2 ḥadīth qudsī

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2. ḤADĪTH QUDSĪ The term ḥadīth literally means: communication, story, conversation, religious or secular, historical or recent.

Techincally, it means “what was transmitted on the authority of the Prophet, his deeds, sayings, tacit approval.” This is called Ḥadīth Nabawī. However, in broader mening, the term is also used for narrations about the the Prophet’s Companions (ṣaḥābah) and Successors (tābi‘īn).

Another kind of ḥadīth is called Ḥadīth Qudsī. Qudsī means sacred, holy, as the idea is from Allah through inspiration, but the wording is from the Prophet himself. Like any regular ḥadīth, some of them are strong, and others are weak, depending on the conditions of its narrators. It is unlike the Qur’an which is inimitable, unique, revealed as a challenge and a kind of worship, cited in prayer, cannot be cited in meaning, and protected by Allah. One of the examples of the Ḥadīth Qudsī and its commentary is as follows: َ‫َ َوأَ َناَ َم َع َُهَإِ َذا‬،‫َأَ َناَعِ ْن َ​َدَ َظنَ​َ َع ْبدِيَ ِبي‬:‫ّللا َُ َت َعالَى‬ ََّ َ‫ل‬ َُ ‫لَال َّن ِبيَ​َﷺ َيقُو‬ َ​َ ‫َقا‬ َ‫َ َوإِنَْ​َ َذ َك َرنِيَفِي‬،‫َ َذ َكرْ ُت َُهَفِيَ َن ْفسِ ي‬،ِ‫َ َفإِنَْ​َ َذ َك َرنِيَفِيَ َن ْفسِ ه‬،‫َذ َك َرنِي‬ ‫ْتَإِلَ ْي َِه‬ َُ ‫َ َت َقرَّ ب‬،‫بَإِلَيََّ​َ ِبشِ ب ٍْر‬ َ​َ َّ‫َ َوإِنَْ​َ َت َقر‬،‫َلَ َخيْرَ ِم ْن ُه ْم‬ ٍَ َ ‫َ َذ َكرْ ُت َُهَفِيَ َم‬،‫َل‬ ٍ َ ‫َم‬ َ،‫ْتَإِلَ ْي َِهَ َبا ًعا َوإِنَْ​َأَ َتانِيَ َي ْمشِ ي‬ َُ ‫َ َت َقرَّ ب‬،‫بَإِلَيََّ​َذ َِرا ًعا‬ َ​َ َّ‫َ َوإِنَْ​َ َت َقر‬،‫َذ َِرا ًعا‬ )‫أَ َت ْي ُت َُهَ َهرْ َولَ ًَة (رواهَالبخاريَومسلمَوالترمذيَوابنَماجه‬ The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:َAllah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am (i.e., "I am as My servant expects Me to be"). I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a cubit, and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed. (َReported by al-Buhkari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).

