Hadith Text

I heard Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying: None of you would get into Paradise because of his good deeds alone, and he would not be rescued from Fire, not even I, but because of the Mercy of Allah.

Source Reference

Sahih Muslim 2817 c

Scholarly Commentary

This profound hadith establishes the fundamental principle that salvation and entry into Paradise are ultimately dependent upon Allah's mercy, not merely human deeds. The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly includes himself in this statement to emphasize its universality.

Good deeds are essential and required, but they serve as means to seek Allah's pleasure and mercy, not as transactions demanding Paradise. Even the most righteous deeds cannot equal the infinite honor of Paradise, which remains a gift from Allah's boundless grace.

This teaching cultivates humility, prevents spiritual arrogance, and encourages believers to combine righteous actions with constant supplication for divine mercy and forgiveness.

Key Theological Points

• Human deeds alone are insufficient for salvation

• Divine mercy is the ultimate cause of entering Paradise

• Even prophets rely on Allah's mercy, not their own status

• Good deeds remain necessary as conditions for receiving mercy

• Balance between effort and reliance on divine grace