Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as stating that God most high says, “My servants, all of you are astray except him whom I have guided, but if you ask me for guidance I will guide you; all of you are poor except him whom I have enriched, but if you ask of me I will give you provision; all of you are sinners except him whom I have preserved [from sin], but if any of you knows that I have power to pardon and ask my pardon I will pardon him, and I do not care; if the first and the last of you, the living and the dead among you, those of you who are fresh and those of you who are withered, 3 had all hearts as pious as the heart of the most pious of my servants, that would not add as much as a gnat’s wing to my dominion; if the first and last of you, the living and the dead among you, those of you who are fresh and those of you who are withered, had all hearts as wretched as the heart of the most wretched of my servants, that would not diminish as much as a gnat’s wing from my dominion; if the first and last of you, the living and the dead among you, those of you who are fresh and those of you who are withered, were gathered in one plain, each one of you asking all he could hope for, and I were to grant the request of each of you who asked, that would cause no more diminution in my dominion than if one of you passed by the sea and, after dipping a needle in it, took it out, that being because I am generous and glorious, doing what I wish. My giving is speech and my punishment is speech. My command to a thing when I want it is just to say to it ‘Be’ and it comes into being.” [cf. Qur’an, xvi, 40; xxxvi, 82.]3. i.e., young and old.Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
Divine Guidance & Human Need
All humanity exists in a state of spiritual poverty and misguidance except those whom Allah specifically favors. This establishes the fundamental principle of tawhid - complete dependence on Allah. Guidance, provision, and forgiveness are not human achievements but divine gifts that must be sought through sincere supplication.
Divine Self-Sufficiency
Allah's dominion remains utterly unaffected by human obedience or disobedience. The imagery of the gnat's wing emphasizes the absolute perfection and completeness of Allah's sovereignty. Human actions, whether righteous or sinful, neither benefit nor harm Allah's essential being - they only affect the doer's spiritual state.
Boundless Divine Generosity
Even if all creation were to ask for everything they desired simultaneously, it would not diminish Allah's dominion any more than a needle removes water from the ocean. This illustrates Allah's infinite generosity and the absolute perfection of His attributes. The comparison demonstrates that divine giving costs Allah nothing.
The Power of Divine Speech
Allah's giving and punishing are described as "speech," reflecting the Qur'anic concept of "Kun fa-yakūn" (Be, and it is). This emphasizes that Allah's command alone brings things into existence without effort or instrument. The divine will manifests instantly through speech, demonstrating Allah's absolute power over creation.
Practical Implications
This hadith teaches complete reliance on Allah (tawakkul) while maintaining human responsibility. We must actively seek guidance and provision through prayer while recognizing that everything comes from Allah's grace. It encourages humility by reminding us of our inherent neediness and Allah's absolute self-sufficiency.