Al Aziz Institute

In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Benevolent

Why a Muslim must have good thoughts about Allah SWT, the most merciful and the most Exalted.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلأٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلأٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ بِشِبْرٍ تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا، وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً ‏"‏‏.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Allah says: 'I am just as My servant thought I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "

(Source: Sahih Bukhari, Book: Oneness of Allah (Kitab Al Tawhid) Hadith no: 7405, Sahih Muslim, Hadith no: 2675, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith no: 3822)

Al-Qurtubi, one of the hadith scholars, says in his interpretation of “My servant thought I am”: What is meant by it is the thought of being answered when supplicating, and the thought of acceptance when repenting, and the thought of forgiveness when seeking forgiveness, and the thought of being rewarded when doing worship by observing all conditions. That is why, the noble Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, enlightened us in a another hadith: (ادعوا الله وأنتم موقنون بالإجابة) “Pray to God while you are certain of the answer.”
Therefore, one should strive to do what he has to do, being certain that God accepts him and forgives him, because He promised that and He does not break the promise. And it is one of the major sins to have negative thoughts or assumptions about Allah SWT, and whoever dies on that is entrusted to what he thought.

One must not think that Allah SWT does not repent to those who repent, and that Allah SWT does not forgive them, and does not accept repentance. This type of thoughts, opinions, feelings (secret or open), assumptions, imaginations are NOT permissible under any circumstances, because it is not permissible for a servant to despair of the mercy of Almighty Allah.

A man said, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I hope in Allah and I fear for my sins.” The Prophet said:
لَا يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْطِنِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مَا يَرْجُو وَآمَنَهُ مِمَّا يَخَاف
These two feelings are not combined in the heart of a servant in this situation, but that Allah will give him what he hopes and save him from what he fears. (Sunan Al Tirmizi, Hadith no: 983)