Abu `Amr Ibn `Alaa' narrated that one day Al-Farazdaq was sitting with others making du`a' and asking Allah for forgiveness. He was the most fervent in making du`a'. He was asked, "Why do you commit the sin of falsely accusing women of fornication?" Al-Farazdaq replied, "Tell me, what if wronged my two sons, would they be happy to throw me in hell fire?" "No," said the man, "they would have mercy on you." Al-Farazdaq said, "I believe that my God is more merciful to me than my sons."

Ibn al-Jawzi commented on this situation: This is pure ignorance. Allah's mercy does not mean mildness or delicacy. Had it been so, Allah wouldn't have allowed a bird to be eaten, a child to die, or a sinner to enter the hell fire. Al-Farazdaq made two mistakes in this situation. The first is that he considered the aspect of mercy and not the aspect of punishment. The second is that he forgot that Allah forgives only those who repent.