'I asked you for food and youdid not feed Me. He (His slave) will say, 'Lord, how could I feed You whenYou did not ask me for food and You are the Lord of the universe?' He willsay, 'Do you not know that My slave so-and-so asked you for food and youdid not feed him? Do you not know that if you had fed him, you would havefound that action with Me? Son of Adam, I asked you for water and you didnot give Me water.' The slave will reply, 'O Lord, how could I give youwater when You are the Lord of the universe?' He will say, 'My slave so-and-soasked you for water and you did not give him water. Do you not know thatif you had given him water, you would have found that action with Me? Sonof Adam, I was ill and you did not visit Me.' He will say, 'O Lord, howcould I visit You when You are the Lord of the universe?' He will say,'Do you not know that My slave so-and-so was ill. If you had visited himyou would have found that action with Me (or you would have found Me withhim)."
Visiting the Ill - Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 517
'I asked you for food and you did not feed Me. He (His slave) will say, 'Lord, how could I feed You when You did not ask me for food and You are the Lord of the universe?' He will say, 'Do you not know that My slave so-and-so asked you for food and you did not feed him? Do you not know that if you had fed him, you would have found that action with Me? Son of Adam, I asked you for water and you did not give Me water.' The slave will reply, 'O Lord, how could I give you water when You are the Lord of the universe?' He will say, 'My slave so-and-so asked you for water and you did not give him water. Do you not know that if you had given him water, you would have found that action with Me? Son of Adam, I was ill and you did not visit Me.' He will say, 'O Lord, how could I visit You when You are the Lord of the universe?' He will say, 'Do you not know that My slave so-and-so was ill. If you had visited him you would have found that action with Me (or you would have found Me with him)."
Commentary on the Hadith
This profound hadith qudsi, narrated in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, reveals the intimate connection between serving Allah's creation and serving the Creator Himself. The divine declaration establishes that acts of kindness toward fellow human beings are, in reality, acts of worship directed toward Allah.
The three specific acts mentioned—feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, and visiting the sick—represent fundamental forms of social responsibility in Islam. The rhetorical questions posed by the servant highlight the apparent paradox: how can one serve the Lord of the Universe? The divine response resolves this by explaining that service to Allah's servants is service to Allah Himself.
The phrase "you would have found that action with Me" indicates that these deeds are recorded directly with Allah and carry immense spiritual weight. The alternative reading "you would have found Me with him" suggests divine presence accompanies those who perform these merciful acts, emphasizing Allah's proximity to both the caregiver and the cared-for.
Scholarly Insights
Classical scholars emphasize that this hadith establishes the principle of divine representation (niyabah) in creation. When one serves a needy person, they are essentially responding to Allah's call, though it comes through the medium of human need.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali comments that this hadith demonstrates the comprehensive nature of Islamic mercy, where even basic human needs become opportunities for divine connection. The sick person's visitation holds particular significance as it combines physical care with spiritual comfort.
Al-Qurtubi notes that the repetition of "Son of Adam" serves as a powerful address to all humanity, reminding us that our treatment of others directly affects our relationship with our Creator. The hadith thus transforms ordinary social interactions into potential acts of supreme worship.