Mercy
The first Divine Mercy image (c. 1934) painted according to the apparitions of Faustina Kowalska by Eugene Kazimierowski. Now permanently enshrined at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary of Vilnius, Lithuania[12]

In the encyclical Dives in misericordia ("Rich in Mercy") Pope John Paul II examined the role of mercy—both God's mercy, and also the need for human mercy.[13] He saw in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) "the essence of the divine mercy".[13] Having squandered his patrimony, justice would dictate that the prodigal should only expect to be received back as a hireling. The figure of the father is analogous to God as Father, who goes beyond the requirements of justice to welcome his son with compassion.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of the Works of Mercy. In Roman Catholic teachings the mercy of God flows through the work of the Holy Spirit.[11][14] Roman Catholic liturgy includes frequent references to mercy, e.g., as in Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison: Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.[15]

Mercy has also been an important subject of Christian iconography. Since the Middle Ages, many representations in art encouraged people to practice the works of mercy and, as the art historian Ralf van Bühren explains using the example of Caravaggio, helped "the audience to explore mercy in their own lives".[16]: 79–80 

In the 20th century, there was new focus on mercy in the Roman Catholic Church, partly due to the Divine Mercy devotion.[12][17][18] The primary focus of the Divine Mercy devotion is the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it.[17]

Pope John Paul II was a follower of the Divine Mercy devotion, due to Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), who is known as the Apostle of Mercy.[18][19]

A number of Roman Catholic shrines are specifically dedicated to Divine Mercy, e.g. the Basilica of Divine Mercy in Krakow Poland, and the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts).[20] During the dedication of the Basilica of Divine Mercy, John Paul II quoted the Diary of Faustina and called mercy the "greatest attribute of God Almighty".[21]

The first World Apostolic Congress on Mercy was held in Rome in April 2008 and was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI.[9][22]

In 2015, at St. Peter's Basilica, in a Papal Bull of Indiction entitled Misericordiae Vultus ("The Face of Mercy"), Pope Francis proclaimed a Special and Extraordinary Holy Year Jubilee Year of Mercy, from December 8, 2015: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, until November 21, 2016: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King.[23] The theme of the Extraordinary Jubilee was taken from Luke 6:36, "Merciful, Like the Father".[24]

Islam

[edit]

In Islam the title "Most Merciful" (Al-Raheem) is one of the names of Allah and "Most Compassionate" (Al-Rahman), is the most common name occurring in the Quran. Rahman and Rahim both derive from the root Rahmat, which refers to tenderness and benevolence.[25] As a form of mercy, the giving of alms (zakat) is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam and one of the requirements for the faithful.[26]

Judaism

[edit]

The concept of mercy encompasses two terms in Hebrew. Chesed, which is also translated as 'loving-kindness' and 'goodness', is the seventh of the thirteen defining attributes of God.

The other, rachamim, is also translated as 'compassion' (or because its noun form is grammatically plural, as 'mercies'). Rachamim is the fourth of the thirteen attributes. Exodus 34:6 says: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."[27] This is also emphasized in the context of the Babylonian exile in Isaiah: "For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones. But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.' Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." (Isaiah 49:13–15) Also: "It is good to pray and fast, to be merciful and just." (Tobit 12:8) When David, because of his sin, was told to choose between a three-year famine, pursuit by his enemies for three months, or a three-day pestilence, he chose the pestilence, saying, "Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man." (2 Samuel 24:14) Psalm 103:8 praises God for his mercy.

Other religions and beliefs

[edit]

Kwan Yin the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion, is one of the best known and most venerated Bodhisattva in Asia.[28]

Karuṇā (often translated as "compassion") is part of the beliefs of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Karuṇā is present in all schools of Buddhism and in Jainism it is viewed as one of the reflections of universal friendship.

The spiritual teacher Meher Baba described God as being "all-merciful and eternally benevolent" in his O Parvardigar prayer, and he held that we can approach God through the "invocation of His mercy."[29]

Quotes

[edit]

Literature

[edit]

The quality of mercy is not strain'd.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

  • In O. Henry's A Retrieved Reformation, safecracker Jimmy Valentine betrays his identity and burglary skills in order to free a child accidentally trapped in a bank vault. A detective who has been pursuing him witnesses Valentine crack the safe. As Valentine subsequently surrenders, the detective pretends not to recognize him and walks away.[32]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mercy.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Mercy.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mercy

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Mercy denotes the discretionary extension of , leniency, or by those possessing authority to an offender or supplicant who merits or harm under principles of . Etymologically derived from Latin merces ("wages" or "reward"), the concept evolved through merci to signify unmerited or grace, reflecting a causal deviation from strict reciprocity in interactions. In ethical philosophy, mercy contrasts with by involving the active withholding or mitigation of deserved penalty, prompting debates on its compatibility with impartial moral order, as unchecked mercy may undermine deterrence and equity in social systems. Distinct from mere , which entails sentiment without intervention, mercy requires tangible action such as clemency, distinguishing it as a exercised amid power imbalances. Historically and religiously, mercy features prominently as a divine attribute fostering emulation through practices like the Christian Seven Works of Mercy—acts of corporal and spiritual aid to the needy—or Islamic emphases on rahma () as integral to God's nature, though interpretations vary in balancing it against . These traditions underscore mercy's role in mitigating suffering, yet philosophical scrutiny reveals tensions, as empirical outcomes in legal mercy, such as reduced via rehabilitative approaches, must contend with risks of perceived weakness eroding societal norms.

