Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 7251 in the Book of Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed).

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#7250

#7251

Sahih al-Bukhari

#7252

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Sahih al-Bukhari #7251

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 7251 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)), narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:, states: "Perhaps the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the following (as Allah's Saying): "If My slave comes nearer to Me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit; I go nearer…"

Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنِ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ ـ رُبَّمَا ذَكَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا تَقَرَّبَ الْعَبْدُ مِنِّي شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ ذِرَاعًا وَإِذَا تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ بَاعًا أَوْ بُوعًا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُعْتَمِرٌ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي، سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا، ‏{‏عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ،‏}‏ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ‏.‏

Perhaps the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the following (as Allah's Saying): "If My slave comes nearer to Me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit; I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms. (See Hadith No. 502)

Narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:

Context

This hadith conveys a profound message about the closeness of Allah to His servants. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) describes how Allah responds to the efforts of His slaves in seeking Him. The imagery of drawing nearer illustrates the reciprocal relationship between the believer and their Creator, emphasizing the importance of sincere effort in worship.

Modern Application

In our daily lives, this principle encourages us to engage in acts of worship such as dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and daily prayers. By making an effort to connect with Allah, we can experience a deeper sense of spirituality and fulfillment.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Supplication because it highlights the importance of seeking closeness to Allah through sincere efforts in worship and supplication.

Supplication