to war. My servant draws near to Me through nothing like fulfilling 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 grasps, and his foot with which he walks. Through Me he hears, through Me he sees, through Me he grasps, and through Me he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him; if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him. I have never hesitated over anything I do as I hesitate over taking the soul of My believing servant: he dislikes death, and I dislike causing him distress, yet he must undergo it.’”

This hadith thus describes two levels of drawing near to Allah Most High:

(The first): drawing near to Him through obligatory acts of worship.

(The second): drawing near to Allah through voluntary acts of worship after fulfilling the obligations.

The first is the rank of “those who follow the middle course”—the righteous, those on the right. The second is the rank of the believers who are “foremost,” as Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, the righteous will be in bliss, gazing from their couches. You will recognize in their faces the radiance of bliss. They will be given pure, sealed wine to drink, its seal being musk. For this, let those who strive compete.”

Ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—said: “It is mixed for those on the right, while those brought near drink it pure.” Allah has mentioned this meaning in several places in His Book. Thus, everyone who believes in Allah and His Messenger and is mindful of Allah is one of Allah’s close friends.