one evil the like of it—or I will forgive. Whoever draws near to Me a handspan, I draw near to him a forearm’s length; whoever draws near to Me a forearm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom; whoever comes to Me walking, I come to him running; and whoever meets Me with sins filling the earth while not associating anything with Me, I will meet him with the same measure of forgiveness.” Muslim related it.

Meaning of the ḥadīth: “Whoever approaches Me through obedience, I approach him with My mercy; and if he increases, I increase. If he comes to Me walking”—i.e., hastening to obey—“I come to him running,” meaning that I pour mercy upon him, hasten to reach him before he has to exert great effort to arrive at his goal. “Qirāb al-arḍ,” with ḍamma on the qāf—although a kasra is also reported, the ḍamma is better known—means that which almost fills the entire earth. Allah knows best.

3/414 – Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “Messenger of Allah, what are the two decisive matters?” He answered, “Whoever dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise; and whoever dies while associating something with Him will enter the Fire.” Muslim narrated it.

4/415 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ, while Muʿādh was riding behind him on the same mount, said, “Muʿādh!” He replied, “At your service, Messenger of Allah, and may all goodness be yours.” The Prophet called again, “Muʿādh!” He answered in the same way. A third time he said, “Muʿādh!” and again he responded likewise. Then the Prophet said, “No servant sincerely testifies from his heart that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger except that Allah makes him forbidden to the Fire.” Muʿādh asked, “Messenger of Allah, should I not tell the people so that they may rejoice?”