Riyad as-Salihin, 254

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There was a dispute between the Hell and Jannah. The Hell said: "The haughty and proud are my inmates." Jannah said: "The modest and the humble are my residents". Thereupon, Allah the Exalted and Glorious (addressing Jannah) said: "You are My Mercy, through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish". (And addressing the Hell), He said: "You are (the means) of My punishment by which I shall punish such of My slaves as I wish and each one of you would have its fill". [Muslim].

وعن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏

‏ احتجت الجنة والنار فقالت النار‏:‏ في الجبارون والمتكبرون، وقالت الجنة‏:‏ في ضعفاء الناس ومساكينهم، فقضى الله بينهما‏:‏ إنك الجنة رحمتي أرحم بك من أشاء، وإنك النار أعذب بك من أشاء، ولكليكما علي ملؤها‏

‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Introduction, Hadith 254

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) Believing in such matters of the unseen is an obligation, even though they are unperceived by the minds. A believer submissively accepts the command of Allah Almighty and the command of His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). 2) The favor and mercy of Allah Almighty are broader than His anger. He makes it incumbent upon Himself to fill Paradise and Hell, but His mercy precedes His anger. 3) The poor and the weak are the people of Paradise, because they mostly follow the truth with submission, whereas tyrants are the people of Hell because they are too arrogant to submit to the truth. Words in the Hadith: ‘You are My Mercy’: It means that it is the abode that is created out of the mercy of Allah. As for Allah’s Mercy which is one of His Attributes, it is not created.

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