The women requested the Prophet, "Please fix a day for us." So the Prophet (ﷺ) preached to them and said, "A woman whose three children died would be screened from the Hell Fire by them," Hearing that, a woman asked, "If two died?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Even two (would screen her from the (Hell) Fire. " And Abu Huraira added, "Those children should be below the age of puberty. "
Hadith Commentary: The Virtue of Patience in Child Loss
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (1249, 1250) reveals profound divine mercy for believing mothers. When women requested dedicated religious instruction, the Prophet responded with this immense consolation for those enduring child loss.
Scholarly Interpretation of the Reward
Classical scholars explain that this protection from Hellfire comes through the mother's patient endurance (sabr) when tested with this profound loss. Her acceptance of divine decree transforms tragedy into spiritual elevation.
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes in Fath al-Bari that this intercession occurs because the mother's patience demonstrates complete submission to Allah's will, making her worthy of divine protection.
The Condition of Pre-Pubescent Children
Abu Huraira's clarification that children must be below puberty indicates they die in state of natural innocence (fitrah). Scholars state such children are granted Paradise, and their mothers' patient acceptance earns this extraordinary reward.
This condition also emphasizes that the virtue lies in losing children before developing obligations (taklif), making the mother's loss more poignant and her patience more meritorious.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This hadith establishes that child loss, while painful, contains hidden divine mercy. It encourages Muslims to view trials as potential means of spiritual advancement rather than mere punishments.
The progressive revelation (three children, then two) demonstrates the Prophet's pedagogical wisdom, gradually revealing Allah's boundless mercy to uplift the questioner's spirit.