Etymology and Conceptual Foundations

Linguistic Origins

The English word "mercy" entered the language in the late , denoting "God's of his sinful creatures," derived directly from merci (attested from the ), which signified "reward, ; , grace, ." This term traces to Latin mercedem (accusative of merces), originally meaning "reward, wages, pay, hire," a usage rooted in the earlier Latin merx (genitive merc-is), denoting "wares" or "merchandise." In ancient Roman contexts, merces referred concretely to "price paid for something, wages, [or] reward," reflecting commercial transactions rather than abstract . The semantic evolution toward clemency occurred in Vulgar and , where merces shifted to encompass "favor" or "pity," influenced by interpreting divine as an unmerited "reward" or grace extended despite human deservingness. Early Christians in repurposed the term in this transferred sense, linking it to benevolence without equivalent exchange, as seen in phrases like crier merci in Anglo-Norman French, meaning to beg or invoke . This transition underscores a conceptual bridge from economic reciprocity— for services rendered—to unilateral , paralleling theological notions of unearned . Cognates persist in Romance languages, such as French merci ("thanks"), which retains the "reward" connotation as acknowledgment of a favor received, and Spanish merced ("favor" or "mercy"), both stemming from the same Latin progenitor. The root merx may connect distantly to a Proto-Indo-European base *(s)mer- or *merḱ-, associated with allocation, barter, or "to assign," though direct attestation for compassionate mercy remains a later Indo-European innovation tied to Latin commercial lexicon. No evidence supports a unified Proto-Indo-European term for "mercy" as modernly understood; instead, the word's compassionate layer emerged through cultural and doctrinal reinterpretation in medieval Europe.

Core Definitions and Distinctions

Mercy is defined as the compassionate treatment of an individual who has committed an offense or faces , typically involving the withholding of a deserved or penalty by an figure possessing the power to impose it. This act presupposes a of guilt or , where the merciful party exercises to forgo retribution that would otherwise be just. In ethical contexts, mercy manifests as a oriented toward alleviating in those under one's control, distinct from mere benevolence by its relational —requiring a position of superiority or . A primary distinction lies between mercy and : justice entails administering what is strictly due based on merit or , such as proportionate for violations, whereas mercy deliberately deviates from this by granting unearned leniency, thereby introducing an element of or excess goodness. This tension arises because mercy can undermine retributive aims if applied indiscriminately, potentially eroding by signaling that consequences are optional rather than obligatory. Philosophers like positioned mercy as a virtue moderating passions toward the of nemesis, a balanced response to misfortune, but subordinate to justice in hierarchical ethical frameworks where order precedes individual relief. Mercy differs from forgiveness in scope and application: forgiveness primarily concerns the victim's internal release of or demand for personal retribution following an offense, often without authoritative power over outcomes, while mercy operates externally through institutional or hierarchical mechanisms, such as a reducing a sentence irrespective of the victim's feelings. For instance, a pardoned criminal may receive mercy from the state but still require from affected parties to restore interpersonal relations. In contrast to , which denotes an emotional state of or sorrow for another's prompting a desire to help, emphasizes behavioral or action, and can occur absent strong feelings—e.g., a granting clemency for pragmatic reasons like societal rather than . may fuel merciful acts but lacks the punitive context central to mercy, as it applies broadly to unmerited distress without implying desert or . This separation underscores mercy's paradoxical nature: it affirms a wrongdoer's yet overrides strict equity, raising questions about its compatibility with impartial rule-based .

Philosophical and Ethical Analysis

Ancient and Classical Perspectives

In , mercy (, often denoting pity or compassion) appeared in epic narratives as an response to , distinguishing civilized conduct from barbarism, as seen in Homer's where Achilles relents toward despite enmity, motivated by shared human vulnerability rather than abstract principle. , emphasizing retributive and rehabilitative justice in works like the Laws, subordinated to the , permitting limited clemency only where punishment served rational correction of , viewing unchecked leniency as a threat to societal harmony and the soul's order. Aristotle advanced a more nuanced framework in the Nicomachean Ethics (Book V, chapter 10, circa 350 BCE), positing epieikeia (equity) as a corrective to rigid legal , which, due to its universal formulations, inevitably errs in particular cases; the equitable judge, embodying superior , extends leniency for unintentional human failings, prioritizing intent and circumstance over literal penalty, thus aligning mercy with perfected rather than opposition to it. This approach demanded discernment, as equity transcended but did not negate , applying only where strict adherence would yield inequity. Roman philosophers, influenced by , reframed mercy (clementia) as a deliberate, power-sustaining virtue for rulers. , in speeches like Pro Marcello (46 BCE), lauded as that preserves the conquered through , citing Julius Caesar's post-Pharsalus pardons (48 BCE) as exemplary for reconciling foes and bolstering legitimacy, though he critiqued its potential exploitation by tyrants. In (44 BCE), positioned among , akin to mildness (lenitas), essential for statesmen to temper severity without weakness, drawing from Greek precedents to argue its popularity and moral utility in governance. Seneca the Younger systematized this in De Clementia (AD 55–56), composed as counsel to Nero, defining clementia as "restraining the mind from vengeance when the power to inflict it exists" or superior leniency toward inferiors, distinct from emotional pity (misericordia), which he deemed irrational and destabilizing. Seneca advocated measured application—punishing where necessary to uphold order, but mitigating where reform or stability prevailed—warning that indiscriminate mercy invites anarchy, while cruelty erodes rule; he cited Augustus's early clemency (post-31 BCE Actium) as ideal, contrasting it with excess that masked vice. This Stoic-inflected view prioritized rational self-control, positioning mercy as instrumental to enduring authority rather than sentimental indulgence.

Modern Philosophical Debates

In modern philosophical , mercy is often analyzed as a to forgo or mitigate a deserved penalty, distinct from excuses that negate or justifications that affirm an action's rightness. Jeffrie G. Murphy emphasizes that mercy presupposes guilt and involves a sovereign authority waiving its right to punish, thereby engaging such as while avoiding confusion with , which pertains more to personal relationships than institutional responses. This framework highlights mercy's potential tension with , as remitting punishment for the culpable risks eroding the principle that wrongdoers ought to suffer proportionally to their offenses, a of deontological . Murphy argues that mercy complements rather than contradicts in contexts like civil law, where individuals may voluntarily relinquish enforceable claims without public detriment, though it poses greater challenges in due to demands for communal retribution. In , counters modern individualism by portraying mercy as an essential response to human finitude, vulnerability, and interdependence, directing agents to address others' urgent needs through sustained practices of giving and receiving. contends this virtue undergirds a non-sectarian of the , operable in secular societies to counteract fragmentation and indifference by building across divisions, independent of explicit theological foundations. Despite a resurgence in virtue theory, mercy receives comparatively scant attention from contemporary philosophers, who frequently classify it as supererogatory—exceeding duties—or confined to discretionary leniency in , overlooking its potential as a structured tied to for . Critics of expansive warn it may foster if detached from , yet proponents view it as a safeguard against justice's rigidity, mitigating in rule-bound systems while preserving ethical equilibrium. These debates reflect broader concerns in public about 's declining invocation in and , where metaphors of increasingly diverge from egalitarian ideals, complicating its institutional application.

