Hadith: Verily, Allah is more merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child

عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: قَدِمَ رسولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِسَبْيٍ فإذا امرأةٌ مِنَ السَّبْيِ تَسْعَى، إِذْ وَجَدَتْ صَبِيَّا في السَّبْيِ أَخَذَتْهُ فَأَلْزَقَتْهُ بِبَطْنِهَا فَأَرْضَعَتْهُ، فقال رسولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : «أَتَرَوْنَ هَذِهِ المرأةَ طَارِحَةً وَلَدَهَا في النَّارِ؟» قلنا: لا واللهِ. فقال: «للهُ أَرْحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Some captives of war were brought to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and there was a woman among them who was moving quickly and running. Suddenly, this woman saw an infant in the midst of the captives. She took hold of him, brought him to her bosom, and started nursing him. Upon that, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked : "Do you think that this woman would throw her child in the fire?" We said: "No, By Allah, she would not." He then said: "Verily, Allah is more merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]

Explanation

Some captives of war were brought to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and there was a woman among them running in search for her child. She found an infant among the captives, so she mercifully took him to her chest and breastfed him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seized this opportunity to teach his Companions that the mercy of Allah is greater than the mercy of a mother.