While Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting in the mosque with some people, three men came. Two of them came in front of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the third one went away. The two persons kept on standing before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for a while and then one of them found a place in the circle and sat there while the other sat behind the gathering, and the third one went away. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his preaching, he said, "Shall I tell you about these three persons? One of them betook himself to Allah, so Allah took him into His grace and mercy and accommodated him, the second felt shy from Allah, so Allah sheltered Him in His mercy (and did not punish him), while the third turned his face from Allah and went away, so Allah turned His face from him likewise. "
Hadith Commentary: The Three Men in the Mosque
This profound narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 66) presents a vivid spiritual allegory illustrating how human actions in seeking knowledge directly correspond to divine response. The three men represent three distinct spiritual states in approaching religious gatherings.
The First Man: Seeking Proximity to Allah
The first man who found a place in the circle and sat demonstrates the seeker who actively pursues closeness to Allah through knowledge. His effort to join the gathering signifies earnest desire for spiritual enlightenment.
Allah's accommodation of this individual reflects the divine principle: "Whoever comes to Me walking, I come to him running" (Hadith Qudsi). His proactive approach earned him Allah's grace and mercy.
The Second Man: Modesty and Respect
The second man who sat behind the gathering exemplifies haya (modesty) and reverence. Though he didn't push forward, his presence demonstrated respect for the assembly and desire to learn.
His shyness from Allah—understood as reverence, not fear—merited divine sheltering. This teaches that sincere humility, even when one feels unworthy to approach directly, is honored by Allah.
The Third Man: Turning Away from Guidance
The third man who completely departed represents those who reject opportunities for spiritual growth. His turning away signifies deliberate avoidance of divine guidance.
Allah's corresponding turning away demonstrates the principle of divine reciprocity: as the servant turns, so turns Allah toward or away from him. This serves as grave warning against neglecting religious gatherings.
Scholarly Insights
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments in Fath al-Bari that this hadith emphasizes the importance of proper etiquette in seeking knowledge and the spiritual consequences of our choices in religious matters.
The gathering with the Prophet (ﷺ) represents any legitimate Islamic learning environment. Our approach to such gatherings determines our spiritual state and divine acceptance.