48/131. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3603 — Allah Remembers His Servant
Concerning Having Good Thoughts About Allah The Mighty And Sublime
Allah Remembers Those Who Remember Him
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3603
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3603
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حِينَ يَذْكُرُنِي فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنِ اقْتَرَبَ إِلَىَّ شِبْرًا اقْتَرَبْتُ مِنْهُ ذِرَاعًا وَإِنِ اقْتَرَبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا اقْتَرَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَيُرْوَى عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ فِي تَفْسِيرِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مَنْ تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ ذِرَاعًا يَعْنِي بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَهَكَذَا فَسَّرَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ . قَالُوا إِنَّمَا مَعْنَاهُ يَقُولُ إِذَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ الْعَبْدُ بِطَاعَتِي وَمَا أَمَرْتُ أُسْرِعُ إِلَيْهِ بِمَغْفِرَتِي وَرَحْمَتِي . وَرُوِيَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي هَذِهِ الآيَةِ : ( فاذكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ ) قَالَ اذْكُرُونِي بِطَاعَتِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ بِمَغْفِرَتِي . حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى وَعَمْرُو بْنُ هَاشِمٍ الرَّمْلِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ لَهِيعَةَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ بِهَذَا .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Allah, The Most High Said: ‘I Am As My Slave Thinks Of Me, And I Am With Him When He Remembers Me. If He Remembers Me To Himself, I Remember Him To Myself, And If He Remembers Me In A Gathering, I Remember Him In A Gathering Better Than That. And If He Seeks To Draw Nearer To Me By A Hand Span, I Draw Nearer To Him By A Forearm’S Length, And If He Comes To Me By A Forearm’S Length, I Draw Nearer To Him By An Arm’S Length. And If He Comes To Me Walking, I Come To Him Quickly.’”
[1] Al-Baqarah 2:152.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3603In-book reference : Book 48, Hadith 234English translation : Vol. 6, Book 46, Hadith 3603
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3603
This Hadith Qudsi gives a warm and hopeful message about remembering Allah. Allah says He is as His slave thinks of Him, and He is with the person when he remembers Him. If the servant remembers Allah privately, Allah remembers him. If he remembers Allah in a gathering, Allah remembers him in a better gathering. The Hadith also speaks about drawing near to Allah. The Arabic text includes an explanation from some scholars that this nearness refers to forgiveness and mercy when the servant comes close through obedience. So the main lesson is not about distance or place. It is about dhikr, good thoughts of Allah, obedience, forgiveness, and Allah’s generous response.
What we learn from this hadith
- Keep good thoughts of Allah while worshiping Him.
- Remember Allah privately and in gatherings.
- Drawing near to Allah through obedience is met with mercy and forgiveness, according to the explanation included in the text.
