Third: In al-Targhib (2/129, al-Muniriyyah edition), the hadith is also reported through the three aforementioned collectors with the plural wording, “servants.” The same appears in all the printed copies, including the Mustafa Imarah edition. It seems to be an old error, perhaps originating with the author himself, for it also occurs thus in the al-Zahiriyyah manuscript (139/1). Al-Hafiz al-Naji drew attention to it, saying in al-Ujalah (133/2): “Thus it is found in most of our copies; but it is ‘a servant,’ in the singular.”

Fourth: Al-Targhib also has the wording, “that He may draw near, manifesting Himself,” with this addition: “manifesting Himself.” The same occurs in the editions and copies mentioned above. This is also a rejected addition, having no basis in any of the chains or narrations of the hadith. I do not know whether al-Naji came across it and made no comment on it, or whether it did not occur in his copy of al-Targhib. The first possibility seems more likely, but his book is not presently available to me to determine which of the two is more probable.

In my view, this error is worse than the preceding one, because it alters the meaning of the hadith: it interprets drawing near as manifesting Himself. This accords only with the approach of the later scholars and the speculative theologians in their figurative reinterpretation of hadiths concerning the divine attributes, contrary to the way of the Salaf, may Allah have mercy on them. They likewise differed from them by figuratively reinterpreting the hadiths concerning Allah’s descent to the lowest heaven (1) as meaning the descent of His mercy.

All of this contradicts the way of the Salaf, who explained the texts according to their apparent meaning, without figurative reinterpretation or likening Allah to creation, as Allah the Exalted says: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (al-Shura: 11). Thus, His descent is a real descent befitting His Majesty, not resembling the descent of created beings. Likewise, His drawing near, glorified and exalted is He, is a real drawing near befitting His greatness, particular to His servants who draw near to Him through obedience and by standing at Arafah in answer to His call. This, then, is the way of the Salaf concerning descent and drawing near, so be aware of it,