Is Allah truly more merciful to us than even our own mothers?
How is that possible when He created Hellfire and will cast some people into it?
Modern Pathways to Doubt in Islam found that many young Muslims struggle to reconcile the concept of a Merciful God with the existence of Hellfire. Similarly, “New Atheist” arguments suggest that the concept of eternal damnation in Islam and Christianity contradicts our sense of justice. As a result, many Muslims today feel a need to understand this concept to reaffirm their faith and conviction in the Almighty.
In this paper, we won’t attempt to explain the limitations of human perception in understanding an infinite and unseen God, nor will we dive into the vast scholarship from Muslim and Christian theologians on reconciling God’s mercy with His punishment. Instead, this study will focus on a famous tradition of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding God’s mercy and Hellfire, and refute the claim that this tradition is counterintuitive.
The Prophet’s Companion, ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates that a captive woman was once searching desperately until she found a small child among the captives. She pulled the child to her chest and breastfed him. The Prophet ﷺ then asked, “Do you think this woman would throw her child into a fire?” The companions replied, “No, O Messenger of Allah, not if she could prevent it.” The Prophet ﷺ then said, “Allah is certainly more merciful to His servants than this woman is with her child.”
Allah frequently describes Himself in the Qur'an as Arḥam ar-Rāḥimeen (the most merciful of those who show mercy) and states that His mercy encompasses all things. The Prophet ﷺ explained that Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child and even more merciful than a person is to themselves. There is no clearer, more consistent truth in the Qur'an and Sunnah, after Allah’s Oneness, than the assertion of His boundless mercy and compassion. But how can this be reconciled with His punishment of some people in Hellfire?
The Source of All Mercy: Since Allah is the source of all mercy, no one can be more merciful than Him. Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 H, may Allah bestow mercy on him) said, “Allah is more merciful with His servants than the most merciful mother is with her child, for the One who made her merciful is more merciful than her.” The Prophet ﷺ demonstrated this principle when he wept over a dying infant, saying, “These [tears] are a mercy that Allah places in the hearts of whomever He wishes.” In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explained, “Belonging to Allah are one hundred portions of mercy, of which He sent down only one [portion] to be divided among jinn, humans, animals, and insects. Because of it, they are merciful with each other; because of it, even a beast is gentle with its child, to the point that a horse raises its hoof, fearing it might harm its newborn.”
The Universal Mercy of Allah in This Life: In this world, Allah grants immeasurable mercy universally, to all people, regardless of belief or defiance. This mercy is expressed in life, sustenance, health, safety, and the many blessings that humans experience daily—every breath of air, every ray of sunlight, every drop of rain, every act of motherly love and kindness. Much of this mercy goes unnoticed or is forgotten, but it remains present. The Prophet ﷺ also said, “On the day Allah created mercy, He created it as one hundred portions. He retained with Him ninety-nine portions of mercy, and divided one among His entire creation. If the disbeliever understood all the mercy that is with Allah, he would never despair of [entering] Paradise. And if the believer understood all the punishment that is with Allah, he would never feel secure from Hellfire.”
Therefore, even if Allah were to show no mercy in the afterlife, He would still have been more merciful to humanity in this life than any mother could be.
The Special Mercy Reserved for Believers in the Hereafter: Allah’s mercy in the hereafter will be vastly greater, as ‘Abdullāh b. Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “People will continue receiving mercy on the Day of Resurrection, to the point that even the heart of Iblees (Satan) will quiver in hope, due to what he sees of Allah’s mercy and the intercession of others.” However, this special mercy will be reserved for the believers. On that day, receiving Allah’s mercy will be the ultimate aspiration for each believer. As Ḥammād b. Salama (may Allah bestow mercy on him) said, “I swear by Allah, were I given the choice between Allah conducting my reckoning or my parents conducting it, I would choose the reckoning of Allah – for Allah is more merciful to me than my parents.” Thus, Allah’s mercy toward His servants in the hereafter is assured, especially for His believing servants. Some narrations even state, “Likewise, Allah would never throw His beloved into the Fire,” which applies to those who are not rebellious rejecters of God.
Balancing Mercy with Justice: While Allah’s mercy is limitless, He is not constrained by it. The assumption that Allah must show unconditional mercy to disbelievers poses a contradiction between mercy and justice. If Allah removed all conditions for mercy, it would require Him to act unjustly. Allah repeats throughout the Qur'an: “Do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds? Evil is that which they judge.” And “Should We treat those who submit (the Muslims) like the criminals?” These verses illustrate that Allah’s justice complements His mercy. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that Allah’s mercy is allocated to those deserving of it: “Allah only shows mercy to the merciful among His slaves.”
From Allah’s perfect justice and wisdom, He differentiates between the obedient and the disobedient, the devoted and the defiant. If human justice does not equate an honest citizen with a criminal, “then what is your assumption of the Lord of the worlds?” Thus, Allah would never send anyone to Hellfire without due cause, in the same way that the companions remarked about the distressed mother: “No, O Messenger of Allah, not if she could prevent it.” Similarly, Allah would not cast anyone into Hell unless His justice demands it.
Yaa Allah, grant us understanding of Your mercy and justice, and make us among those deserving of Your mercy in this life and the Hereafter.