The Prophet (PBUH) was a brilliant example of compassion, and was the embodiment of this virtue, so much, so that when he led the prayer, if he heard a child crying, he would be filled with mercy and compassion for the mother who would be distressed by her child’s crying. So  he would shorten the prayer, as is reported by Bukari and Muslim from Anas: The Prophet (PBUH)  said: “ I commenced the prayer, and I intended to make it long, but i heard a child crying, so I cut my prayer short because of the distress I knew his mother be feeling” (Bukhari and Muslim)