Clarifying a Sahih Hadith with anthropomorphic imagery

Question

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, would say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. He would say: O my Lord; how could I visit Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Didn't you know that such and such servant of Mine was sick but you did not visit him and were you not aware of this that if you had visited him, you would have found Me by him? O son of Adam, I asked food from you but you did not feed Me. He would say: My Lord, how could I feed Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? He said: Didn't you know that such and such servant of Mine asked food from you but you did not feed him, and were you not aware that if you had fed him you would have found him by My side? (The Lord would again say: ) O son of Adam, I asked drink from you but you did not provide Me. He would say: My Lord, how could I provide Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Such and such of servant of Mine asked you for a drink but you did not provide him, and had you provided him drink you would have found him near Me.

(Sahih Muslim)

What is this Hadith trying to convey? Why would it use a language that is unbefitting of Allah SWT? Of course the context speaks of the servants and not Allah SWT. But still doesn't the language seems down to earth?

Answer 1

In the hadith, Allah means "My servant was sick," and drops the word "servant" to emphasize how close the servant is to Himself. That is what confuses the man.

The intention is to honor and put importance on the believer and to emphasize how wrong the man was in failing to attend his Muslim brother's rights.

Similar language is in the Quran:

They (the hypocrites) deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. (2:9)

Indeed, the hypocrites deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little, (4:142)

Obviously Allah cannot be deceived. Instead, Allah mentions deceit to the Prophet and the believers as if to Himself to show their honor in the sight of Allah.

Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah . The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah - He will give him a great reward. (48:10)

Here, allegiance to the Prophet (SAW) and the Prophet (SAW)'s hand is connected to Allah Himself.

And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have believed in Allah and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion - the day when the two armies met. And Allah, over all things, is competent. (8:41)

Here, Allah says the portion that goes to the Prophet (SAW) is "for Allah." Although, in this verse, the Prophet (SAW) is mentioned after anyway.