Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Mercy is only taken away from a wretched person."
Hadith Referenceمسند الشهاب / 772
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده حسن
Hadith Takhrij«إسناده حسن ، وأخرجه ابن حبان فى «صحيحه» برقم: 462، 466، والحاكم فى «مستدركه» برقم: 7727، وأبو داود فى «سننه» برقم: 4942، والترمذي فى «جامعه» برقم: 1923، والبيهقي فى«سننه الكبير» برقم: 16740، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 8116»
Brief Explanation
Explanation: -
The meaning is that only those people are characterized by the attribute of mercy who keep themselves safe from sins; Allah, the Exalted, softens the hearts of such people, thus they begin to show mercy to His creation. On the other hand, those who are entangled in the mire of sins have the quality of mercy taken away from their hearts. Wretchedness and misfortune become their destiny, and thus they become distant from mercy. The feeling that inclines a person to show mercy and compassion to Allah’s creation is extinguished, even dies, within them. In other words, the hardness of the heart is a sign of wretchedness, and the softness of the heart is a sign of good fortune.