✿ Clarification on the Popular Saying: “Allah Loves His Servants More Than Seventy Mothers” ✿
✍ Answered by: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakīl Nāṣir ḥafiẓahullāh & Researcher Afẓal Ẓahīr Jamālī ḥafiẓahullāh
Is the statement “Allah loves His servants more than seventy mothers” found in any authentic Hadith?
This phrase is popular among the general public, but it has no basis in the authentic sources of Qur’an or Sunnah.
What is authentically established is that Allah ﷻ is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.
“Some captives were brought before the Prophet ﷺ. Among them was a woman whose breasts were full of milk and she was running around.
She found her baby among the captives, picked him up, hugged him to her chest, and began feeding him.
The Prophet ﷺ said to us:
‘Do you think this woman would throw her child into the fire?’
We replied: ‘No, by Allah! Not while she is able to stop it.’
The Prophet ﷺ then said:
‘Allah is more merciful to His servants than this woman is to her child.’
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5999]
✔ It is correct to say:
➤ “Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother to her child”,
➤ This is established by authentic Hadith.
✘ However, the claim:
➤ “Allah loves His servants more than seventy mothers”
➤ is not authentically proven in Hadith, and should not be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Let us adhere to the authentic texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah when describing Allah’s mercy.
While the idea behind the popular phrase reflects the vastness of Allah’s mercy, we should only quote that which is verified and established.
✍ Answered by: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakīl Nāṣir ḥafiẓahullāh & Researcher Afẓal Ẓahīr Jamālī ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ Question:
Is the statement “Allah loves His servants more than seventy mothers” found in any authentic Hadith?
✔ Answer:
This phrase is popular among the general public, but it has no basis in the authentic sources of Qur’an or Sunnah.
❖ Clarification from Authentic Hadith
What is authentically established is that Allah ﷻ is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.
❖ Authentic Hadith Reported by Sayyidunā ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه:
“Some captives were brought before the Prophet ﷺ. Among them was a woman whose breasts were full of milk and she was running around.
She found her baby among the captives, picked him up, hugged him to her chest, and began feeding him.
The Prophet ﷺ said to us:
‘Do you think this woman would throw her child into the fire?’
We replied: ‘No, by Allah! Not while she is able to stop it.’
The Prophet ﷺ then said:
‘Allah is more merciful to His servants than this woman is to her child.’
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5999]
❖ Summary and Ruling:
✔ It is correct to say:
➤ “Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother to her child”,
➤ This is established by authentic Hadith.
✘ However, the claim:
➤ “Allah loves His servants more than seventy mothers”
➤ is not authentically proven in Hadith, and should not be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ Conclusion:
Let us adhere to the authentic texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah when describing Allah’s mercy.
While the idea behind the popular phrase reflects the vastness of Allah’s mercy, we should only quote that which is verified and established.
