37/35. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4297 — Allah’s Mercy and La Ilaha Illallah
What is hoped of the Mercy of Allah on the Day of Resurrection
Hadith About Allah Being More Merciful Than a Mother
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4297
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4297
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ حَفْصٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فِي بَعْضِ غَزَوَاتِهِ فَمَرَّ بِقَوْمٍ فَقَالَ مَنِ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالُوا نَحْنُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ . وَامْرَأَةٌ تَحْصِبُ تَنُّورَهَا وَمَعَهَا ابْنٌ لَهَا فَإِذَا ارْتَفَعَ وَهَجُ التَّنُّورِ تَنَحَّتْ بِهِ فَأَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ " نَعَمْ " . قَالَتْ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَرْحَمِ الرَّاحِمِينَ قَالَ " بَلَى " . قَالَتْ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَرْحَمَ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنَ الأُمِّ بِوَلَدِهَا قَالَ " بَلَى " . قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ الأُمَّ لاَ تُلْقِي وَلَدَهَا فِي النَّارِ . فَأَكَبَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَبْكِي ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ إِلاَّ الْمَارِدَ الْمُتَمَرِّدَ الَّذِي يَتَمَرَّدُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on one of his campaigns. He passed by some people and said: ‘Who are these people?’ They said: ‘We are Muslims.’ There was a woman putting wood in her oven, and a son of hers was with her. When the flames got higher, she moved him away.She came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘Are you the Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ She said: ‘May my father and mother be ransomed for you. Is not Allah the Most Merciful of those who show mercy?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed.’ She said: ‘Is not Allah more Merciful than a mother to her child?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed.’ She said: ‘A mother would not throw her child into the fire.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) lowered his head and wept. Then he looked up at her and said: ‘Allah does not punish any of His slaves except those who are defiant and rebellious, who rebel against Allah and refuse to say: La ilaha illallah.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4297In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 198English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4297
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4297
This Hadith shows Allah’s mercy through a scene people can understand. A woman was near an oven with her son. When the flames rose, she moved him away. She asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم whether Allah is the Most Merciful and whether He is more merciful to His slaves than a mother to her child. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said yes. She then said that a mother would not throw her child into the fire. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم wept, then said that Allah does not punish any of His slaves except the defiant and rebellious one who rebels against Allah and refuses to say La ilaha illallah. This Hadith about Allah’s mercy and La ilaha illallah brings hope, but it also warns against rejecting Tawhid.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah is more merciful to His slaves than a mother to her child.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was moved by the woman’s question and wept.
- The Hadith warns against defiance, rebellion, and refusing La ilaha illallah.
- Mercy and Tawhid are both central in the text.
