Good Deeds and God’s Mercy (Quran vs. Hadith)
Hadith Contradicts Quran
According to the following Hadith, Bukhari claims that the prophet said deeds alone are decoupled from God’s mercy. Such that someone who does good deeds will not be guaranteed God’s mercy in the Hereafter.
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise.” (i.e., None can enter Paradise through his good deeds.) They (the Prophet’s companions) said, ‘Not even you, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?’ He said, “Not even myself, unless Allah bestows His favor and mercy on me.” So be moderate in your religious deeds and do the deeds that are within your ability: and none of you should wish for death, for if he is a good doer, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to Allah.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ” لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ ”. قَالُوا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” لاَ، وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللَّهُ بِفَضْلٍ وَرَحْمَةٍ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَلاَ يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِمَّا مُحْسِنًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَزْدَادَ خَيْرًا، وَإِمَّا مُسِيئًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعْتِبَ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5673 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5673
How does this idea square against the verses of the Quran that came from the prophet himself, unlike the Hadith above that came from Bukhari? According to the Quran, good deeds and God’s mercy are coupled and not mutually exclusive. The following verse shows that God will admit them with His mercy because of one’s belief and righteous works.