How should we understand the following statement of Hz. Abu Bakr's: "O Lord! Enlarge my body so much that it will fill Hell so that there will be no place for others? Is this a rebellion?

Dear Brother / Sister,

There is no rebellion - God forbid - in this statement but the perfection given by belief. As a matter of fact, many great Islamic scholars have similar statements.  The following statement of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi confirms this: "If I see the belief of my ummah safe, I am ready to burn in the flames of Hell."

Islamic scholars approached all people with the compassion of a mother. A mother does not want her child to be thrown into fire; she will throw herself into fire instead of her child; she will throw herself into fire in order to save her child from fire. Similarly, Islamic scholars wanted themselves to be thrown into fire for the salvation of the ummah. Besides, what makes them elevate to that level is that spirit.

Questions on Islam