Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as stating that God says, “He who does a good deed will have ten times that amount of blessing, and I shall give more; but he who does an evil deed will have an equivalent reward of evil, or I shall grant forgiveness. If anyone draws the length of a span near me I shall draw the length of a cubit near him, and if anyone draws the length of a cubit near me I shall draw the length of a fathom near him. If anyone comes to me walking I shall come to him at a run, and if anyone meets me with sins tantamount to the size of the earth, but has not associated anything with me, I shall meet him with a similar amount of forgiveness.” Muslim transmitted it.
Divine Mercy and Reciprocity
This sacred hadith qudsi from Mishkat al-Masabih 2265 reveals Allah's infinite mercy and the principle of divine reciprocity. When Allah says "I shall give more," this demonstrates His boundless generosity beyond mere arithmetic calculation of deeds.
The Mathematics of Mercy
The tenfold reward for good deeds establishes a fundamental principle: divine justice rewards goodness exponentially while punishing evil only equivalently. The phrase "or I shall grant forgiveness" shows Allah's preference for mercy over punishment.
Divine Proximity
The imagery of span, cubit, and fathom illustrates how minimal human effort toward Allah is met with overwhelming divine response. This geometric progression symbolizes how small steps toward Allah yield immense spiritual advancement.
The Running Response
"If anyone comes to me walking I shall come to him at a run" represents the most profound expression of divine eagerness to accept repentance and draw close to the seeking servant, emphasizing Allah's loving nature.
The Ultimate Forgiveness
The final assurance that sins "tantamount to the size of the earth" can be forgiven for those maintaining tawhid (divine unity) establishes the paramount importance of avoiding shirk while offering hope to even the greatest sinners.