Jabir relates that the Holy Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) has said: ‘I and you are like a person who ignites a fire and moths and other insects started running to it and falling into it, and the man who started the fire was trying to stop them. I am like this man trying to hold you by your waists (to save you) from Hell, but you are escaping from my hands.’
(Sahih Muslim)
As he was Mercy to mankind, the Holy Messenger ﷺhad utmost love for humanity. He tried his level best and also enjoined his followers to save man from the danger of falling into the hell. The Messenger’s Seerah stands testimony to the fact that the Messenger of Allah left no stone unturned in disseminating the Divine Message among mankind. At the conclusion of his Final Hajj, he addressed the assembly of Companions and held them witness to the fact that he has completed the task he was sent for – to convey the Message to people. And, all the Companions gathered there gave evidence to it.
This hadith is metaphorically very rich. ‘I and you’ stand for the Messenger of Allah and Jabir who represented the Muslim Ummah. ‘Moths and other insects’ stand for people of different faiths. ‘Fire’ means the fire of hell from which Allah’s Messenger wished to save every human being. Thus the Blessed Messenger’s bid to save such people from falling into the pit of hell shows his utmost love for humanity.