I am not quite sure where to put this thread. I trust that mods will move it, if it is better placed elsewhere.
I was just told this story by a Muslim friend on fb. It is about Allah's mercy and love for us, and his desire NOT to see people punished in the hellfire.
I was struck by that image of Allah, as it's not something I usually come across.
I would like to share the story here and will cut and paste is as my friend wrote it.
Perhaps somebody knows the authentic hadith and can share it here.
"I just heard a story about prophet Muhammad (PBUH). I do not remember the exact wording but it goes. The prophet passed by a woman who was cooking and her baby was nearby. All of a sudden the baby came close to get into the fire. Mother picked up the baby and started crying. "What would I have done if you got burnt." Seeing this prophet started crying so much that tears started running from his eyes all the way on this beard. Prophet said that God loves his creation 70 times more than mother does the child. How can He let anyone burn in hell."
Wow!
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
I found related hadith without mentioning 70 times.
Once a woman was searching for her child and when she found him, she took hold of him, pressed him against her chest and gave him her breast to nurse him.
Allah's Messenger Muhammad(saw) saw her and asked his companions: "Do you think this woman would ever afford to throw her child in the fire?
They said: "By Allah, so far as it is in her power, she would never throw her child in the fire. Thereupon Prophet Muhammad said: 'Allah is more Merciful to his believing servants than this woman is to her child.'
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book 73, Number 28)
*Umar Ibn al-Khattab (ra) relates that some prisoners were brought before ALLAH's Messenger (saw) and amongst them was a woman who was frantically searching for someone in the crowd.
When she found a baby amongst the prisoners, she took it in her arms, cradled it next to her chest and suckled it. So ALLAH's Messenger (saw) said: "Do you think that this woman would ever throw her child into the fire?" We said: 'By ALLAH, Never!' So he said:
"ALLAH is more merciful to His believing servants than that mother could ever be to her child."
[Bukhari (10/426) & Muslim (18/80)]
Last edited by Muslim Woman; 08-03-2012 at 05:14 PM.
This is a made-up story quite clearly, as the last sentence says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How can He let anyone burn in hell?" which is tantamount to accusing the Prophet of disbelief and dissention with what Allah has said about punishing those who deserve to be punished in hell-fire.
This image of Allah in the story nevertheless is nothing unusual for a Muslim nor something to be surprised about.
format_quote Originally Posted by glo
I was just told this story by a Muslim friend on fb. It is about Allah's mercy and love for us, and his desire NOT to see people punished in the hellfire.
I was struck by that image of Allah, as it's not something I usually come across.
I'm not sure where you got that image of Allah from, but Allah is Kind, Loving, Forgiving, and Merciful, but also stern in punishment, yet fair, and the Most Just, as outlined in the Qur'an and hadeeth, from where we learn about Allah.
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
This is a made-up story quite clearly, as the last sentence says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How can He let anyone burn in hell?" which is tantamount to accusing the Prophet of disbelief and dissention with what Allah has said about punishing those who deserve to be punished in hell-fire.
Yes, I noticed the clear differences between the story I was told and the hadith Muslim Woman quoted.
Kind of deflated my initial elation about just HOW loving and merciful Allah may be ...
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it.
I have made a comment in the fb group in question
Last edited by glo; 08-05-2012 at 08:23 AM.
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Christians often enjoy lulling themselves into a false sense of security and thrive on convolution, misrepresentation and frank distortion!
Al7mdulillah that kind of existence will not spill over or tarnish Islam or Muslims in any way!
Kind of deflated my initial elation about just HOW loving and merciful Allah may be ...
How can the fact that an FB story is false lead you to believe that Allah is not as Loving and Merciful as you thought you'd just newly discovered? (While, as I mentioned above, it's nothing new or surprising for Muslims, as we have always known Allah to be the Most Loving, and Forgiving).
It's not a good idea to base your view of how loving Allah is on FB stories, when you know that we base our view of Allah on the Qur'an and hadeeth.
In any case, the deflation of your elation about just HOW loving and merciful Allah may be, is premature and wrongly placed, as the Qur'an is replete with verses of Allah's Mercy, just one passage of which is below in purple, and it should be read carefully to the end.
