I live in 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 the assembly, better than he (does that), 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 2675g - Commentary by Imam An-Nawawi
Divine Proximity Through Remembrance
This sacred hadith qudsi reveals Allah's boundless mercy and responsiveness to His servants' remembrance. When Allah says "I live in the thought of My servant," it signifies divine attentiveness to human consciousness directed toward the Creator.
The phrase "as he remembers Me" indicates that divine response corresponds precisely to human effort - the quality of Allah's remembrance mirrors the servant's sincerity and manner of remembrance.
Gradation of Divine Response
"If he remembers Me in his heart" refers to silent, internal remembrance, to which Allah responds with intimate, personal remembrance in His Divine Essence.
"If he remembers Me in assembly" denotes public remembrance among believers, to which Allah responds with public acknowledgment among angels and in higher assemblies, with divine remembrance being superior in quality and magnitude.
Divine Multiplication of Good
The imagery of "span of a palm" versus "cubit" demonstrates Allah's multiplicative response - human efforts, however small, are rewarded with divine response many times greater.
The progression from walking to rushing illustrates escalating divine response: human initiative met with divine acceleration, showing that minimal human effort attracts maximal divine assistance.
Scholarly Insights
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explains this hadith demonstrates that Allah's remembrance of the servant is not merely verbal but encompasses divine care, protection, and guidance.
Al-Qurtubi notes that the "assembly" refers to gatherings where Allah is remembered, emphasizing the superiority of communal worship and its special divine recognition.