Isn’t He the Most Merciful?

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنه:
We were with the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلمin one of his military expeditions when we passed by a group of people.
‘Who are they?’ he asked.
‘We are Muslims’, they replied.

Meanwhile, there was a woman lighting a fire and with her was her child. Every time there rose a flame she would move away with her child. She then went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and said: ‘Are you the Messenger of Allah?’
‘Yes’, he said.
‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, isn’t Allah the Most Merciful of those who show mercy?’
‘Yes indeed’
‘Isn’t Allah more merciful to His slaves than a mother to her child?’
‘Yes indeed’
‘The mother will never throw her child into the fire’

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم bowed his head and started to cry. He then looked up and said:
إنّ الله لا يعذّب من عباده إلا المارد المتمرد الذي يتمرّد على و أبى أن يقول: لا إله إلا الله
(Allah does not punish any of His slaves except for the defiant one who rebels against Allah and refuses to say: La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah-the testimony of faith).)

-Ibn Majah

References: Mishkat ul Masabih

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