I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.
The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
Sahih Muslim - Hadith 2675a
Divine Proximity Through Remembrance
This sacred hadith qudsi reveals the profound relationship between the Creator and His servant through dhikr (remembrance). Allah's nearness is not measured by physical distance but by spiritual connection. When a servant merely thinks of Allah, the Divine response is immediate and magnified.
Levels of Remembrance and Response
Private remembrance in the heart earns Divine remembrance in Allah's "Heart" - a metaphorical expression of special attention and mercy. Public remembrance in assemblies receives even greater Divine acknowledgment in the heavenly assembly of angels.
The mathematical progression from span to cubit to two hands' span demonstrates Allah's boundless generosity - His response always exceeds human effort. The walking versus rushing imagery illustrates that while humans approach gradually, Allah's response is swift and abundant.
Spiritual Implications
This teaching encourages consistent dhikr in all circumstances. It assures believers that no act of remembrance, however small, goes unnoticed by the Divine. The hadith emphasizes Allah's attribute of Karīm (The Generous) and Wadūd (The Loving).
Scholars note this hadith forms the foundation for various spiritual practices in Islam, particularly the science of tasawwuf (Sufism), where constant remembrance of Allah is central to spiritual development.