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The meaning of the term َ‫( َظن‬ẓann), (“assumption”, “opinion”) is betweenَ ‫( َي ِقيْن‬yaqīn) “certainty” and َ‫( َشك‬shakk), “doubt.” But it could also mean yaqīn or shakk depending on strong evidence in the context, such as: ُ ‫ِينَ َي‬ )64:‫ُونَ(البقرة‬ َ​َ ‫ونَأَ َّن ُه َْمَم ََُلقُوَ َرب ِه َْمَ َوأَ َّن ُه َْمَإِ َل ْي َِهَ َرا ِجع‬ َ​َ ‫ظن‬ َ​َ ‫الَّذ‬ (They are those) who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that to Him they are going to return (Q. 2:46) َ َ‫ْرَ ْال َحقَ​َ َو َظنوا‬ َِ ‫ضَ ِب َغي‬ َ ِ ْ‫َواسْ َت ْك َب َ​َرَه َ​َُوَ َو ُج ُنو ُدَهَُفِيَ ْاْلَر‬ )93:‫ُونَ(القصص‬ َ​َ ‫لَيُرْ َجع‬ َ َ َ‫أَ َّن ُه َْمَإِلَ ْي َنا‬ And he (Pharaoh) and his hosts were arrogant in the land, without right, and they thought (i.e. doubt) that they would never return (Q. 28:39) Commentary: “I am as My servant thinks I am” - It means that if he thinks that Allah will forgive him, then He will do so, and if he thinks Allah will punish him, then he will do so. Allah will treat His servant based on his good thinking of Him, and He will do what he expects from Him. It is also said that if there is any hope he will expect it, as only a believer who will expect that he has a Lord Who would forgive him. It is Allah Who could do what his servant thinks He would do to him. The Muslims are urged to have good opinion of Allah, hoping more than fearing of Him, as Allah is as His servant believes or are certain of what He is. َ- Al-Qāḍī ‘Iyāḍ ibn Mūsāal-Sibtī (d. 566/1149)1: It means Allah will forgive him if he asks forgiveness, will accept his repentance if he repents, will answer his prayer if he prays, because this could only happen with the servant of Allah if he has good opinion of Him and a strong faith with Him. 1

Al-Qāḍī ‘Iyāḍ, the Moroccan scholar of Ḥadīth, Arabic language and grammar, a chronicler, and a genealogist, a student of Ibn Rushd and Ibn al-Ḥāj, became qāḍī of Ceuta then Granada, died in Morocco in 544 H.

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Al-Qābisī (d. 403/1012)2: It is possible that it is a warning of what will happen in the heart of the servant, as in the verse: َ )826:‫(البقرة‬.َ ُ ‫ّللا‬ ََّ َ ‫ …“ َوإِنَْ َ ُت ْب ُدوا َ َما َفِي َأَ ْنفُسِ ُك َْم َأَوَْ َ ُت ْخفُوَهُ َي َُحاسِ ْب ُك َْم َ ِب َِه‬and whether you disclose what is in you own selves or cvonceal it, Allah will call you to account for it…” (Q. 89:826)

- Al-Qurṭubī (578-656/1182-1258)3: It is said that it means the Muslim’s belief in the acceptance of his prayer while he is praying, of his repentance while he is repenting, of his forgiveness while he is asking forgiveness, of his deeds while he is doing them fulfilling their conditions and upholding the fulfilment of His promise and His generous kindness. Tthe Peophet himself said: َ‫اْل َجا َبة َ(رواهَالطبراني‬ َ​َ ‫ّللا َ َوأَ ْن ُت َْم َمُو ِق ُن‬ َ​ََّ َ ‫َا ُ ْدع َُوا‬ ِ ْ ‫ون َ ِب‬ )‫" والترمذي‬Pray to Allah while you are certain of its acceptance.” (Reported by al-Țabrānī and al-Tirmidhī).

- Al-Khaṭṭābī (913-388/931-988)4 says that the Muslims themselves have to do good deeds so that they will have good thinking with Allah.

- In the same manner, it is necessary for the the person who repents, asks forgiveness, and does deeds to endeavour performing them being certain that Allah the Almighty will accept his deeds and forgive his sins, as promised by Allah to accept genuine repentance and good deeds. On the contrary, if he does these dees believing or thinking that Allah will not accept them, and that they will give not give any benefit, then this behaviour is hopelessness from Allah’s blessing and giving up His mercy which is among the gravest sins. Whoever dies in this condition he will get what he has 2

Abū ’l-‘Abbās al-Qābisīَ was the leader in the science of Ḥadīth, its asānīd (inscription, namely, the uninterrupted chain of authorities on which a tradition is based). Despite of his blindness he was one of the most correct and meticolus writer. He died in Qayrawān.

3 Abū ’l-‘Abbās Aḥmad ibn ‘Umar al-Qurṭubī was the writer of the book entitledَ‫المفهمَلماَأشكلَمنَتلخيصَكتابَمسلم‬ 4 Abū Sulaymān Ḥamd ibn Muḥammad al-Khaṭṭābī was a traditionist, a linguist and jurist and one of the great scholars of the Shāfi‘ī school.

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expected, as mentioned in the following ḥadīth: َ َ‫أَ َنا َعِ ْن َ​َد َ َظن‬ ُ ‫“ َع ْبدِي َ ِبي َ َف ْل َي‬I am as My َ )‫ظنََّ َ َع ْبدِي َ ِبي َ َما َ َشاء َ(رواه َمسلم َو َالحاكم‬ servant thinks I am, so let My servan think I am what he wills” (Reported by Muslim and al-Ḥākim) I am with him when he makes mention of Me - Ibn Abī Jamrah (d. 695/1295)5: It means that Allah is with him depending on his intention in mentioning Him. It could be with tongue only, with heart only, or with both of them, or with obeying the command and avoiding prohibited things. The evidence is that there are two kinds of mentioning: (1) definitely stated by its speaker, such as mentioned above, and as in the verse: َ‫َ َف َمنَْ​َ َيعْ َمل َم ِْث َقالَ َذرَّ ةَ َخيْرً ا‬ )7:‫“ َي َرَهُ َ(الزلزلة‬So, whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it” (Q. 33:7), or (8) it is based on seriousness,َ such as the Prophet’s statement َ​َْ‫َمن‬ ‫ل َبُعْ ًدا‬ َ َّ ِ‫ّللا َإ‬ ََّ َ َْ‫ص َ​َل ُت َُه َ َعنَْ َ ْال َفحْ َشاء َ َو ْال ُم ْن َكر َلَ َْم َ َي ْزد َْ​َد َمِن‬ َ َ ‫“ لَ َْم َ َت ْن َه َُه‬Whoever his prayer does not prevent him from committing crimes and abonemical actions, he only will increase his being away from Allah”. However, while he is committing the crime he fearfully remembers Allah and is fearful about his condition, then he will be expected that his prayer to be accepted.

If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself If he mentions Allah secretly, then He will mention him with reward and blessing secretly. If he mentions Allah with glorification, Allah will mention him with His blessings.

- Al-Māzinī (d. 63/683)6: If he mentions Allah in privacy Allah will reward him for what he has done in privacy.

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Abd Allāh ibn Sa‘īd ibn Abī Jamrah was a traditionist and a Qur’an reciter. He abridged al-Bukhārī’s al-Jāmi ‘ al-Ṣaḥīḥ.َ 6 ‘Abd Allāh ibn Zayd ibn ‘Āṣim ibn Māzin al-Anṣārī participated in many battles, such as Uḥud; with Waḥshī he killed Musahylimah.

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- Ibn Abī Jamrah: It is possible that it is like Allah’s statement )158:‫ُون َ(البقرة‬ َ َ ‫“ َ​َف ْاذ ُكرُونِي َأَ ْذ ُكرْ ُك َْم َ َوا ْش ُكرُوا َلِي َ َو‬Therefore ِ ‫ل َ َت ْكفُر‬ remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. (Q 2:152) which means “remember Me by glorifying Me, and I shall remember you with My favours.” Allah says, )65:‫ّللاَأَ ْك َبرُ(العنكبوت‬ ََِّ َ‫ …“ َولَ ِذ ْك َُر‬and remembering Allah is greater indeed..” (Q. 29:45) meaning that “it is the greatest worship, and whoever remembers Him while he was in fear, Allah will ptotect him, or being lonesome or unhappy, Allah will amuse him, as Allah says, َ )82:‫ّللا َ َت ْط َمئِنَ َ ْالقُلُوبَُ َ(الرعد‬ ََِّ َ ‫ل َ ِب ِذ ْك َِر‬ َ َ َ‫(أ‬, ‘… verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.’” (Q. 19:82) and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it -

