As there is PARADISE there is HELL

Almighty Allah created Paradise and Hell to serve two completely different purposes: Paradise is the precious commodity that Allah offers His servants so as to encourage them to be obedient and righteous in the hope that Paradise will be their eternal abode. Conversely, Hell is the unbearable torment with which disbelievers as well as disobedient servants are threatened so that perhaps they may pay heed and turn back to the right path.

However, seeking to forget this difficult test, the majority of people nowadays, especially the sinful among them, tend to always refer to the divine attributes of forgiveness and mercy, thereby trying to convince themselves that they will surely be forgiven and admitted to Paradise no matter what they do, for the Lord Whom they worship is All-Merciful, All-Compassionate (My mercy embraces all things…) (Al-A`raf 7:156)

They, however, plead ignorance of the fact that Allah's mercy is shown to certain types of His servants; this is clear when the verse is read to its end (My mercy embraces all things; therefore, I shall ordain it for those who have taqwa and pay the poor due and for those who believe in Our revelations.) (Al-A`raf 7:156) Hence, it is a conditional mercy, so to speak.

To those who have no fear of Almighty Allah and think that the whole matter is only about mercy and forgiveness, Allah issues this warning: (Announce (O Muhammad) to My servants that verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful. And that My doom is the dolorous doom) (Al-Hijr 15:49-50)

No doubt, the believer ought to always remember that Allah possesses unlimited mercy; this will give him a great hope that should he repent, he will be welcomed and his repentance, if truly sincere, will be received by a Most Merciful Lord. But if the love and hope as well as the abundant rewards awaiting the believers in the hereafter did not drive the servant to turn to Allah, then the fear would.

An unwise person may cause himself to lose a great opportunity with no expression of regret, but no matter how unwise or even mindless the person may be, he would never enter a blazing fire willingly. The unwise among us may sacrifice great rewards and gains, but when they are threatened with unbearable torment, they will most likely seek to get out of their blissful self-deception and repent.
(Taken from Islamonline.net)