Chapter: On Hope in Allah

باب فی الرجاء — امید کے بارے میں

بَابٌ فِي الرَّجَاءِ — On Hope in Allah

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves — do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins; indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." (Al-Zumar, 39:53)

The author emphasises that hope (raja') must accompany fear in the heart of the believer. A believer who loses hope in Allah's mercy commits a major sin, for Allah's mercy encompasses everything. Hope is not mere wishful thinking but the active confidence of the servant in the boundlessness of divine grace, combined with effort and repentance.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حِينَ يَذْكُرُنِي

Narrated by Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Allah the Exalted says: I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me.' (Agreed Upon). The author draws out the implication: a servant's assumption about his Lord is itself a form of worship; good expectation of Allah (husn al-zann) draws divine mercy.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتَنِي وَرَجَوْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْكَ وَلَا أُبَالِي — يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُكَ عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَلَا أُبَالِي — يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتَنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُكَ بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً

Narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 'O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you whatever has come from you, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of heaven and you then asked My forgiveness, I would forgive you, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if you came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and you met Me without associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it.' (Tirmidhi — sound hadith)