Hadith Commentary: Chapters On Zuhd

From Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2309

Textual Analysis

This profound hadith establishes a fundamental principle of divine reciprocity. The meeting with Allah refers to the encounter in the Hereafter, which every soul must inevitably face.

The "love to meet Allah" signifies the state of a believer who has prepared for this meeting through sincere faith, righteous deeds, and constant remembrance of the ultimate return to the Creator.

Spiritual Implications

Loving to meet Allah manifests through: longing for His pleasure, striving in obedience, avoiding prohibitions, and maintaining consciousness of the afterlife in all affairs.

Aversion to meeting Allah stems from: immersion in worldly pleasures, neglect of religious obligations, attachment to sinful habits, and fear of divine accountability.

Scholarly Interpretation

Imam al-Qurtubi explains that this hadith demonstrates Allah's justice - as the servant feels toward his Lord, so shall his Lord feel toward him in return.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali notes that the true believer yearns for this meeting, while the hypocrite and sinner dread it, for each knows what awaits them.

Practical Application

This teaching encourages believers to cultivate love for Allah through consistent worship, reflection on the transient nature of this world, and preparation for the eternal life to come.

The hadith serves as a spiritual gauge: one's attitude toward death and the Hereafter reveals the state of their faith and their relationship with the Divine.