The Hope and Fear of Allah

The Book of Hope and Fear of Allāh

By Imam Nawawi

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of the al-‘ālameen. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger.

Allāh, the Almighty, says:

·  “O you who believe! Fear Allāh as He should be feared”. [Ali-’Imran, 3:102]; “So, keep your duty to Allāh and fear Him as much as you can...” [Al-Taghabun, 64:16]This second Verse explains the meaning of the first one.

·  “O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allāh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth”. [Al-Ahzāb, 33:70]

·   “... And whosoever fears Allāh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine...” [Al-Talaq, 65:2,3]

·  “If you obey and fear Allāh, He will grant you Furqan [(a criterion to judge between right and wrong), or (Makhraj, i.e., a way for you to get out from every difficulty)], and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you; and Allāh is the Owner of the great bounty”. [Al-Anfal, 8:29]

· "None feels secure from the Plan of Allāh except the people who are the losers." [Al-A’raf 7:99]

· "Certainly no one despairs of Allāh's Mercy, except the people who disbelieve." [Yūsuf 12:87]

· "On the Day (i.e., the Day of Resurrection) when some faces will become white and some faces will become black..." [Ali- ‘Imran’ 3:106]

· "Verily, your Rabb is quick in Retribution (for the disobedient, wicked) and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (for the obedient and those who beg Allāh's forgiveness)." [Al-A’raf, 7:167]

· "Verily, the Abrar (pious and righteous) will be in Delight (Jannah). And verily, the Fujjar (the wicked, disbelievers, sinners and evildoers) will be in the blazing Fire (Hell)." [Al-Infitar ,82:13,14]

· "Then as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be heavy, he will live a pleasant life (in Jannah). But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light, he will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e., Hell)". [Al-Qari’ah, 101:6-9]

· “... And whosoever fears Allāh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine...” [Al-Talaq, 65:2,3]

· “If you obey and fear Allāh, He will grant you Furqan [(a criterion to judge between right and wrong), or (Makhraj, i.e., a way for you to get out from every difficulty)], and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you; and Allāh is the Owner of the great bounty”. [Al-Anfal, 8:29]

443. Abu Hurairah (radiyallāhu’anhu) reported: Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “If a believer had full knowledge of the chastisement of Allāh Almighty, none would covet but His Jannah; and were an infidel to know the Mercy Allāh has, none would despair of His Jannah”. [Recorded by Muslim].

Commentary:

1. This Hadith states about the torments which one will have to suffer or receive in consequence of the Divine wrath for incurring sins, which Allāh Almighty forbid it. No one despairs of Allāh's Mercy, except the people who disbelieve. It was described to serve as a reminder so that people avoid sins in order to save themselves from the Hellfire. It also tells about the infinite Mercy of Allāh so that one will always be hopeful and seeking for it.

2. Only those who are obedient; piety, muttaqun and submitting  to Him will receive Allāh's Grace and Mercy, while thedisobedient will suffer the consequences of His Wrath.

444. Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (radiyallāhu’anhu) reported: Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: "When a dead body is placed on a bier and men carry it on their shoulders, if the deceased was pious, it (the corpse) will say: 'Take me in haste'; but if he was not, it will say (to its bearers): 'Woe to it. Where are you taking it?' Everything except man hears its voice. Had a human being heard its voice, he would have surely died". [Recorded by Al-Bukhari].

Commentary: The speech of a dead is a matter of the realm of the Unseen (or Al-Ghaib) which is mentioned in this Hadith. A deceased person will certainly say what has been disclosed here. A Muslim must have absolute faith in it. Almighty Allāh is certainly capable of endowing the power of speech on a deceased person as he does speak with the angels (Munkar and Nakir) when they come to the dead in the grave and question him. This Hadith is intended to induce people to virtues so that after death, one has not to say: "Woe to me! Where are you taking me?". One should spend the life in such a manner that after death when he is taken to the graveyard for burial, he should be in a position to say: "Hasten to take me to my grave so that I can enjoy Divine blessings there".

445. Ibn Mas'ud (radiyallāhu’anhu) reported: Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Jannah is nearer to you than your shoelace, and so is the (Hell) Fire”. [Recorded by Al-Bukhari].

Commentary: Jannah is close to him who adopts the path of righteousness and he can easily attain it. Its opposite case is also equally true. He is close to Hell who takes the path of evil. Thus, this Hadith has an inducement for virtue and warning against evil.

Allāh, the Almighty, says:"Verily, the Abrar (pious and righteous) will be in Delight (Jannah). And verily, the Fujjar (the wicked, disbelievers, sinners and evildoers) will be in the blazing Fire (Hell)." [Al-Infitar ,82:13,14]

It was narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to a man (one of the Sahabah): “What do you say when you prayer (Du’a after the Tashahhud)?” He said: “I recite the Tashahhud, then I say:  “Allāhumma inni as alukal-Jannah wa a‘udzu bika Minan-nār” (O Allāh, I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge in You from the Fire).I cannot murmur like you and like Mu‘adz.” Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “It is about them that we were murmuring.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud, 792: sahih].

‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radiyallāhu‘anhu) narrated that Abu Bakar As-Siddiq (radiyallāhu‘anhu) reported: I requested the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) to teach me a supplication which I could recite in my Solāt. Thereupon he said, “Recite:‘Allāhumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathira, Wa la yaghfirudz-dzunuba illa Anta, Faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indika, warhamni , Innaka Antal-Ghafūr-ur-Rahim (O Allāh! I have considerably wronged myself. There is none to forgive the sins but You. So grant me pardon and have mercy on me. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Compassionate).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

‘Aishah (radhiyallāhu’anha) reported that she asked Allāh’s Messenger (sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam), “O Messenger of Allāh! If I knew which night is Lailatul-Qadar, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say: “Allāhummainna Ka’afuw Wun Tuhibbul ‘Afwa Fa’fu’ anni (O Allāh! You are Forgiving, and You love forgiveness. So forgive me)” [Recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and At-Tirmidzi: sahih]

‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (radiyallāhu‘anhu) reported: The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) used to supplicate: “Allāhumma inni as ‘alukal-Huda, Wat-Tuqa, Wal-‘Afafa, Wal-Ghina (O Allāh! I beseech You for Guidance, Piety, Chastity and Contentment).” [Muslim]. This du’a contains four words, the meanings and implications of which constitute its essence. These words are guidance, piety (fear of Allāh), chastity and sufficiency. Guidance here means guidance at every turn of life and steadfastness on the path of truth. Fear of Allāh is the greatest means of piety and strongest defense against sins. Chastity is the state of being free from what is unlawful. Self-sufficiency is the antonym of poverty and here it means the self-contentment. What it implies is that one should not care for what people possess. In view of all these qualities, the prayer of the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned in this Hadith is very comprehensive and valuable.

Anas Ibn Mālik (radiyallāhu’anhu) who said: “The supplication most often recited by Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam): Rabbana-ātina-fid-dunya hasanah, Wa fil-ākhirati-hasanah, Wa-qina-‘ādzabān-nār (O Lord! Bestow upon us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the punishment of the Fire).’” (Al-Baqārah 2:201) [This is recorded by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and Tarmidzi]. Tarmidzi (rahimullāh) said: “Hasanah is very comprehensive and includes in all kinds of good and benefits of this world and of the Hereafter. Good health, wealth and satisfaction of the world and good status in Jannah, forgiveness from sins and Allāh’s bounties and favours in both worlds are included in this duā’” [ Jāmi’ At-Tarmidzi]

Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded that Umm Salamah (radiyallāhu`anha), said that the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)used to supplicate: ‘Ya muqallibal-qulubi, thabbit qalbi `ala deenik (O Controller of the hearts make my heart steadfast in Your religion).” Rasulullah (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) then recited: Rabbana la tuzia’qulubana ba’ daiz hadaitana wahab Lana min laduñ karahmah; Iñnaka an tal wahhāb. (Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after Thou have guided us, and grant us mercy from Thou. Truly, Thou are the Bestower.) (Al-’Imran, 3:8) [This is recorded by Muslim and At-Tirmidzi] 

Abu Musa (radiyallāhu‘anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to me, “Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Jannah?'' I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allāh!'' Thereupon he (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, (Recite)‘Lā hawla wa lā quwwata illa billāhil [‘aly-yul ‘Azeem]’ (There is neither change of any condition nor power except by Allāh [the Most High, the Most Magnificent]).'' [This is recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Excerpted from “The Book of Hope and Fear of Allāh, Chapter # 53, Riyad-Us-Saliheen” Compiled by Al-Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi (rahimahullāh) Via Guided Ways]