MERCY OF ALLAH

Many people especially Non-Muslims pose such questions like this that if Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) is most merciful, why did He create humans when He knew that majority of them will go to Hell-Fire? Why does Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) like to see people burn in Hell? Since we are already here on earth, there is no point in discussing this question, as nothing is going to change. However, since by nature man is curious, we will try to understand why  Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)  created the Universe.

Universe cannot exist if we use the logic and reasoning

The argument is: since majority of the human beings are going to hell, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) should not have created humans.

If one were to extend the same logic, one may ask why did Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) create these animals when He knew one will eat the other and suffer a painful death.

For example: a deer is hunted by a tiger and lion, mouse hunted by snakes and cats, worms and fishes hunted by birds, plants eaten by cows and goats etc.

Your logic would mean that there cannot be any animals, plants etc. In a nutshell, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) should not have created any living creature as each one is dependent on the other for its food and they suffer a painful death at the hands of the other creatures.

If there are no living creatures, what is the point in creating a vast Universe?

Allah is not blood thirsty

As some of us perceive, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)  is not blood thirsty or a Shylock who likes to see people punished in Hell. We need to first understand who enters the hell-fire.

"None will [enter to] burn therein except the most wretched (most evil) one." Qur’an.Surah Layl 92: 15

The prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: Narrated by Abu Huraira رضي الله عنهم that Allah's Apostle said, "All my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse." They said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who will refuse?" He said, "Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it)." Sahih Al Bukhari Vol. 9:384

The quranic Ayath and the hadith above clearly show that a person enters hell fire because of his own choice. If you read the Quran, there are lots of Ayaths that speak about the laments of the disbelievers when they enter Hell. There will not be one dweller of hell fire who will claim unjust treatment. Let us look at some of those Ayaths below.

"The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, "How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger. And they will say, "Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our dignitaries, and they led us astray from the [right] way. Our Lord, give them double the punishment and curse them with a great curse." Qur’an.Surah Ahzab 33: 66-68

And for those who disbelieved in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and wretched is the destination. When they are thrown into it, they hear from it a [dreadful] inhaling while it boils up. It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown into it, its keepers ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?" They will say," Yes, a warner had come to us, but we denied and said, 'Allah has not sent down anything. You are not but in great error.  And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze. And they will admit their sin, so [it is] alienation for the companions of the Blaze. Qur’an.Surah Mulk 67: 6-11

If you read the Qur’an, you will find a lot of Ayaths where the disbelievers admit that it is their mistake that caused them to enter hell-fire. We can clearly understand from the above two Ayaths that the disbelievers entered hell-fire because of their choice.

Warning from Allah

"The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is Kind to [His] servants." Qur’an.Surah Al’e Imran 3: 30

In the Ayath above, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) gives a clear warning to every person in the world to stay away from evil. Whoever does evil chooses to go against this warning.

Fair Trial

Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Him a great reward. Qur’an.Surah Nisa 4: 40

And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one. Qur’an.Surah Kahf 18: 49

Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever errs only errs against it. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And never would We punish until We sent a messenger. Qur’an.Surah Isra 17: 15

The above Ayaths make it very clear that there is no injustice done and the people are punished only for what they did.

Mercy of Allah

Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) is the most merciful. He does not want us to enter hell fire. So Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) extends His mercy so much that He multiplies our deeds several times and forgives us countless times.

Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Him a great reward. Qur’an.Surah Nisa 4: 40

Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgment] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged. Qur’an.Surah Anam 6: 160

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهم that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) transmitted it from the Blessed and Great Lord: “Verily Allah recorded the good and the evil and then made it clear that he who intended good but did not do it, Allah recorded one complete good in his favour, but if he intended it and also did it, the Glorious and Great Allah recorded ten to seven hundred virtues and even more to his credit. But it he intended evil, but did not commit it, Allah wrote down full one good in his favour. If he intended that and also committed it, Allah made an entry of one evil against him.” Sahih Muslim 237

From the Quranic Ayath above and the hadith we can understand that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) wants to bless people with their small good deeds:

• If a person does a single good deed, the reward is multiplied 10 to 700 times and even more (Allah alone knows the upper limit).
   
• If a person intends to do a good deed but does not do it, he still gets 1 reward.
   
• If a person intends to do an evil deed but does not do it, 1 reward is recorded although he initially intended to do evil.
   
• If a person does 1 evil deed, only 1 entry of evil deed is recorded for him.

Why would Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) go out of His way to multiply good deeds, record good deeds when you have not done it, record good deeds when you had intended evil and record just 1 evil deed for every evil action? There can be no other reason except that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)  is most merciful and does not want us to go to Hell.

You will realize how incorrect it is to estimate Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) like a mathematics teacher or a business man. One can appreciate that Allah's mercy has no boundaries. Alhamdulillah!

“They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal.Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” Qur’an.Surah Hajj 22: 74

Forgiveness of Allah

Despite all this, we as humans do lot of evil deeds.

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despairof the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." Qur’an.Surah Zumar 39: 53

And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful. Qur’an.Surah Nisa 4: 110

And said,ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a PerpetualForgiver. Qur’an.Surah Nuh 71: 10

An unbiased mind will know how Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) extends His infinite mercy through His unlimited forgiveness.

In spite of all this, if a person cannot save himself from hell-fire, may we know whose fault it is? Is it the person's fault or God's fault?

Conclusion

If we read the above points, we can understand that:

1. Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) has warned us very clearly about the consequences of doing evil acts.
    
2. Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) extends His infinite mercy by multiplying good deeds limitlessly and forgiving infinitely.
    
3. The trial is very fair and no injustice is done to anyone.
    
4. People enter Hell-fire because of their own choice.
    
5. People who enter Hell-fire will admit their mistake and will plead guilty.

Let us revisit the Ayath once again as a reminder: "None will [enter to] burn therein except most wretched (most evil) one." Qur’an.Surah Layl 92: 15

Moreover, why should one be pessimistic? Why are we thinking only about the hell-fire? Why not think about the paradise? Why not aim and strive to attain the paradise and the pleasure of Allah? It is well known, a person will strive for what he wants to attain. So, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) is ready to forgive us but are we ready to seek FORGIVENESS or SINCERE REPENTENCE TO ALLAH

References

http://dawah.invitetogod.com/questions-asked-by-non-muslims/if-allah-is-most-merciful-why-does-he-like-to-see-people-burn-in-hell

See Also: LAA ILAHA ILLALLAH; Pillars of Islam; Pillars of eeman; Hadeeth e Jibreel; Tawheed