The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "
Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)
Sahih al-Bukhari 7405
Divine Proximity and Mercy
This sacred hadith qudsi reveals Allah's boundless mercy and responsiveness to His servants. The phrase "I am as My slave thinks I am" signifies that Allah treats His servant according to their expectation of His mercy and power. Whoever approaches Allah with hope in His generosity will find it, while those who despair of mercy will be constrained by their own perception.
Divine Remembrance
"I am with him if He remembers Me" demonstrates that spiritual presence follows mindful remembrance. The levels of remembrance correspond to levels of divine response: private remembrance brings private divine acknowledgment, while public remembrance in righteous gatherings brings honor before angels and exalted assemblies.
Progressive Approach
The measurements mentioned - span, cubit, and outstretched arms - symbolize the exponential nature of divine response. For every small step the servant takes toward Allah through obedience and worship, Allah advances toward him with multiplied grace and acceptance. The final image of walking met with running illustrates Allah's eagerness to embrace the repentant servant.
Scholarly Interpretation
Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explains that this hadith encompasses the essence of divine generosity. The servant's good opinion (husn al-dhann) of Allah becomes the vessel through which divine blessings flow. This teaching encourages optimism in supplication and confidence in Allah's responsiveness to those who sincerely seek Him.