How do we reconcile the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “Indeed, the one you call upon is closer to you than the neck of your camel,” with the statement of Allah the Exalted?

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The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : He says: How do we reconcile the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

Indeed, the one you call upon is closer to you than the neck of your camel

إن الذي تدعون أقرب إلى أحدكم إلى عنق راحلته

As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 56:22

with the statement of Allah the Exalted:

and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein

ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريد

[Qaf 50:16]

? It seems the brother questioner wants to draw our attention to the discussion of nearness. There is no harm in that. The nearness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) was divided by some scholars into two categories: general nearness and specific nearness. General nearness is the nearness of encompassing, which includes everyone. These scholars cited as evidence the statement of Allah the Exalted:

⁽¹⁶⁾ And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein ⁽¹⁷⁾ When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left.

ولقد خلقنا الإنسان ونعلم ما توسوس به نفسه ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريد إذ يتلقى المتلقيان عن اليمين وعن الشمال قعيد

[Qaf 50:16-17]

They said this is general because Allah says:

And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him

ولقد خلقنا الإنسان ونعلم ما توسوس به نفسه

[Qaf 50:16]

Specific nearness is like the statement of Allah the Exalted:

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me

وإذا سألك عبادي عني فإني قريب أجيب دعوة الداع إذا دعان

[Al-Baqarah 2:186]

So this is specific nearness for the one who calls upon Him. Likewise, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The nearest a servant come to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself

أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجد

Sunan Abi Dawud 875Sahih (Al-Albani)

This is the specific nearness of the worshipper, the nearness of the caller and the worshipper. The general nearness encompasses everyone. However, the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) rejected that and said: “Indeed, nearness is not divided. Nearness does not exist except for the one who deserves nearness, which is the caller and the worshipper.” He said: The caller is with Allah, conversing with his Lord, and the worshipper likewise converses with his Lord. This is the one who deserves Allah to be near to him, while others do not. He answered regarding the noble verses, concerning the statement of Allah the Exalted:

And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein

ولقد خلقنا الإنسان ونعلم ما توسوس به نفسه ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريد

[Qaf 50:16]

He said: “This is the nearness of the scribes.” As evidenced by His statement:

When the two receivers receive

إذ يتلقى المتلقيان

[Qaf 50:17]

For “when” (idh) is a temporal particle that must have a referent, and we know of no referent for it except the word “closer” that preceded it, meaning “We are closer” when the two receivers receive [the revelation]. So the intended meaning of nearness here is the nearness of the angels. He said: Similarly, the statement of Allah the Exalted regarding the dying person:

⁽⁸³⁾ Then why, when the soul at death reaches the throat ⁽⁸⁴⁾ And you are at that time looking on - ⁽⁸⁵⁾ And Our angels are nearer to him than you, but you do not see - ⁽⁸⁶⁾ Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed, ⁽⁸⁷⁾ Bring it back, if you should be truthful?

فلولا إذا بلغت الحلقوم وأنتم حينئذ تنظرون ونحن أقرب إليه منكم ولكن لا تبصرون فلولا إن كنتم غير مدينين ترجعونها إن كنتم صادقين

[Al-Waqi'ah 56:83-87]

He said: General nearness for everyone is not mentioned in the Book or the Sunnah, unlike presence (mu'ayyah), which is mentioned both generally and specifically, as Allah the Exalted said:

There is in no private conversation three but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them - and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are

ما يكون من نجوى ثلاثة إلا هو رابعهم ولا خمسة إلا هو سادسهم ولا أدنى من ذلك ولا أكثر إلا هو معهم أينما كانوا

[Al-Mujadila 58:7]

And it is mentioned specifically, such as:

Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.

إن الله مع الذين اتقوا والذين هم محسنون

[An-Nahl 16:128]

Because presence is broader than nearness. Nearness is clear, for nearness is a closeness that casts its majesty and greatness, and it does not imply the negation of elevation, even if He is near, because a human cannot conceive how these attributes are for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They are too great for the mind to grasp. If Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) encompassed the heavens and the earth with His Footstool, and the Footstool is the place of His feet, how then is it with the Throne? How is it with the Lord (Mighty and Majestic)? It is something that cannot be conceived, meaning one cannot encompass it. Therefore, nearness is divided by some scholars into two categories, but the stronger view is that it is not divided and is specific to the worshipper and the caller only.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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