“I was ill,” then explains this later in the hadith: “My servant so-and-so was ill. Had you visited him, you would have found Me with him.” Thus He distinguishes between the Lord and the servant.

The will of a servant who knows Allah is united with Allah’s will, such that he desires only what Allah commands and approves, loves only what Allah loves, and hates only what Allah hates. He pays no heed to reproach or blame, as Allah, glorified be He, says:

“Allah will bring forth a people He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers, striving in the cause of Allah and fearing no blame from any critic.”

Much could be said about the spiritual stations of those who know Allah. The purpose here is simply for the believer to recognize the difference between these heretics—who have imitated the Christians, followed the path of those who profess “divine indwelling and union,” fabricated lies against Allah and His Messenger, and rejected the truth spoken by Allah and His Messenger—and those who know Allah and love Him: His allies, who will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

The two groups may be confused with one another, just as many misguided people confused Musaylimah the Liar, the pretender to prophethood, with Muhammad ibn Abdullāh, the true Messenger of Allah, until they believed the liar and disbelieved the truthful one. Yet Allah has provided signs, indications, and proofs of the truth. Whoever Allah grants no light has no light.

As for the report that Umar “was like a black African between the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,