Is this Hadith Qudsi authentic?
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah Ta’ala says: ‘The righteous long to meet me but I am more eager to meet them.’”
Answer
‘Allamah Subki (rahimahullah) and ‘Allamah ‘Iraqi (rahimahullah) have stated that they have not come across any basis for this narration as a Hadith of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
(Tabaqatush Shafi’iyyah, vol. 6 pg. 331 and Al Mughni ‘An Hamlil Asfar, Hadith: 2586)
Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al Hambali (rahimahullah) states that this appears in some Historical narrations (في بعض الآثار الإسرائيلية).
(Lataiful Ma’arif, pg, 124, Al Maktabul Islami edition. Also see: At Targhib Fid Du’a Wal Hatthi ‘Alayhi, of Imam ‘Abdul Ghani Al Maqdisi, Hadith: 19)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar