The Meaning of the Hadith: "And if someone comes to Me walking, I will come to him running"

Question:
It is reported in "Sahih al-Bukhari" and other sources in a hadith whose meaning is: . So what is the meaning of the hadith, knowing that its implication is clear, which is the swiftness of Allah's mercy for the servant? Because some contemporary scholars affirm this as an attribute of Allah, despite not knowing that any of the Salaf affirmed it? So give us a ruling on this, may you be rewarded, may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, and may the prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. The hadith is well known, and at its beginning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: .
The methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community regarding these hadiths and their like is to let them pass as they came, without interpreting them figuratively and without asking how they are. Their meaning is clear and apparent, and that (Exalted and Majestic is He), by His grace and kindness, is swifter in bestowing good and kindness upon His servants than they are. This is the substance of the hadith.
As for its meaning: no one knows its modality except He (Glorified and Exalted is He). So (Exalted and Majestic is He) drawing near to His servants and walking toward them in a run are matters about which He is most knowledgeable regarding Himself. So they are not interpreted in a way that contradicts what came in His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Rather, it is said about them, as is said about others: [al-Shura: 11], [al-Ikhlas: 4]. So His drawing near by an arm's length or a span, and His coming in a run, all of this is something He attributed to Himself. So we attribute it to Him and say: no one knows its modality except He, just as no one knows how His rising above the Throne is, nor how His descent in the last part of the night is, nor how His coming on the Day of Resurrection is, except He (Glorified and Exalted is He). Nor how His anger is, nor how His pleasure is, nor how He laughs and draws near by an arm's length or a span, and how He comes in a run. All of this is with Him (Glorified and Exalted is He); no one knows its modality except He.
But the meaning required by this hadith is: that He is swifter in bestowing good upon us, and that He is swifter in bestowing kindness upon us from His grace and generosity. As for the modality of this meaning, and what is the description of this meaning? This is with Him (Glorified and Exalted is He); no one knows how His attributes are except He (Exalted and Majestic is He), like the rest of the attributes.