Ethical Tensions with Justice

In retributive ethics, mercy poses a fundamental tension with by forgoing that offenders morally deserve, thereby potentially eroding the principle of proportionality that underpins and individual . demands that penalties match the gravity of wrongs committed, serving not only to deter future misconduct but also to affirm and the equality of rational agents under ; mercy, by contrast, introduces leniency that critics argue treats similar cases dissimilarly, fostering perceptions of . Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics Book V, mitigates this tension through the concept of epieikeia (equity), portraying it as a superior form of that corrects the rigors of when its generality leads to inequitable outcomes in particular circumstances. For Aristotle, strict legal risks injustice due to laws' inability to encompass every nuance of human action; equity thus acts as a merciful rectification, exercised by the virtuous who prioritizes what is truly fair over literal adherence to , without descending into caprice. This framework subordinates mercy to , framing it as an extension rather than , though it presupposes a wise arbiter capable of discerning true desert—a condition often absent in practice. Immanuel Kant intensifies the opposition in deontological terms, contending in The Metaphysics of Morals (1797) that mercy in punishment contradicts the categorical imperative by violating the offender's own rational entitlement to exact retribution, which forms the basis of juridical right. Kant views pardon or clemency as an executive overreach that undermines the publicity and universality of law, equating it to private vengeance or favoritism rather than principled governance; to remit deserved penalty is to deny the criminal's humanity as an end-in-itself, while also weakening societal deterrence rooted in duty rather than utility. This stance reflects Kant's broader rejection of sympathetic impulses like pity-driven mercy, which he deems pathological and incompatible with autonomous moral agency. Utilitarian approaches, exemplified in Jeremy Bentham's calculus of pleasures and pains, reframe the tension around consequences, permitting mercy where it maximizes aggregate welfare—such as through rehabilitation that averts more effectively than incarceration. Bentham critiqued traditional mercy as often masking cruelty, arguing that leniency without regard for net harm (e.g., emboldening criminals at innocents' expense) fails the test, yet strict retributivism ignores forward-looking benefits like reduced societal costs from reformed offenders. This consequentialist flexibility resolves apparent conflicts by subordinating to outcomes, but invites criticism for instrumentalizing persons and risking , as empirical data on lenient sentencing (e.g., U.S. federal guidelines post-1984) show mixed effects on crime rates, with some studies linking reduced penalties to higher reoffense probabilities. Persistent debates underscore that unchecked mercy can engender , where diminished accountability correlates with weakened , as evidenced in philosophical analyses positing and mercy as virtues in potential opposition unless reconciled through hybrid frameworks like that address both and harm without full waiver of penalty. Retributivists maintain that mercy's supererogatory nature—virtuous only beyond strict —renders it exceptional, lest routine application erode deterrence, a causal dynamic supported by economic models of showing punishment certainty's outsized role over severity.

Historical Development in Law

In ancient legal systems, clemency appeared as an exceptional exercise of authority, often tied to royal or divine prerogative rather than codified right. The , dating to approximately 1754 BCE, included provisions allowing the king to remit punishments or debts in cases of demonstrated hardship, marking an early instance of mercy as a discretionary tool to temper strict . In , pardons (indulgentia) were granted by emperors or magistrates, evolving from the Republic's occasional senatorial amnesties to imperial fiat under the ; for example, emphasized clemency post-civil wars to consolidate power, though it remained ad hoc and not systematically embedded in statutes. Jewish Mishpat Ivri tradition integrated mercy (rachamim) as complementary to justice, influencing later Western concepts by prioritizing compassion in rabbinic interpretations of penalties. The prerogative of mercy crystallized in medieval English as a core attribute of monarchical authority, distinct from judicial equity. By the , Norman kings like Henry II wielded it to forgive or treason, often via charters or writs, as seen in the 1166 , which balanced crown mercy with growing procedural formalism to maintain . This power, personal to the sovereign, allowed pre- or post-conviction relief without legislative oversight, exemplified in Edward I's 1270s pardons for baronial rebels, which served both reconciliatory and political ends. By the , it extended to group amnesties, with records showing over 1,000 individual pardons annually under Edward III, reflecting mercy's role in mitigating the era's harsh laws amid incomplete enforcement mechanisms. In the transition to modern constitutional frameworks, the English prerogative influenced colonial and post-independence systems, embedding executive clemency as a check against rigid justice. The 1689 affirmed the crown's pardon power while subjecting it to parliamentary scrutiny, curbing absolutism; this evolved into statutory forms like the 1908 Criminal Appeal Act, which formalized mercy committees. In the United States, Article II, Section 2 of the 1787 Constitution vested authority in the president, drawing directly from precedents to enable relief from federal convictions, as argued in Federalist No. 74 for its necessity in error correction and political reconciliation. This development preserved mercy's discretionary essence—unfettered by —while adapting it to republican governance, with over 22,000 federal clemency grants recorded from 1900 to 2017, underscoring its enduring function amid expanding administrative state constraints.

Modern Practices and Controversies

In contemporary legal systems, particularly , executive clemency remains a primary mechanism for mercy, encompassing pardons that forgive offenses, commutations that reduce sentences, and reprieves that delay punishment, all vested in the President under Article II, Section 2 of the . From 1900 to 2025, U.S. presidents issued over 14,000 pardons and thousands of commutations, with annual averages varying widely; for instance, President granted 4,245 acts of clemency during his 2021-2025 term, surpassing prior presidents in raw numbers due to bulk commutations for non-violent drug offenders. State governors exercise analogous powers, often focusing on death row commutations or low-level offenses, though grants are bimodal—clustered at minor misdemeanors or capital cases—reflecting political caution. Judicial mercy manifests in sentencing discretion, where judges may mitigate penalties based on mitigating factors like , rehabilitation potential, or humanitarian circumstances, such as , rather than rigid mandatory minimums. Emerging "second look" statutes in states like (enacted 2017) and the federal (2018) enable sentence reviews after 10-15 years served, allowing reductions for demonstrated reform or sentencing disparities, with over 30 states adopting similar provisions by 2023 to address overly harsh terms from the 1980s-1990s "tough on crime" era. Internationally, judicial mercy appears in systems like Singapore's, where courts rarely invoke it to reduce sentences on compassionate grounds, as in the 2025 case of property developer , whose term was shortened due to health issues despite corruption convictions. Controversies surrounding these practices often center on politicization and perceived erosion of accountability; for example, President Donald Trump's 2017-2021 pardons of allies like Sheriff (convicted of criminal contempt for enforcement) and over 140 individuals tied to the , 2021, Capitol events drew criticism for favoring loyalty over merit, undermining deterrence against political crimes. Biden's preemptive pardons for family members in late 2024, absent formal petitions, fueled debates on , though supporters argued they preempted retaliatory prosecutions. Critics, including legal scholars, contend that unchecked clemency invites , as presidents face no congressional override, leading to bimodal distributions where mercy benefits either trivial cases or high-profile insiders while bypassing systemic injustices like wrongful convictions. Empirical data shows clemency grants have declined since the 1980s due to political risks, with governors and presidents wary of backlash from victims' advocates, exacerbating without proportional relief for non-violent offenders. These tensions highlight mercy's dual role: a corrective for rigid justice systems, yet vulnerable to subjective application that can prioritize executive prerogative over uniform .

Religious Interpretations

Abrahamic Traditions

In Abrahamic traditions, constitutes a core divine attribute, portraying as compassionate and forgiving while upholding , with human emulation of emphasized as a derived from scriptural revelation. In , is expressed through rachamim (compassion, derived from rechem, meaning womb, evoking maternal tenderness) and hesed (lovingkindness or steadfast benevolence), both central to 's covenantal relationship with . These qualities form two of the three pillars of divine creation alongside grace (chen), as articulated in Talmudic . reveals the Thirteen Attributes of to in Exodus 34:6–7, including phrases like "The , the , a merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in hesed and faithfulness," recited in penitential prayers such as to invoke . Human mirrors this, as in 6:8's call to "love hesed" (do , love , walk humbly), tempering strict (mishpat) to prevent excessive retribution. In Halakha, mercy is regulated and constrained by legal norms; compassion is structured and limited, permitted but not autonomous, with emotion subordinated to normative requirements, as rabbinic interpretations embed mercy within the law rather than allowing it to operate independently, and as Maimonides emphasizes judicial impartiality over discretionary leniency. Christianity extends Jewish conceptions, positioning mercy as epitomized in Christ's sacrificial , which reconciles divine and compassion, as in the 2:4–5: "But God, being rich in mercy... made us alive together with Christ." Biblical foundations include the (Luke 15:11–32), illustrating unmerited paternal , and James 2:13: "Mercy triumphs over judgment." The Church formalized seven Corporal —such as feeding the hungry and clothing the naked—drawn from :35–46, where aiding the needy equates to serving Christ, and seven Spiritual Works, like instructing the ignorant and forgiving offenses, rooted in ' teachings (e.g., :19–20 for evangelization). These acts, obligatory according to capacity, underscore mercy's practical expression in alleviating bodily and spiritual distress. In , mercy (rahma) defines 's essence, with every Quranic (except one) opening "In the name of , the Most Gracious (), the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahim)," where denotes universal, all-encompassing mercy toward creation, and Ar-Rahim specifies sustained , particularly for believers. 7:156 declares, "My mercy encompasses all things," affirming mercy's precedence over wrath, as prescribes it for Himself. The embodies this as "a mercy to the worlds" ( 21:107), exemplified in hadiths urging mercy toward and creation, such as deriving the womb (rahim) from His name Ar-Rahim to bless those who maintain kinship ties. Human mercy extends to all beings, reflecting divine where 99 parts of 's 100-part mercy are reserved for the hereafter, fostering ethical conduct like in judgment and aid. Across these traditions, mercy integrates with monotheistic theology as God's proactive benevolence, often womb-like in origin (rachamim, rahma), yet distinct: stresses covenantal hesed, sacrificial redemption, and universal encompassment, with shared emphasis on reciprocity—divine mercy demands human practice to avert judgment.

