“Through Me he hears, through Me he sees, through Me he strikes, and through Me he walks”

explain the meaning of His words:

“I become his hearing, his sight, his hand, and his foot.”

This does not mean that He becomes the very eyeball, fatty tissue, nerve, or foot. Rather, He remains the One sought through these organs and faculties, and in this respect He occupies their place. For the servant’s perception and movement depend upon his organs and faculties. When his perception and movement are through the True One, this does not refer to the creation of perception and movement, since that is common to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love. Rather, the beloved servant has his rightful share of this assistance from the True One, in proportion to his share in Allah’s being with His servants, His lordship, and His divinity; for each of these has both a general and a particular form.

In his Sahīh, Muslim narrates from Abū Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah Most High says: ‘My servant, I was ill, but you did not visit Me.’ He replies: ‘My Lord, how could I visit You when You are the Lord of all worlds?’ He says: ‘Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was ill? Had you visited him, you would have found Me with him. My servant, I was hungry, but you did not feed Me.’ He replies: ‘My Lord, how could I feed You when You are the Lord of all worlds?’ He says: ‘Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was hungry? Had you fed him, you would have found that with Me.’”

In this hadith, He mentions the two true meanings, excludes the two false meanings, and explains them. His words:

“I was hungry and ill”

are language of union that affirms the true meaning. His words:

“You would have found Me with him, and you would have found that with Me”

deny identity of essence by excluding the false meaning, and affirm the distinction between the Lord and the servant.