Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as stating that God says, “I am present when my servant thinks of me, and I am with him when he remembers me. If he remembers me inwardly I shall remember him inwardly, and if he remembers me among people I shall remember him among people who are better than they.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Divine Proximity in Remembrance
This sacred hadith qudsi reveals Allah's intimate relationship with His servants through dhikr (remembrance). The phrase "I am present when my servant thinks of me" demonstrates Allah's attentive presence to even the most subtle thoughts directed toward Him.
Levels of Divine Response
The hadith distinguishes between private and public remembrance. When one remembers Allah secretly in the heart, Allah responds with a special, intimate remembrance reserved for the sincere. This reflects the principle that deeds are judged by intentions.
Public remembrance brings public divine recognition "among people who are better than they" - meaning angels or the righteous in divine gatherings, showing how Allah elevates those who openly acknowledge Him.
Spiritual Implications
This teaching encourages constant mindfulness of Allah in all states. The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim notes that this hadith demonstrates that divine presence corresponds to the servant's remembrance - the more one remembers Allah, the more Allah manifests His presence and blessings.
Al-Ghazali comments that this hadith should inspire hope and diligence in dhikr, knowing that no remembrance goes unnoticed by the Most Merciful.