The hadith of electhood
In the oft cited 40 Hadith Qudsi, there is the well-known hadith of electhood, found below.
Hadith of Electhood
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا، فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ” رواه البخاري
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. It was related by al-Bukhari.
The main takeaway here is, ‘My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.‘
3 lessons from the hadith of electhood
There are three lessons that can be taken from this hadith:
- The purpose of religion is drawing close to God through the attainment of Love.
- The means to draw close to God is through faitful actions which is the spiritual practice of seeking closeness through those actions.
- The condition of knowledge as Imam Ghazali states is, ‘that is beneficial, sacred knowledge.’
The hadith about drawing near to God imparts three lessons concerning the purpose and practice of religion. Firstly, it underscores that the ultimate aim of religion is to draw close to God, culminating in the attainment of divine love. By fulfilling religious obligations and engaging in supererogatory acts, believers align themselves with the spiritual path that leads to this closeness.
Secondly, the hadith highlights the means through which one can draw nearer to God, emphasizing faithful actions as the primary vehicle for seeking divine proximity. These actions include both obligatory duties and voluntary deeds, which collectively strengthen one’s relationship with God and deepen their spiritual commitment.
Lastly, the hadith speaks to the condition of knowledge, particularly the nature of beneficial and sacred knowledge. As emphasized by scholars like Al-Ghazali, this type of knowledge is not merely intellectual but transformative, guiding individuals towards spiritual maturity and greater awareness of their divine responsibilities.
Electhood in Islam
Electhood, or being chosen by God for a special spiritual status, is a concept deeply embedded in Islamic tradition. God determines the place and rank of all His servants, including the awliya (friends of God) and the foremost among the believers. To be counted among the awliya, one must internalize and practice the principles outlined in this hadith. This involves recognizing that achieving closeness to God requires a sincere commitment to both obligatory and supererogatory acts of worship, coupled with a pursuit of beneficial, sacred knowledge. Through this holistic approach to faith and practice, believers can aspire to the elevated spiritual status that signifies divine favor and nearness.