If he mentions Allah in an assembley, namely, among a group of believers, Allah will mention him in a better assembley, namely, among intimate angels and the souls of messengers. Angels in general are better than human beings in obeying Allah, as only some human beings are obedient to Him. Allah says, َ ‫ون َ َما َي ُْؤ َم َُرون‬ َ​َ ُ‫ّللا َ َما َأَ َم َر ُه َْم َ َو َي ْف َعل‬ َ​ََّ َ ‫ُون‬ َ​َ ‫ل َ َيعْ ص‬ َ​َ َ )4:‫(التحريم‬, “… who disobey not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they arecommanded.” (Q. 44:4).

And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a cubit, and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near tohim a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed - Whoever draws near to Allah by obeying Him, He draws near to him with His blessings, forgiveness, success, and assistance. If he increases his obedience Allah increases them more.

There are other examples of the Ḥadīth Quidsī dealing with thinking of Allah as follows:

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َ َ)‫ل أَ َناَعِ ْن َ​َدَ َظنَ​َ َع ْبدِيَ ِبيَ َوأَ َناَ َم َع َُهَإِ َذاَدَ َعانِيَ(رواهَأحمد‬ َُ ‫ّللاَ َيقُو‬ َ​ََّ َ​ََّ‫إِن‬ Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am and with him as he calls Me . (Reported by Ahmad) َ َ‫َأَ َناَعِ ْن َ​َدَ َظنَ​َ َع ْبدِيَ ِبيَإِنَْ​َ َظنََّ​َ ِبيَ َخيْرً اَ َفلَ َُهَ َوإِنَْ​َ َظنََّ​َ َش ًراَ َفلَ َُه‬ َ َ)‫َ(رواهَمسلمَواحمدَوالطبراني‬ Allah the Almighty said: I amَas My servant thinks I am. If he thinks good then it is (good) for him, and if he thinks bad, then it is(bad) for him (Reported by Muslim, Ahmad, and al-Ṭabrānī)) َ ،َ‫َإِنَْ​َ َظنََّ​َ َخيْرً اَ َف َخيْر‬،‫أَ َناَعِ ْن َ​َدَ َظنَ​َ َع ْبدِيَ ِبي‬:‫ل‬ ََّ ‫ّللا َُ َع ََّزَ َو َج‬ ََّ َ‫ل‬ َ​َ ‫َ َقا‬ َ )‫(رواهَالطبرانيَوَابنَحبان‬.َ‫َ َوإِنَْ​َ َظنََّ​َ َش ًراَ َف َشر‬ Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. If he thinks good then it is good, and if he thinks bad, then it is bad (Reported by al-Ṭabrānī and Ibn Ḥibbān) ُ ‫أَ َناَعِ ْن َ​َدَ َظنَ​َ َع ْبدِيَ ِبيَ َف ْل َي‬:‫ل‬ َ ‫ظنََّ​َ َع ْبدِيَ َماَ َشا َ​َء‬ ََّ ‫ّللا َُ َع ََّزَ َو َج‬ ََّ َ‫ل‬ َ​َ ‫َ َ َقا‬ َ )‫(رواهَمسلمَوالحاكم‬.

Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am.

So, let My servant think whatever he will (think I am) (Reported by Muslim and al-Ḥākim) We Muslims should be good and have good thinking with Allah, be optimistic with His wisdom and divine decree. َ​َ َ َ َ َ (CIVIC, 31 March, 2017) َ :‫المراجع‬ َ ‫المكتبةَالشاملة‬ Denffer, Ahmad von. ‘Ulūm al-Qur’ān. Kuala Lumpur: A.S Norordeen, 1991 Azami. M.M. Studies in Hadīthe Methodology and Literature.

Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 1977 http://archive.islamonline.net/?p=5296 َ from: http://www.jamiat.org.za/isinfo/mishkat2.html