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Rifq (gentleness): its ruling, God's gentleness to His servants, gentleness to parents, neighbours, followers, servants and animals

الرفق

Rifq in the lexicon is gentleness, softness in the act and firmness in the purpose; it is the opposite of harshness. 1 2 In general it is recommended, but it is obligatory with parents and forbidden with fighting unbelievers. 2 God has laid on His servants only what they can bear and has granted them concessions, and the believer is told to take from the supererogatory what he can keep up. 2 3 Kindness to parents and neighbours is commanded; the imam should shorten the prayer for the weak; in crowded rites one should not push others; and in changing wrong one should be gentle with the ignorant. 3 4 The Prophet urged kindness to servants, feeding them from one's own food, and forbade torturing animals and shooting at living creatures for a target; the owner must feed the animal and may not overload it. 4 5 6 7

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Prophetic Era
Region
Global / Diaspora
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

Ethics and characterWorship and the pillars

Summary

Rifq in the lexicon is gentleness, softness in the act and firmness in the purpose; it is the opposite of harshness. 1 2 In general it is recommended, but it is obligatory with parents and forbidden with fighting unbelievers. 2 God has laid on His servants only what they can bear and has granted them concessions, and the believer is told to take from the supererogatory what he can keep up. 2 3 Kindness to parents and neighbours is commanded; the imam should shorten the prayer for the weak; in crowded rites one should not push others; and in changing wrong one should be gentle with the ignorant. 3 4 The Prophet urged kindness to servants, feeding them from one's own food, and forbade torturing animals and shooting at living creatures for a target; the owner must feed the animal and may not overload it. 4 5 6 7

People and things also explored

Openness as against secrecy in acts of worship, charity and public notice (alaniya)· Deliberate act (amd), as against error, and its rulings· Wounding an animal that cannot be taken (aqr) and its effect on lawfulness and liability· Honey: its medicinal use and zakat (asal)· Resolve and its legal effect (azm)· Shahwa (desire: its effect on touch and ablution, on fasting and pilgrimage, on looking, on marriage by touch and on the breaking of the marriage bond)· Shakk (doubt in law: its kinds, the rule that certainty is not removed by doubt, and its effect on worship, contracts, penalties and evidence)· Halq (shaving and cutting hair)

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8815
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8816
  3. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8817
  4. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8818
  5. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8819
  6. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8820
  7. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.8821
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Rifq (gentleness): its ruling, God's gentleness to His servants, gentleness to parents, neighbours, followers, servants and animals”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/rifq-fiqh/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Openness as against secrecy in acts of worship, charity and public notice (alaniya)

In the lexicon, alaniya comes from proclaiming and showing a thing, and is the opposite of secrecy. Public voice (jahr) is narrower than openness, and secrecy is what is hidden in the heart. Acts of worship divide by openness: some are prescribed to be public, such as the call to prayer, the sermon, jihad and enjoining good; some are better kept private, such as reciting silently in the silent prayer; and some may be either, such as charity. An obligatory alms-giving is better shown when there is no fear of showing off, so that others may follow it, while a voluntary gift is better hidden where display is feared. The faults of narrators, witnesses and those entrusted with charities and endowments must be made public when they affect their fitness, and the scholars hold this is not forbidden backbiting. The judge is recommended to proclaim the restraint of a bankrupt and to call witnesses to it, and one Shafi'i view makes it obligatory.