“Indeed, Allah, is Hayy, Generous, when a man raises his hands to Him, He feels too shy to return them to him empty and rejected.”
Tafsir of Hadith from Chapters on Supplication
This narration from Jami' at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3556) reveals profound divine attributes and the etiquette of supplication.
Divine Attributes Explained
"Al-Hayy" (The Ever-Living) signifies Allah's perfect, eternal life encompassing all attributes of perfection. His generosity stems from this perfect life.
"Al-Kareem" (The Generous) indicates Allah's boundless generosity that gives abundantly without measure or expectation of return.
The Divine "Shyness"
Allah's "shyness" is not human embarrassment but reflects His majestic generosity - He dislikes turning away a sincere servant empty-handed.
This divine attribute encourages believers to frequently raise their hands in supplication with firm conviction in Allah's response.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam al-Tirmidhi classified this as hasan gharib. Scholars note that response may come in three forms: immediate granting, delayed reward, or protection from harm.
Ibn al-Qayyim emphasized that this hadith should increase the believer's hope and remove despair from Allah's mercy and generosity.