As I mentioned above, Allah is Kind, Loving, Forgiving, and Merciful, but also stern in punishment, yet fair, and the Most Just, as outlined in the Qur'an and hadeeth, from where we learn about Allah. Our sources for learning about Allah and His attributes, as you know, are the Qur'an and Hadeeth. The Qur'an contains verses that tell us that nobody shall be wronged by even such an amount as the tiny spot on a date stone, and also verses telling us Allah is Forgiving, Merciful, as well as stern but fair in punishment.
No Muslim should believe "how can Allah punish people in hell-fire?" Punishing in hell-fire in no way precludes Allah from being the Most Loving and Forgiving the likes of which we can never imagine. You must remember that Allah has a perfect balance of Love, Forgiveness, Kindness, Mercy, Fairness, Justness, and Firmness.
"And ordain for us in this world that which is good, and in the Hereafter (that which is good), certainly we have turned unto You." [Allah] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses-
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful." (7:156-157)
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
It is about Allah's mercy and love for us, and his desire NOT to see people punished in the hellfire.
glo, I see that the Christian view of God is one of love as exemplified in John 3:16, but even with that we also have the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 with verse 21 "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame."
Allah (swt) is known first and foremost in the Quran as the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate. We should not despair of Allah (swt) having mercy on us or on others. Even though I see Christians as being guilty of the major sin of ascribing partners (namely Jesus) with Allah, I also see there remains the possibility for their forgiveness as indicated by surah 5 ayat 118, "If You chastise them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."
Allah (swt) is known first and foremost in the Quran as the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate.
Jazaakallah khayr for this important point that I'd completely overlooked.
The very first sentence in the Qur'an, as you begin to read it, is "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate", and Muslims start every lawful act with this phrase, be that reciting the Qur'an, eating, entering the house or mosque, putting on clothes, any lawful act in fact, acknowledging His Kindness and Mercy and Compassion many, many times a day. It is one of the first phrases that children are taught and use on a practical basis daily from when they first learn to speak. From a young age, Muslims acknowledge Allah's Kindness, Mercy and Compassion.
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
When I corrected my friend with regards to the hadith [Bukhari (10/426) & Muslim (18/80)], he replied this:
Glo, you are right. But nothing in Quran and Hadiths or for that matter any religious book can be interpreted without reference to time and place as well as other occrrences and sayings. Allah says "My mercy extends to all things." Allah sent his prophet as "Mercy to all mankind". Allah is "Rabbul Alameen" not Rabbul Muslemeen. “Allah has divided mercy into one hundred parts, and He kept ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down one part on the earth, and because of that, one single part. His creatures are merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoof away from its baby animal, so that she would not trample on it.” I will take Allah's mercy any time.
References are made to mothers. A mother, and for that matter a father, loves all her/his children, even an ugly child, a disrespectful child, a bad behaving child, a child with disabilities etc.
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Non-Muslims gets their just rewards in this lifetime and they're owed nothing in the hereafter for their rejection of God and pure unadulterated monotheism. Everything they're presented with that they reject will be a witness against them in the hereafter even Jesus PBUH:
Ma qultu lahum illa ma amartanee bihi ani oAAbudoo Allaha rabbee warabbakum wakuntu AAalayhim shaheedan ma dumtu feehim falamma tawaffaytanee kunta anta alrraqeeba AAalayhim waanta AAala kulli shayin shaheedun
When I corrected my friend with regards to the hadith [Bukhari (10/426) & Muslim (18/80)] he replied this:
Glo, you are right. But nothing in Quran and Hadiths or for that matter any religious book can be interpreted without reference to time and place as well as other occrrences and sayings. Allah says "My mercy extends to all things." Allah sent his prophet as "Mercy to all mankind". Allah is "Rabbul Alameen" not Rabbul Muslemeen. “Allah has divided mercy into one hundred parts, and He kept ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down one part on the earth, and because of that, one single part. His creatures are merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoof away from its baby animal, so that she would not trample on it.” I will take Allah's mercy any time.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was indeed a mercy for all the world, but will people accept that, or reject the guidance from God that he came with? Will they reject the correction made by God, of people's wrong beliefs, e.g. about Jesus (peace be upon him)? God is indeed Rabbul 3alameen, but will people affirm that with their tongues but then continue to associate others (such as Jesus) in His Lordship and Divinity?
References are made to mothers. A mother, and for that matter a father, loves all her/his children, even an ugly child, a disrespectful child, a bad behaving child, a child with disabilities etc.
As the quote refers to love, this is what Allah Himself says in the Qur'an:
Allah loveth not transgressors. (2:190)
Allah loveth not the impious and guilty. (2:276)
Allah loveth not the disbelievers (in His guidance).(3:32)
Allah loveth not those who do wrong. (3:57)
Allah loveth not such as are proud and boastful. (4:36)
Allah loveth not one who is treacherous and sinful. (4:107)
Allah loveth not corrupters. (5:64)
Allah loveth not the exultant. (28:76)
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
Even though I see Christians as being guilty of the major sin of ascribing partners (namely Jesus) with Allah, I also see there remains the possibility for their forgiveness as indicated by surah 5 ayat 118, "If You chastise them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."
The commentary called Maariful Qur'an by Mufti Mohammad Shafi, says this as a footnote to the verse:
As for the statement beginning with the words: (If You punish them, they are Your slaves ... ) appearing in the last verse (118), it means that Allah does not bring undue hardship on His servants, therefore, if punishment does come to them, it will only be just, right and wise. And should He forgive them, then, this forgiveness too will not be a matter of not being able to do otherwise - because He is Mighty, fully-capable and overpowering, from whose reach and control no wrong-doer can escape. And since He is Wise too, therefore, it is also not possible that He would let a wrong-doer walk away just for no reason. Thus, the Divine verdict in the case of wrong-doers will be absolutely wise and masterly.
Since this saying of Sayyidna 'Isa (A.S) will take place in the Mah'shar (the day of Resurrection) - where no intercession on behalf of the disbelievers, or appeal of mercy for them, will be entertained - therefore, Sayyidna 'Isa (A.S) has not referred to the Divine attributes of Ghafur-Rahim (the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful) in place of "Al-Aziz Al-Hakim" (the Mighty, the Wise) of the text.
This stands in contrast with what Sayyidna Ibrahim (A.S) had said to his Lord during his life in this world: (That is, O my Lord, these [idols] have made many of the people go astray. Henceforth, whoever has followed me is one of mine. And whoever has disobeyed me, so then, You are the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful - 14:36). It means that the likelihood still exists that Allah may, in His mercy, give them (the people who rejected Ibrahim at that time) the Taufiq later on in their life (before their death) to repent and return to the path of truth and thereby forgive their sins.
Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The first among the creation who will be covered with clothes (on the day of resurretion) will be Ibrahim. Some men from my Ummah will be brought and taken to the left (to the Fire) and I will yell, `They are my followers!' It will be said, `You do not know what they innvovated after you (in religion).' So I will say just as the righteous servant (`Isa) said:
(And I was a witness over them while I dwelled amongst them, but when You took me, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.)"
(It will further be said, `These people kept reverting back on their heels after you left them.')'' Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith in the explanation of this Ayah.
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
Having once been a Christian and now being the only Muslim in my family, this is a question that weighs heavy on my mind. I yet leave the answer for Judgment Day as I will have enough concerns for my own salvation on that Day.
Walaqad tharana lijahannama katheeran mina aljinni waalinsi lahum quloobun la yafqahoona biha walahum aAAyunun la yubsiroona biha walahum athanun la yasmaAAoona biha olaika kaalanAAami bal hum adallu olaika humu alghafiloona
Topics discussed in this Verse:
7:179 (Asad) And most certainly have We destined for hell many of the invisible beings [143] and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear.
They are like cattle -nay, they are even less conscious of the right way: [144] it is they, they who are the [truly] heedless!
Thank you for all your contributions. I am finding the discussion very informative.
I suspect that my friends 're-interpretation' of before-mentioned hadith is fuelled by the same hope/wish/desire to see his non-Muslim friends saved too, as perhaps Mustafa mentioned.
God knows best.
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Ha, Meem.
The revelation of the Book is from Allah , the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. The forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination. [40:1-3]
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. [4:171]
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son."
You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.
And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.
There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting. And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. [19:88-95]
And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do. O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.
By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path. They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent. [5:14-17]
They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the third of three." And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded. [5:72-75]
We, i.e., some people from Basra gathered and went to Anas bin Malik, and we went in company with Thabit Al-Bunnani so that he might ask him about the Hadith of Intercession on our behalf. Behold, Anas was in his palace, and our arrival coincided with his Duha prayer. We asked permission to enter and he admitted us while he was sitting on his bed. We said to Thabit, "Do not ask him about anything else first but the Hadith of Intercession." He said, "O Abu Hamza! There are your brethren from Basra coming to ask you about the Hadith of Intercession." Anas then said, "Muhammad talked to us saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge with each other like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say, 'Please intercede for us with your Lord.' He will say, 'I am not fit for that but you'd better go to Abraham as he is the Khalil of the Beneficent.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Moses as he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly.' So they will go to Moses and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Jesus as he is a soul created by Allah and His Word.' (Be: And it was) they will go to Jesus and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Muhammad.' They would come to me and I would say, 'I am for that.' Then I will ask for my Lord's permission, and it will be given, and then He will inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down, prostrate before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for your will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' And then it will be said, 'Go and take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have faith in their hearts, equal to the weight of a barley grain.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down (prostrate) before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' It will be said, 'Go and take out of it all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a small ant or a mustard seed.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down in prostration before Him. It will be said, 'O, Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers!' Then He will say, 'Go and take out (all those) in whose hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out of the Fire.' I will go and do so."'
When we left Anas, I said to some of my companions, "Let's pass by Al-Hasan who is hiding himself in the house of Abi Khalifa and request him to tell us what Anas bin Malik has told us." So we went to him and we greeted him and he admitted us. We said to him, "O Abu Sa`id! We came to you from your brother Anas Bin Malik and he related to us a Hadith about the intercession the like of which I have never heard." He said, "What is that?" Then we told him of the Hadith and said, "He stopped at this point (of the Hadith)." He said, "What then?" We said, "He did not add anything to that." He said, Anas related the Hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I don't know whether he forgot or if he did not like to let you depend on what he might have said." We said, "O Abu Sa`id ! Let us know that." He smiled and said, "Man was created hasty. I did not mention that, but that I wanted to inform you of it. Anas told me the same as he told you and said that the Prophet added, 'I then return for a fourth time and praise Him similarly and prostrate before Him me the same as he 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for you will be granted (your request): and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted .' I will say, 'O Lord, allow me to intercede for whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshiped except Allah.' Then Allah will say, 'By my Power, and my Majesty, and by My Supremacy, and by My Greatness, I will take out of Hell (Fire) whoever said: 'None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.' '' [Bukhari: Book 98, Hadith 7603]
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the Ayats of Revelation,- of a Qur'an that makes things clear. Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to Allah's will) in Islam. [15:1-2]
Kind of deflated my initial elation about just HOW loving and merciful Allah may be ...
To add to what I wrote in post number 6, also had another thought, and that's about our first parents Adam and Eve (peace be upon them both).
When they both ate from the tree, they repented to Allah.
"Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful." (2:37)
"Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him]." (20:122)
They both repented and both were completely forgiven by their Loving, Merciful Lord; nothing further was needed - and indeed Adam was then chosen to be the first person to receive guidance from Allah, and is counted among all the other Prophets of Islam:
"Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds" -(3:33)
In the Biblical version of the story, they were punished by God as follows:
The serpent would crawl on it's belly and eat dust to the end of it's life.
Enmity would be put between the offspring of the woman and the serpent.
Eve would have to suffer pain in pregnancy and childbirth.
Eve's husband would rule over her.
The ground would be cursed, bringing out thorns and thistles.
Adam was to earn his living by toiling and the sweat of his brow (Genesis 3:14-19)
I don't intend this to turn into a comparative religion debate, but want to use this one example to highlight the point that Christians in general need to think again if they don't think Allah is as Loving and Merciful as they thought, and also perhaps need to look at their scriptures.
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
I agree that God is loving but also just, Insaanah. No question about it.
What struck me about the story my friend told (as posted in the OP), was not that God may be all-loving and all-forgiving without being a just judge - but instead the idea that God's mercy and love might extend to non-Muslims. That's not something I had heard in that way from Muslims ... and indeed that view has been rejected quite firmly in this thread.
I have no doubt that God will judge us on the Last Day according to our actions and our deeds.
Your story about Adam raises in me another question: Does God forgive completely, but still choose to punish us for the sin we have committed? (Don't answer that. That really is something to keep until Ramadan is over.)
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
What struck me about the story my friend told (as posted in the OP), was not that God may be all-loving and all-forgiving without being a just judge - but instead the idea that God's mercy and love might extend to non-Muslims. That's not something I had heard in that way from Muslims ... and indeed that view has been rejected quite firmly in this thread.
I think you're getting confused between love and mercy, which, while they can sometimes be connected, are two separate things.
Your friend had given the example of a mother loving all her children regardless, so I responded with quotes about Allah's love.
In our life in this world, Allah is merciful in various ways to all His creatures, whether they see it or not, whether they acknowledge it or not, whether they accept Him or reject Him, whether they accept Him but associate others such as Jesus (peace be upon him) in His Divinity, or whether they were hoping for a different "mercy" of their choosing.
It is a mercy for all that one can return to the straight path any time before death, as is the fact that Allah shows us His signs day and night for us to reflect, sends guidance for us, gives us chances throughout our life even if we repeatedly sin, and no matter how disobedient we are, He still gives us to eat and drink and lets us to go about our daily lives, the fact that we see and hear and talk and reason, all of these are mercies from His vast, unlimited, infinite Mercy that we cannot even begin to fathom.
Going back to Adam and Eve (peace be upon them both), a prayer very similar to the prayer they used in their repentance was repeated by Moses (peace be upon him) after a certain incident. Another prophet, Jonah (peace be upon him), also used a similar formula - all of which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended to Muslims and which we use in our own prayers. This is encouraging and optimistic, as the door of repentance open to Adam is always open to us, prior to the point of death. And for non-Muslims, all and any in the posterity of Adam, the door of coming back to the right path is always open, prior to death. As quoted by brother AabiruSabeel: "So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (5:74) Such is the Mercy of Allah. This is in stark contrast to the Bible, in which Adam and Eve erred and were punished, with a punishment which applies to all the following generations.
One of the lessons from this for all the descendants of Adam (as in the Qur'an) is that we, as humans, have the freedom to choose, to err, and to repent sincerely if we wish, and should we do so, we will find Allah, Forgiving, Most Merciful. And that we need to be careful of Satan trying to mislead us.
Stunningly beautiful adhaan from the Dome of the Rock in Masjid ul Aqsa Download (right click and choose "save target/link as").
This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that those of understanding may take heed (14:52)
Indeed Allah knows, and you know not (16: 74, part)
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talked to us saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge with each other like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say, 'Please intercede for us with your Lord.' He will say, 'I am not fit for that but you'd better go to Abraham as he is the Khalil of the Beneficent.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Moses as he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly.' So they will go to Moses and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Jesus as he is a soul created by Allah and His Word.' (Be: And it was) they will go to Jesus and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Muhammad.' They would come to me and I would say, 'I am for that.' Then I will ask for my Lord's permission, and it will be given, and then He will inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down, prostrate before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for your will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' And then it will be said, 'Go and take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have faith in their hearts, equal to the weight of a barley grain.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down (prostrate) before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' It will be said, 'Go and take out of it all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a small ant or a mustard seed.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down in prostration before Him. It will be said, 'O, Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers!' Then He will say, 'Go and take out (all those) in whose hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out of the Fire.' I will go and do so."' 
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