Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly moved — tears quietly falling while watching a powerful scene, or your heart tightening at the news of a tragedy affecting people you have never met? It can feel puzzling. Why should someone else’s pain reach so deeply into your own emotional world?

For a long time, I wondered the same. What is this unseen thread that connects us so deeply to others? Why do we feel pain for strangers, for distant lands, for lives that may never cross our own?

Today, we often describe this as empathy. It is defined as the ability to understand, share, and even vicariously experience the emotions and perspectives of another person — commonly described as “walking in someone else’s shoes”. It builds trust, fosters connection, and can spark genuine compassion.

That definition is insightful — accurate even. But Islam invites us to go deeper.

It teaches that this ability is not simply a social skill we develop over time. It is something far more intrinsic. It is part of our fitrah — our original, God-given nature.

Fitrah refers to the innate disposition with which every human being is created. It is the pure, uncorrupted state of the heart — naturally inclined towards truth, goodness, and mercy.

Allah says in the Koran: “So direct your face towards the religion, inclining to truth — the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created all people. There is no change in the creation of Allah.” (30:30)

This verse reminds us that certain qualities are embedded within us from the very beginning. Among them is the ability to feel for others.

When your heart responds to someone else’s pain, it is not weakness — it is evidence of something deeply right within you. It is when empathy, fitrah, and the call to compassion in times of trial is alive within us. In summary, it is when the heart feels beyond itself.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave us a powerful image of this connection: “The believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy, are like one body. When one part of the body suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

This is not just a metaphor — it is a reality of the believing heart. Just as the body cannot ignore pain in one limb, the heart cannot remain untouched by the suffering of others. That ache you feel for someone you do not know is a sign of spiritual life.

Yet we live in a time where constant exposure to hardship — from news, social media, and global events — can overwhelm us. We may begin to shut down emotionally, telling ourselves we are “too sensitive”, or that feeling too much is a weakness.

Islam reframes this entirely.

Sensitivity, when guided by faith, is strength. It is a mercy placed within us by Allah. But it is not meant to paralyse us — it is meant to move us.

It moves us to make du’a (prayer) for those in hardship.

It moves us to give, even if little.

It moves us to show kindness where we can, in ways that are within our reach.

Prophet Muhammad said: “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.” (Bukhari)

Mercy begins in the heart, but it is meant to flow outward into action.

So the next time your heart stirs at someone else’s story, pause and recognise it for what it truly is. This is not random emotion. It is your fitrah — your natural born state — gently reminding you that you are connected to others in ways that go beyond distance, language, and circumstance.

In a world that often pulls us towards division, self-preservation, and emotional detachment, Islam calls us back to something deeper — something purer.

A heart that feels, responds, and remains connected is not a burden; it is a sign of life within the soul.

As Allah reminds us in the Koran: “Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (94:6)

And perhaps it is through our shared trials that we are softened, refined, and drawn closer — not only to Him, but to one another.

One Ummah. One God. One Qiblah.

This brings me to remind you to save the date: May 14 to 16, as One Love Bermuda Ummah presents a powerful and uplifting weekend with Imam Shadeed Muhammad, to be held across various venues throughout the island.

The theme: “Patience and Perseverance — The Currency During Times of Trial and Turmoil”. Indeed, a timely reminder. A needed gathering. A chance to reconnect hearts — individually and collectively. We look forward to seeing you there with your family, your neighbour, your friends, your tribe.

More details to follow over the coming weeks.

Bermuda have a blessed and purposeful week. Let us continue to pray for global justice and peace for all.

As salaam alaikum (peace be unto you).

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam