Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
This hadith does not mean that Allah, Exalted is He, indwells His servant or becomes part of his being. Far above is Allah from such a thing. Rather, it means that Allah grants His beloved servant guidance and sound judgment in his hearing, sight, movements, and actions, so that he does not use his limbs except in ways that please Allah.
Allah says in the sacred hadith:
“Whoever shows hostility to a close servant of Mine, I have declared war upon him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.”
Thus, the hadith explains the path to attaining Allah’s love: preserving the obligatory acts of worship, then increasing in voluntary acts of worship and obedience until the servant reaches a great degree of closeness and love.
The meaning is that Allah guides, supports, and grants success to this servant in his hearing, sight, hand, and foot.
He does not listen except to what Allah loves and approves of, does not look except at what Allah has permitted, does not use his hand for wrongdoing or disobedience, and does not walk with his foot toward anything that angers Allah.
When Allah loves His servant, He helps him obey Him, grants him success in his words and deeds, and protects his limbs from being used in ways that displease Him.
Another narration of the hadith states:
“Through Me he hears, through Me he sees, through Me he strikes, and through Me he walks.”
That is, through Allah’s guidance, assistance, and direction.
The hadith does not mean that Allah is literally the servant’s hearing or sight, or that His divine essence enters the human body. This is a false interpretation that the hadith does not support.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the Creator, while the servant is created. Allah is independent of His creation, and He is above His Throne, exalted above all His creation.
The hadith itself demonstrates the existence of two distinct parties: a servant and the One worshipped, one who draws near and the One to whom he draws near, a lover and the One who is loved, one who asks and the One who is asked, and one who seeks protection and the One from whom protection is sought.
Therefore, it is not correct to interpret the statement “I become his hearing” as union or indwelling.
The hadith explains that the path begins with fulfilling the obligatory acts, because they are the most beloved things by which a servant draws near to Allah.
Then he strives in voluntary acts of worship, increasing in obedience and acts of devotion until he attains Allah’s love.
When Allah loves him, one of the effects of that love is that Allah grants him success in the use of his limbs and in his actions, so that his hearing, sight, hand, and foot are used in ways that Allah loves and approves of.
This is the meaning of Allah’s special care for His servant and His granting him success.
The effects of Allah’s love for His servant are not limited to guiding his limbs. The hadith also states that Allah answers his supplication and protects him when he seeks His protection.
Allah says:
“If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.”
This demonstrates the immense grace of Allah toward His righteous servants, and that whoever strives in obedience to Him and draws near to Him through voluntary acts of worship receives from His mercy, guidance, and response to supplication what contributes to the goodness of his worldly life and his Hereafter.
The statement “I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks” does not mean that Allah indwells the servant or that the Creator becomes part of the creation.
Rather, it means that Allah grants His beloved servant guidance and sound judgment in his hearing, sight, movements, and actions, so that he uses his limbs in ways that Allah loves and approves of and avoids using them in ways that anger Him.
This hadith is among the greatest texts demonstrating the virtue of preserving the obligatory acts of worship and increasing in voluntary acts of worship, and that these are among the causes of attaining Allah’s love, His guidance, and His answering of His servant’s supplication.
And Allah knows best.