Forty Hadith Qudsi

Hadith 25, 40 Hadith Qudsi

Arabic hadith text

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا، فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ" رواه البخاري

Translation

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah, Might and Majesty belong to Him, said:

‘Whoever shows enmity to a devoted servant of Mine, I declare war on him. My servant draws near to Me with nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory for him. My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him; if he seeks refuge with Me, I will surely grant him refuge. I do not hesitate over anything I am to do as I hesitate over [taking the life of] My believing servant: he dislikes death, and I dislike causing him distress.’

It was related by al-Bukhari.

Notes and open questions — unreviewed
  • " إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا،

    وليًّا may be rendered as a devoted servant, friend, or ally; this is a religiously significant term and the source context does not provide a project glossary decision.

    Which English rendering of ولي is preferred in this occurrence?

  • وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ،

    The source uses تَرَدُّد (hesitation), while the witness supplies the interpretive bracket ‘[seizing] the soul’. The statement can be theologically sensitive and no explanation is present in the Arabic block.

    Should this wording receive a separate, sourced translator note or qualified review before any human approval?