The ethical approach is a common and quite justified approach that focuses on the character of Muhammad and the effects Islam has had throughout history, which we see so clearly in many Muslim nations today. If Muhammad were really the prophet of God, and Islam the true religion, then Muhammad’s life should reflect this and Islam should have a just, ethical system that promotes human flourishing.

Most people believe that mercy is a good thing. We want justice but not without mercy, from God and from other humans. Muslims and Christians agree that the Creator (whether God or Allah) is merciful; it is replete in our holy books. Therefore, it's important for us to discuss the mercy of God because this is one of His primary attributes. But when we say God is “merciful” exactly what do we mean?  As a thought experiment I tried to list all the possible versions of mercy I could think of and sent them to a Muslim friend named Mohanid asking which one most closely matched his concept of mercy.  The following are the results of my thought experiment.