Verifying the Hadith “I Was a Hidden Treasure”

Question

The narration that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah Most High says: “I was a hidden treasure; I loved to be known, so I created this world” — what are its Arabic words? What is the status of this hadith?

Answer

[ar]كُنْتُ كَنْزًا مَخْفِيًّا لَا أُعْرَفُ فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أُعْرَفَ فَخَلَقْتُ خَلْقًا فَعَرَّفْتُهُمْ بِي فَعَرَفُونِي[/ar] “I was a hidden treasure, unknown; I loved to be known, so I created a creation, made Myself known to them, and they came to know Me.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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