The Methodology of the People of the Sunnah and the Community Regarding Hope and Fear
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السؤال:
The questioner, in his final question, says: Your Eminence, what is the methodology of the People of the Sunnah and the Community regarding hope and fear?
Answer:
The People of the Sunnah and the Community say: It is obligatory to have hope and fear, and the servant proceeds to Allah between hope and fear, like the two wings of a bird. He fears Allah and hopes in Him; he prays, fasts, gives charity, performs Hajj, and strives in the path of Allah, while at the same time fearing Allah and hoping in Him. As Allah the Exalted said regarding the messengers and their followers, He says: “Indeed, they used to hasten in good deeds and call upon Us with hope and fear” [Al-Anbiya: 90]. “Hope” means hope, and “fear” means fear. “And they were humble before Us” [Al-Anbiya: 90]. And He said: “Those are the ones who call seeking a way to their Lord, which of them is nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment” [Al-Isra: 57].
So the believer hopes in the mercy of his Lord and fears His punishment, so he is always mindful of Him. He does not despair, nor does he feel secure. Allah the Exalted said: “None despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people” [Yusuf: 87]. He said: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah” [Az-Zumar: 53]. And He said—Mighty and Majestic: “Do they then feel secure from the plan of Allah? No one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people” [Al-A'raf: 99]. So what is obligatory is fear and hope, not security and not despair. He hopes in his Lord and does not despair, nor does he lose hope, but he fears and does not feel secure either. He fears His punishment, He fears sins and their evil. This is the believer, and this is the statement of the People of the Sunnah and the Community entirely.
So it is obligatory for the believer to proceed to Allah between fear and hope until he meets his Lord.
Some of the scholars of knowledge said: He should let hope prevail in the state of illness, and fear in the state of health, so that he is motivated to do righteous deeds, and so that he guards against the prohibitions of Allah. But the relied-upon position in this is to proceed to Allah between fear and hope constantly, constantly. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner, in his final question, says: Your Eminence, what is the methodology of the People of the Sunnah and the Community regarding hope and fear?
Answer:
The People of the Sunnah and the Community say: It is obligatory to have hope and fear, and the servant proceeds to Allah between hope and fear, like the two wings of a bird. He fears Allah and hopes in Him; he prays, fasts, gives charity, performs Hajj, and strives in the path of Allah, while at the same time fearing Allah and hoping in Him. As Allah the Exalted said regarding the messengers and their followers, He says: “Indeed, they used to hasten in good deeds and call upon Us with hope and fear” [Al-Anbiya: 90]. “Hope” means hope, and “fear” means fear. “And they were humble before Us” [Al-Anbiya: 90]. And He said: “Those are the ones who call seeking a way to their Lord, which of them is nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment” [Al-Isra: 57].
So the believer hopes in the mercy of his Lord and fears His punishment, so he is always mindful of Him. He does not despair, nor does he feel secure. Allah the Exalted said: “None despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people” [Yusuf: 87]. He said: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah” [Az-Zumar: 53]. And He said—Mighty and Majestic: “Do they then feel secure from the plan of Allah? No one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people” [Al-A'raf: 99]. So what is obligatory is fear and hope, not security and not despair. He hopes in his Lord and does not despair, nor does he lose hope, but he fears and does not feel secure either. He fears His punishment, He fears sins and their evil. This is the believer, and this is the statement of the People of the Sunnah and the Community entirely.
So it is obligatory for the believer to proceed to Allah between fear and hope until he meets his Lord.
Some of the scholars of knowledge said: He should let hope prevail in the state of illness, and fear in the state of health, so that he is motivated to do righteous deeds, and so that he guards against the prohibitions of Allah. But the relied-upon position in this is to proceed to Allah between fear and hope constantly, constantly. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.