Eastern and Indigenous Traditions

In , daya—translated as or —represents toward the of others and is one of the three core virtues alongside charity () and self-control (dama), essential for moral conduct and spiritual progress. This principle is articulated in texts such as the , where daya is defined as the virtuous impulse to alleviate others' distress through active effort, extending to all beings in alignment with (non-violence). Hindu scriptures emphasize daya as a root of (righteous duty), fostering impartial without expectation of reciprocity, as seen in the 's call to transcend hatred toward all creatures. Buddhism elevates karuṇā, the active wish to remove suffering from sentient beings, as a foundational among the four brahmavihāras (divine abodes), cultivated through to counter self-centeredness and promote enlightenment. In Pāli canonical texts, karuṇā is distinguished from mere by its emphasis on empathetic action to transform sorrow, exemplified in the Buddha's teachings on boundless toward all, regardless of merit. This practice is integral to Mahāyāna traditions, where bodhisattvas embody karuṇā by postponing personal nirvāṇa to aid others, as detailed in sūtras like the Lotus Sūtra. In , ren (benevolence or humaneness) encompasses and as the paramount virtue, guiding interpersonal relations through graded love—prioritizing before extending to —to achieve social harmony. described ren in the as restraining oneself to accord with propriety (li), manifesting mercy in forgiving minor faults while upholding moral order, distinct from indiscriminate leniency. Taoist traditions, influenced by syncretic elements, revere figures like (), the of mercy, as an immortal embodying compassionate intervention, though core Dao De Jing texts prioritize natural non-action () over explicit merciful acts, with mercy appearing in the "three treasures" as yielding to preserve . Indigenous traditions exhibit mercy through emphasizing communal reconciliation over punitive , varying widely across cultures. In some Native American societies, forgiveness rituals—such as truth-telling circles among the Lakota—facilitate mercy by releasing historical grievances to restore balance, prioritizing healing over retribution. African indigenous frameworks, like those in Zulu or Xhosa communities, integrate mercy via ubuntu (interconnected humanity), where forgiving offenses through dialogue prevents cycles of vengeance, as observed in post-conflict gacaca courts drawing on pre-colonial norms. Australian Aboriginal customs often resolve disputes through mediated kinship obligations, extending mercy to kin and strangers to maintain law (traditional order), though empirical accounts note tensions with introduced legal systems favoring strict . These approaches, rooted in oral traditions rather than scriptures, underscore mercy's role in survival amid scarcity, but lack uniform codification, reflecting adaptive responses to environmental and social pressures.

Scientific and Psychological Insights

Evolutionary and Biological Bases

In , mercy—manifested as or restraint from retaliation after conflict—emerges as an adaptive strategy in social species to preserve cooperative alliances and reduce the costs of ongoing aggression. Game-theoretic models, such as iterated simulations conducted by Robert Axelrod in the early 1980s, demonstrate that strategies incorporating , like "tit-for-tat" (which cooperates initially, mirrors the opponent's last move, but forgives a single if followed by cooperation), outperform purely punitive or always-defect approaches in fostering long-term mutual benefit. These findings suggest that mercy evolves under conditions of repeated interactions, where the potential for future reciprocity outweighs immediate punishment, a dynamic observed across taxa from insects to . Empirical observations in nonhuman animals further support this, with reconciliation behaviors post-aggression documented in over 30 mammalian species, including chimpanzees, bonobos, and wolves, where former opponents engage in affiliative contact (e.g., grooming or embracing) to restore social bonds and minimize group disruption. In chimpanzees, for instance, such post-conflict reunions occur within minutes of fights in approximately 50% of cases involving bystanders, reducing renewed aggression by up to 70% compared to non-reconciled pairs, indicating a biological predisposition for mercy to maintain coalition stability in kin and non-kin groups. These patterns align with kin selection and reciprocal altruism theories, where sparing relatives or potential future partners enhances inclusive fitness, though costs arise if mercy is exploited by chronic cheaters, selecting for conditional forgiveness. Biologically, mercy implicates neural circuits underlying and , including the anterior insula, , and , which process others' distress and modulate punitive responses. Oxytocin, a released during positive social interactions, facilitates by attenuating activity to perceived threats and enhancing trust, as evidenced by human experiments where intranasal oxytocin administration increased willingness to forgive unfair monetary offers in trust games by 20-30%. This mechanism, conserved across mammals, links mercy to pathways that prioritize relational repair over vengeance, though individual variation in genetics influences baseline merciful tendencies. Disruptions, such as in , correlate with reduced activation in these circuits, underscoring mercy's rootedness in prosocial neurobiology rather than mere cultural overlay.

Empirical Psychological Research

Empirical psychological research on mercy, defined as , , or leniency toward a transgressor or someone in distress over whom one holds authority, remains underdeveloped compared to related constructs like and . Studies often examine mercy within moral judgment frameworks, where it involves withholding deserved , and link it to interpersonal processes that yield measurable psychological benefits. For instance, interventions promoting —closely aligned with merciful leniency—have been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms, with a 2016 of 332 participants demonstrating that increased over five weeks correlated with decreased complaints. A of 54 interventions further confirmed improvements in psychological , attributing outcomes to reduced rumination and enhanced toward offenders. Research also explores antecedents of merciful behavior, including emotional and cognitive factors. In qualitative interviews with 58 university students (mean age 24.7), 40% self-identified as merciful, associating it with , , and religious beliefs, while 60% reported consistent compassionate actions driven by fairness and traits rather than situational selectivity. Selective mercy was noted in 40% of respondents, influenced by past experiences, suggesting individual differences in merciful tendencies may stem from learned avoidance of exploitation. Experimental work on 's role in moral judgments reveals counterintuitive effects: induced compassion can decrease utilitarian outcomes in dilemmas requiring harm for greater good, prioritizing emotional bonds over strict , as observed in studies manipulating affective states during ethical decisions. Physiological and long-term outcomes underscore mercy's adaptive value. , as a proxy for mercy in offender contexts, activates brain regions enhancing resilience and reduces chronic , with evidence showing decreased activity linked to lower cardiovascular risk factors like . A 2009 meta-analysis tied unforgiveness to elevated heart disease incidence, while merciful disposition mitigated these effects by alleviating stress-mediated . However, empirical data caution against indiscriminate mercy; moral disengagement mechanisms in judgment tasks indicate that perceived leniency can erode perceptions, potentially fostering repeated transgressions in authority contexts. Overall, while benefits accrue to the merciful actor via improvements, highlights tensions between short-term empathy-driven mercy and long-term societal deterrence, with calls for more direct experiments on mercy in hierarchical settings like sentencing simulations.

Historical Case Studies

Instances of Beneficial Mercy

In 539 BCE, , founder of the , exhibited mercy toward conquered populations by issuing decrees that permitted exiled groups, such as the deported by the Babylonians, to return to their homelands and reconstruct their temples, diverging from the era's common practices of enslavement or mass execution. This clemency, documented in the and corroborated by biblical accounts, cultivated allegiance among diverse ethnic and religious communities, thereby bolstering administrative cohesion and enabling the empire's expansion and endurance for over 200 years without widespread revolts. During the recapture of on October 2, 1187, opted for restraint by negotiating terms that allowed approximately 15,000 Christian residents to depart with their lives intact upon payment of modest ransoms, sparing them the fate of wholesale slaughter inflicted by Crusaders on and in 1099. This measured response, rooted in Islamic principles of justice tempered by compassion, mitigated immediate reprisals, preserved key sites under protected status, and elevated 's stature as a chivalrous leader in European chronicles, which facilitated subsequent truces and exchanges of captives amid ongoing Crusader campaigns. In post-apartheid , Nelson Mandela's administration, upon assuming power in 1994, implemented the Truth and Reconciliation Commission under the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act of 1995, granting conditional amnesty to over 800 individuals—predominantly from security forces—who publicly confessed gross abuses, prioritizing societal healing over punitive trials. By forgoing widespread vengeance against the former regime's beneficiaries, this framework defused risks of retaliatory violence in a nation polarized by decades of racial conflict, fostering interracial cooperation that underpinned economic stabilization and , with GDP growth averaging 3.3% annually from 1994 to 2008.

Cases of Detrimental or Exploited Mercy

A prominent example of exploited mercy in occurred with R. Horton, who was convicted of first-degree in Massachusetts in 1979 for stabbing a teenager 17 times during a robbery and sentenced to without . Under the state's weekend program—intended as a rehabilitative measure granting temporary release as an act of leniency—Horton was permitted to leave prison in June 1986 but failed to return. In April 1987, he invaded a couple's home, kidnapped and raped the woman for 12 hours, and severely beat her fiancé, resulting in additional convictions for assault, armed robbery, and . This incident underscored how such programs, designed to extend mercy through supervised absences, can be abused by high-risk offenders, contributing to public backlash against perceived softness in sentencing. Empirical data further reveals the systemic risks of merciful releases. A study tracking 404,638 state prisoners released in 2005 found that 83% were rearrested for new offenses within nine years, with 67% rearrested within three years; violent offenders accounted for significant , including 13% rearrested for or . Property crime convicts showed the highest rearrest rate at 82%, while even those released after drug offenses reoffended at 77% for non-drug crimes. These patterns indicate that or early release—often justified as compassionate alternatives to full incarceration—frequently enable further victimization, as offenders exploit opportunities outside custody without sufficient deterrence or rehabilitation. In international contexts, government-brokered truces have similarly allowed criminal organizations to exploit leniency. During El Salvador's 2012-2013 gang truce, facilitated by the administration of President , authorities transferred and Barrio 18 leaders to lower-security prisons and implied reduced prosecutions in exchange for halting violence, temporarily dropping the rate from 70 per 100,000 in 2011 to 41 in 2013. However, the gangs used the period to reorganize, recruit, and expand rackets, leading to a of the agreement in March 2014 and a surge to 103 per 100,000 by 2015. This case demonstrates how concessions framed as merciful negotiations can embolden entrenched criminals, exacerbating long-term societal harm rather than fostering lasting reform.

Criticisms and Societal Ramifications

Philosophical and Ethical Critiques

Philosophers in the retributivist tradition, such as Immanuel Kant, argue that mercy in judicial contexts undermines the principle of equality under law by introducing arbitrary exceptions to deserved punishment. In Kant's view, every crime merits a proportionate penalty to uphold retributive justice, as forgoing it would violate the categorical imperative's demand for universalizable maxims; thus, sovereign mercy in sentencing equates to treating rational agents unequally, eroding the rule of law. This critique posits that mercy, while potentially virtuous in private interpersonal relations, becomes ethically problematic when exercised by the state, as it substitutes subjective compassion for objective duty. Friedrich Nietzsche extends this skepticism by condemning —the emotional precursor to mercy—as a depressive force that weakens the strong and perpetuates mediocrity in society. In works like , Nietzsche describes as a "waste of feeling" that multiplies by drawing the vital into the mire of the afflicted, rather than allowing natural overcoming; he views it as a Christian-influenced masquerading as , which stifles human excellence by prioritizing the weak over self-mastery. Ethically, Nietzsche contends that such mercy fosters and herd morality, diverting energy from creative ascent to egalitarian leveling, with empirical parallels in how unchecked can prolong societal ills by discouraging rigorous . From a consequentialist ethical standpoint, mercy risks by signaling that violations may evade full consequences, thereby diminishing deterrence and incentivizing . Legal scholars note that excessive leniency in correlates with higher rates, as seen in analyses of U.S. sentencing reforms where reduced penalties for serious offenses led to measurable upticks in offending; this creates a causal chain where individual aggregates to collective harm, prioritizing short-term empathy over long-term public safety. Critics further argue that mercy's selectivity—often favoring the remorseful or socially sympathetic—introduces , contravening impartial and fostering perceptions of unfairness that erode trust in institutions.

Impacts on Crime, Politics, and Culture

Policies favoring mercy in criminal justice, such as leniency in sentencing or pretrial release, have been linked to elevated recidivism and crime rates in empirical analyses. California's Proposition 47, enacted on November 4, 2014, reclassified certain property and drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, reducing penalties and jail time for nonviolent offenders in a bid for compassionate reform; subsequent data showed larceny theft rates increasing by 9% statewide from 2014 to 2019, with commercial robberies rising 8.8% in affected areas, as diminished consequences weakened deterrence and encouraged repeat offenses. In New York, the 2019 bail reforms, which eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies to promote equity and mercy, preceded spikes in index crimes; a quasi-experimental study found post-reform increases in murder, larceny, and motor vehicle theft rates, alongside higher recidivism for individuals with recent criminal histories charged under the new system. These outcomes align with deterrence theory, where forgoing deserved punishment erodes the perceived costs of crime, disproportionately burdening victims and communities. In politics, acts of mercy like executive pardons or amnesty programs frequently provoke backlash, signaling weakness and undermining public confidence in governance. President Gerald Ford's September 8, 1974, pardon of Richard Nixon for potential Watergate-related offenses, intended to foster national healing, fueled perceptions of elite impunity and contributed to Ford's narrow electoral loss to Jimmy Carter in 1976, with polls showing majority disapproval. Similarly, President Jimmy Carter's January 21, 1977, blanket pardon for Vietnam War draft evaders, extending mercy to over 200,000 individuals, drew criticism for rewarding evasion and divided Democrats, complicating foreign policy credibility amid ongoing POW debates. Broader merciful policies, such as "soft on crime" initiatives, have electoral repercussions; New York's bail reforms faced voter-driven amendments in 2020 and 2022 after crime surges, with gubernatorial candidates campaigning on reversals to restore deterrence amid public demands for accountability over compassion. Such dynamics reveal how mercy, when decoupled from justice, can destabilize political legitimacy by appearing to prioritize offenders over societal order. Culturally, an overreliance on risks fostering "decadent" norms that prioritize emotional over reasoned , eroding deterrence and social cohesion. In contemporary settings, this manifests in practices like expansive safe spaces on campuses, which shield individuals from discomfort to extend but hinder intellectual resilience and critical discourse essential for cultural vitality. Analyses of societal posit that excessive —defined as leniency without proportionality—emboldens wrongdoing, stratifies communities by amplifying victimhood narratives, and undermines trust in institutions, as unpunished harms accumulate and foster lawlessness. For instance, widespread advocacy for as "merciful" release from ignores intrinsic human , correlating with rising acceptance rates: in the , cases surged from 1,882 in 2002 to 8,720 in 2022, reflecting a cultural shift toward devaluing in favor of subjective relief. This unprincipled , often amplified by media and academic biases toward leniency, inverts priorities, where offender narratives victim agency, contributing to broader cultural decay through diminished personal responsibility and communal bonds.

References

  1. https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/mercy
  2. https://www.etymonline.com/word/mercy
  3. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercy
  4. https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/forgiveness-and-mercy/v-1/sections/mercy-and-justice
  5. https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_scholarship/327/
  6. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/decline-of-mercy-in-public-life/meanings-of-mercy/1ACE931E57DEE3353CB0567F6D358058
  7. https://www.muslim-library.com/english/the-concept-of-god39s-mercy-in-islam-and-christianity/?lang=English&download_id=2403
  8. https://nateschloesser.medium.com/virtues-of-ethics-6db1265a8579
  9. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/mercy_n
  10. https://www.vermontcatholic.org/uncategorized/in-a-word-mercy/
  11. https://www.quora.com/Is-the-English-word-mercy-related-to-the-French-word-merci
  12. https://www.aidanem.com/word-family-mercury.html
  13. https://andrewmbailey.com/papers/2917%2520stuff/What%2520is%2520Mercy%2C%2520draft%25203a%2520fragment.pdf
  14. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2612185
  15. https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3030.htm
  16. https://www.gotquestions.org/mercy-justice.html
  17. https://www.northheightscoc.org/the-difference-between-forgiveness-and-mercy/
  18. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-definition-of-compassion-mercy-and-forgiveness-What-are-their-differences-or-similarities
  19. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201705/is-there-a-difference-between-mercy-and-compassion/
  20. https://www.gotquestions.org/definition-of-mercy.html
  21. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/decline-of-mercy-in-public-life/mercy-and-the-ancient-defense-of-honor/F86864E748BF664F462A65BE52BB6D7A
  22. https://www.saint-faustina.org/among-the-pagans/
  23. https://www.seenandunseen.com/how-shakespeare-seasoned-justice-mercy
  24. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1859&context=llr
  25. https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?httpsredir=1&article=3950&context=ndlr
  26. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233680243_Universal_Justice_and_Epieikeia_in_Aristotle
  27. https://www.attalus.org/cicero/marcellus.html
  28. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/500436
  29. https://www.philonomist.com/en/article/clemency
  30. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Clemency/Book_I
  31. https://www.loebclassics.com/view/seneca_younger-de_clementia/1928/pb_LCL214.365.xml
  32. https://fs.blog/why-is-the-power-of-tyrants-short-lived/
  33. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/rs41-2624
  34. https://www.uvm.edu/~jbailly/courses/clas158/notes/senecaNotes.html
  35. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1424694
  36. https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/macintyres-philosophy-of-mercys-clandestine-work-in-a-secular-world/
  37. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40378115
  38. https://texaslawreview.org/mercy-in-context/
  39. https://gospeldemands.com/2023/02/10/resolving-the-conflict-between-maximal-justice-and-mercy/
  40. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/review-of-politics/article/justice-as-lawfulness-and-equity-as-a-virtue-in-aristotles-nicomachean-ethics/E306683AE6C03475FF2EBDA1A2E49FBA
  41. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/30052127_Aristotle_on_equity_law_and_justice
  42. https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/esploro/outputs/bookChapter/Kant-on-Punishment-Pardon-and-Forgiveness/9924117672401921
  43. https://lightoftruth.in/valaranvalarthan/immanuel-kant-notion-mercy/
  44. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/decline-of-mercy-in-public-life/mercy-as-cruelty-in-bentham-and-the-utilitarian-tradition/51822F367AAE0CE175B1B763E289D9B9
  45. http://web.uncg.edu/dcl/courses/vicecrime/m7/part2.asp
  46. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363487164_The_Virtues_of_Justice_and_Mercy_On_Knowing_the_Difference
  47. https://academic.oup.com/book/54693/chapter/422646432
  48. https://www.law.georgetown.edu/public-policy-journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2020/10/Guiding-Presidential-Clemency-18-2.pdf
  49. https://www.richtmann.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/6176/5921
  50. https://digitalcommons.tourolaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3336&context=lawreview
  51. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9781315747873-2/origins-common-law-prerogative-mercy-andrew-novak
  52. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7722/j.ctt14brvhm
  53. https://www.deremilitari.org/REVIEWS/Lacey_RoyalPardon.htm
  54. https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2011/04/13/the-decline-of-mercy/
  55. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-history-of-the-pardon-power
  56. https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-statistics
  57. https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3218&context=facpubs
  58. https://texaslawreview.org/the-general-law-of-judicial-mercy/
  59. https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/the-second-look-movement-a-review-of-the-nations-sentence-review-laws/
  60. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ong-beng-seng-judicial-mercy-cna-explains-5275546
  61. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-look-at-trumps-controversial-pardons-for-political-allies-and-loyalists
  62. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/25/donald-trump-joe-arpaio-most-controversial-pardons-ever
  63. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/07/biden-granted-more-acts-of-clemency-than-any-prior-president/
  64. https://protectdemocracy.org/work/understanding-trump-pardon-abuses/
  65. https://journals.law.harvard.edu/lpr/wp-content/uploads/sites/89/2013/05/3.2_11_Menitove.pdf
  66. https://ccresourcecenter.org/2019/02/05/executive-clemency-in-the-united-states/
  67. https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-134/the-presidents-conditional-pardon-power/
  68. https://www.rabbidavidrosen.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The-Mercy-of-God-in-Judaism-Mercy-without-Boundaries-Panel-Salesian-Pontifical-University-Jerusalem-March-10-2016.pdf
  69. https://www.kesherjournal.com/article/the-virtue-of-hesed/
  70. https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/62592/rosh-hashanna-glossary-what-do-hain-hesed-and-rachamim-mean
  71. https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3609722/jewish/What-Are-the-13-Attributes-of-Mercy.htm
  72. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-13-attributes-of-mercy/
  73. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mishpat-vehesed-love-just_b_3975783
  74. https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/law-compassion-and-justice/
  75. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/virtue-of-mercy-according-to-maimonides-ethics-law-and-theology/F3268E25033BAD50088CCF0062F67050
  76. https://www.openbible.info/topics/works_of_mercy
  77. https://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Mercy-Corporal-Spiritual-Works.html
  78. https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/jubilee-of-mercy/the-corporal-works-of-mercy
  79. https://myislam.org/99-names-of-allah/ar-raheem/
  80. https://thequran.love/2025/04/13/the-arabic-roots-of-al-rahman-and-al-raheem-mercy-and-the-womb-in-islam/
  81. https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2021/05/31/rahim-rahman-rahmah/
  82. https://hadithoftheday.com/ar-rahman-ar-raheem-ar-rauf-the-entirely-merciful-the-especially-merciful-the-most-kind/
  83. https://a.storyblok.com/f/45074/x/30a32322c0/pgoldburgrsm-theological-imaginings-faith-traditions-mercy-a4.pdf
  84. https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/daya
  85. https://www.hinduwebsite.com/divinelife/essays/compassion3.asp
  86. https://www.lionsroar.com/buddhism/compassion-karuna/
  87. https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/karuna
  88. http://hep.calis.edu.cn/fulltext/FPC_100002_GQY_CT.pdf
  89. https://www.chinesethought.cn/EN/shuyu_show.aspx?shuyu_id=2133
  90. https://www.chinastory.cn/PCywdbk/english/v1/detail/20190723/1012700000042741563855154204497391_1.html
  91. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/reconciliation-forgive-v-reconciliation-forget
  92. https://justdessertsblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/forgiveness-in-native-american-experience/
  93. https://blog.shamanelizabeth.com/2015/07/07/native-americans-the-path-back-to-power/
  94. https://ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/Breakthrough/book/pdfs/axelrod.pdf
  95. https://www.nature.com/articles/355206a0.pdf
  96. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/sBIPH-004-0539-x
  97. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4121789/
  98. https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=acwp_ena
  99. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8483284/
  100. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3524717/
  101. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393221001767
  102. https://academic.oup.com/book/12371/chapter/161949304
  103. https://dictionary.apa.org/mercy
  104. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/01/ce-corner
  105. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27068160
  106. https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ccp/82/1/154/
  107. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED631212.pdf
  108. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263580870_More_than_a_feeling_Counterintuitive_effects_of_compassion_on_moral_judgment
  109. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_forgiveness_changes_you_and_your_brain
  110. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19281923
  111. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jels.12163
  112. https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1794&context=ulj
  113. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/cyrus-the-great
  114. https://www.history.com/articles/cyrus-the-great-persian-empire-iran
  115. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/saladin-handled-conquered-enemies-with-a-merciful-touch/
  116. https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/saladin-conqueror-diplomat-empire-builder-legacy-reputation/
  117. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Truth-and-Reconciliation-Commission-South-Africa
  118. https://www.allazimuth.com/2017/07/22/reconciliation-oriented-leadership-nelson-mandela-and-south-africa/
  119. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/willie-horton-case
  120. https://www.history.com/articles/george-bush-willie-horton-racist-ad
  121. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/07/31/willie-horton-donald-trump-kamala-harris
  122. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/2018-update-prisoner-recidivism-9-year-follow-period-2005-2014
  123. https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/18upr9yfup0514.pdf
  124. http://www.micaelasviatschi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/abstract_pacification.pdf
  125. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4246427
  126. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1580465
  127. https://philarchive.org/rec/YUDMJT
  128. https://www.pdcnet.org/philtheol/content/philtheol_1989_0003_0004_0323_0334
  129. https://philosophynow.org/issues/29/Nietzsche_and_Schopenhauer_On_Compassion
  130. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0020174X.2023.2280922
  131. https://aporia.byu.edu/pdfs/obdrzalek-on_the_contrast_between_pity_and_compassion.pdf
  132. https://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2009/09/justice-and-mercy/
  133. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/58799/chapter/489171350
  134. https://manhattan.institute/article/not-taking-crime-seriously-californias-prop-47-exacerbated-crime-and-drug-abuse
  135. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07418825.2023.2209145
  136. https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/work/bail-reform/does-new-yorks-bail-reform-law-impact-recidivism-a-quasi-experimental-test-in-the-states-suburban-and-upstate-regions/
  137. https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1326&context=faculty_scholarship
  138. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8961&context=etd
  139. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/united-states-grants-amnesty-vietnam-war-draft-evaders
  140. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/facts-bail-reform-new-york-how-pretrial-detention-and-release-works-now
  141. https://www.mercatornet.com/we-live-in-a-culture-of-decadent-mercy
  142. https://rais.education/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/0498.pdf
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.