And the second case is like a person’s nearness to someone who himself draws near to him, as mentioned earlier in this “divine” report.

The servant’s drawing near to Allah, and Allah’s bringing him near, are affirmed in numerous texts, such as His words:

“Those whom they invoke seek a means of nearness to their Lord—which of them will be nearest.”

And other similar texts. This is the nearness of the Lord Himself to His servants, and it is like His descent to the lowest heaven. In an authentic hadith:

“Allah, exalted is He, draws near on the afternoon of ‘Arafah and boasts to the angels of the people gathered at ‘Arafah.”

All this nearness is particular to certain circumstances, rather than others. Neither the Quran nor the Sunnah ever states that He Himself is near to all created beings in every circumstance. This establishes the falsity of the claim made by the proponents of divine indwelling: they took what was specific and qualified and made it universal and unqualified. Their brethren, the proponents of divine union, did likewise with such statements as:

“I become his hearing,”

and:

“He comes to them in a form other than His form,”

and the fact that Allah, exalted is He, said through His Prophet:

“Allah hears those who praise Him.”

All these texts are evidence against them.

Once this is clear, the person supplicating or prostrating directs his soul toward Allah, exalted is He. The soul has an ascent appropriate to it, and undoubtedly draws near to Allah according to the degree to which it frees itself from impurities. Allah, mighty and majestic, is thus near to it with a nearness that necessarily follows from its drawing near. There is also another nearness on His part, such as His drawing near on the afternoon of ‘Arafah and in the depths of the night; and when someone draws near to Him by a handspan, He draws near to that person by a cubit. In the latter part of the night, people’s hearts have a measure of turning toward Him, drawing near, and tenderness that is not found at any other