Is it appropriate for a Muslim to have good expectations of Allah the Exalted at the time of death if he is among those who have been negligent?
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The questioner : O Shaykh, for a man who should not have good expectations of Allah, at the time of death, should he have good expectations of Allah?
The Shaykh : If he repents, he should have good expectations of Allah. For example, if he regrets what he has neglected and repents to Allah, let him have good expectations of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) that Allah the Exalted will accept his repentance and forgive what has passed.
The questioner : ... he will have ... in hope, as for fear, it will be ...
The Shaykh : This is the issue of fear and hope; it is not about having good expectations of Allah. Regarding fear and hope, do you fear that the side of fear will prevail, or the side of hope? It has been presented to us that the scholars differed on this. As for Imam Ahmad, he said that one’s fear and hope should be equal, and whichever one prevails over its owner, he is destroyed. Some scholars said that in the state of illness, the side of hope should prevail, and in the state of health, the side of fear should prevail. Some said that when doing a good deed, the side of hope should prevail, and when one’s soul demands that he do a bad deed, the side of fear should prevail. Some said that the side of hope should prevail regarding Allah, and the side of fear regarding the creation. The important point is that they differed greatly on this. In reality, every person can be a doctor for himself; he should let the side of fear prevail if he sees himself immersed in sins, negligent in obligatory duties, and relying on hope.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, and a person, if Allah wills, can expect good if he does a good deed.
The questioner : But he should have bad expectations of himself ...
The Shaykh : This is when a person looks at his deeds, he fears, and when he looks at the favor of Allah, he hopes.
The questioner : Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, if this is authentic, when he was on his deathbed, he said, they say that if you do not kill me, no one will kill me. Is this ...
The Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know; it is possible, it is possible. As for the common people, they say that when he was on his deathbed, he said to his son, "Cut a path from my house to the cemetery, demolish the houses, and let it be so that the funeral procession can walk in a straight line." And when his son did that after his death, people said, "Allah is settling the account with al-Hajjaj through his son because he settled the account with him ..." And wishing, as the common people say, their capital is small; the one who wishes for Allah’s promises does not benefit, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2459Da'if (Darussalam) Good.
The Shaykh : If he repents, he should have good expectations of Allah. For example, if he regrets what he has neglected and repents to Allah, let him have good expectations of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) that Allah the Exalted will accept his repentance and forgive what has passed.
The questioner : ... he will have ... in hope, as for fear, it will be ...
The Shaykh : This is the issue of fear and hope; it is not about having good expectations of Allah. Regarding fear and hope, do you fear that the side of fear will prevail, or the side of hope? It has been presented to us that the scholars differed on this. As for Imam Ahmad, he said that one’s fear and hope should be equal, and whichever one prevails over its owner, he is destroyed. Some scholars said that in the state of illness, the side of hope should prevail, and in the state of health, the side of fear should prevail. Some said that when doing a good deed, the side of hope should prevail, and when one’s soul demands that he do a bad deed, the side of fear should prevail. Some said that the side of hope should prevail regarding Allah, and the side of fear regarding the creation. The important point is that they differed greatly on this. In reality, every person can be a doctor for himself; he should let the side of fear prevail if he sees himself immersed in sins, negligent in obligatory duties, and relying on hope.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, and a person, if Allah wills, can expect good if he does a good deed.
The questioner : But he should have bad expectations of himself ...
The Shaykh : This is when a person looks at his deeds, he fears, and when he looks at the favor of Allah, he hopes.
The questioner : Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, if this is authentic, when he was on his deathbed, he said, they say that if you do not kill me, no one will kill me. Is this ...
The Shaykh : By Allah, I do not know; it is possible, it is possible. As for the common people, they say that when he was on his deathbed, he said to his son, "Cut a path from my house to the cemetery, demolish the houses, and let it be so that the funeral procession can walk in a straight line." And when his son did that after his death, people said, "Allah is settling the account with al-Hajjaj through his son because he settled the account with him ..." And wishing, as the common people say, their capital is small; the one who wishes for Allah’s promises does not benefit, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: