I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: "Before Allah created the creations, He wrote a Book (wherein He has written): "My Mercy has preceded my Anger.' And that is written with Him over the Throne." (see Hadith 3194)
Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)
Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 7554
Exposition of the Divine Decree
This noble hadith establishes the pre-eternal nature of Allah's decree and the primacy of His Mercy over His Wrath. The "Book" mentioned refers to the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) wherein Allah inscribed all that was to occur until the Day of Judgment.
The phrase "My Mercy has preceded my Anger" demonstrates that Allah's essential attribute of Mercy encompasses creation before His Wrath manifests. This precedence is both temporal and qualitative - His Mercy is more comprehensive and far-reaching than His Anger.
Scholarly Commentary
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments in Fath al-Bari that this hadith confirms Allah's knowledge precedes all creation, and His Mercy is the dominant attribute governing creation. The writing "with Him over the Throne" signifies the grandeur and supremacy of this divine decree.
Al-Qurtubi explains that this precedence of Mercy gives hope to believers while not negating divine justice. The Anger of Allah is real but secondary to His all-encompassing Mercy, which embraces both believers and disbelievers in this worldly life.
Practical Implications
This teaching instills hope and optimism in the hearts of believers, encouraging them to constantly seek Allah's Mercy through obedience and repentance.
It reminds us that despite human shortcomings, the door of divine Mercy remains wide open, and Allah's willingness to forgive exceeds His inclination to punish.