The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
Sahih
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الأَشْعَثِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْثَرٌ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ شُرَيْحِ،
بْنِ هَانِئٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ
أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَمَنْ كَرِهَ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ كَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ " . قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَذْكُرُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدِيثًا إِنْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ فَقَدْ
هَلَكْنَا . فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ الْهَالِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ بِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَمَنْ كَرِهَ لِقَاءَ
اللَّهِ كَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ " . وَلَيْسَ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ . فَقَالَتْ قَدْ قَالَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَيْسَ بِالَّذِي تَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا شَخَصَ الْبَصَرُ وَحَشْرَجَ الصَّدْرُ
وَاقْشَعَرَّ الْجِلْدُ وَتَشَنَّجَتِ الأَصَابِعُ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَمَنْ كَرِهَ
لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ كَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ .
He who loves meeting Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah abhors to meet him. I (Shuraih b. Hani, one of the narrators) came to A'isha and said to her: Mother of the faithful, I heard Abu Huraira narrate from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which, if it is actually so, is a destruction to us. Thereupon she said: Those are in fact ruined who are ruined at the words of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). What are (the words which in your opinion would cause your destruction)? He said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had stated: He who loves to meet Allah, Allah too loves to meet him, and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah too abhors to meet him, and there is none amongst us who dons not hate death. Thereupon she said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has in fact stated this, but it does not mean what you construe, but it implies (the time) when one loses the lustre of the eye, and there is rattling in the throat, shudder in the body and convulsion in fingers (at the time of death). (It is about this time) that it has been said: He who loves to meet Allah, Allah would love to meet him, and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah would abhor to meet him
Narrated by Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Context
In this hadith, Abu Huraira narrates a profound statement from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) regarding the relationship between a believer and their perception of death. The Prophet emphasizes that those who love to meet Allah will find that Allah loves to meet them in return. This statement raises concerns among the companions, particularly about the natural human aversion to death. A'isha clarifies that the hadith refers to the state at the time of death, where the true feelings about meeting Allah become evident.
Modern Application
This principle encourages individuals to cultivate a positive relationship with their faith and the afterlife. In daily life, this can manifest as a focus on spiritual growth and preparing for the hereafter, fostering a mindset that embraces faith and the inevitability of death as a transition rather than an end.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Afterlife and Love of God because it discusses the believer's relationship with Allah at the time of death and the love that exists between them based on their feelings about meeting Him.
Those will have lost who deny the meeting with Allah, until when the Hour [of resurrection] comes upon them unexpectedly, they will say, "Oh, [how great is] our regret over what we neglected concerning it," while they bear their burdens on their backs. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.
So is one who pursues the pleasure of Allah like one who brings upon himself the anger of Allah and whose refuge is Hell? And wretched is the destination.
O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
This hadith is #6661 from Sahih Muslim, in the Book of The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:.
