The Prophet of Allah (may peace be, upon him) said: Allah will gather the believers on the Day of Resurrection and they would be made mindful of it; and the rest (of the hadith) is like the one narrated above; and then he mentioned the fourth time: And I (the Holy Prophet) would say: O my Lord, no one is left in the Fire except he whom the Qur'an has restrained, i e. eternally doomed.
Hadith Commentary: The Intercession for Believers
This noble hadith from Sahih Muslim's Book of Faith (193c) reveals the profound mercy of Allah and the honored status of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as intercessor on the Day of Judgment. The gathering of believers and their being "made mindful" refers to Allah reminding them of their sins, causing them distress before the ultimate deliverance through prophetic intercession.
The Four Stages of Intercession
The hadith references previous narrations describing the Prophet's repeated intercession. Scholars explain this occurs in stages: first for the commencement of Judgment, then for the entry of specific believers into Paradise, followed by elevation of ranks, and finally this fourth intercession for those deserving eternal punishment.
The Qur'anic Restraint
"He whom the Qur'an has restrained" refers to those explicitly condemned to eternal punishment in the Quran - the unrepentant polytheists and disbelievers. This demonstrates that divine mercy has limits established by divine justice. The Quran itself testifies against such souls, making them ineligible for intercession.
Theological Implications
This narration affirms the reality of prophetic intercession (shafa'ah) for believers while establishing that it cannot benefit those destined for eternal punishment. It balances divine mercy with divine justice, showing that Allah's promises and warnings are equally true and will manifest on that momentous Day.