خوف و امید

Narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited a young man in his final moments, as he was departing from this world, and he ﷺ asked him: "How do you find yourself now?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! My condition is that I hope for mercy from Allah, and along with that I also fear the punishment for my sins." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Be certain that when these two states — hope and fear — come together in a heart at such a time (that is, at the time of death), Allah will surely grant that person what he hopes for from Allah's mercy, and will surely protect him from the punishment he fears in his heart." (Tirmidhi)

For his own reform a Muslim needs both fear and hope. If the two go together, a person's deeds and character will improve. If there is only fear and no hope, the heart falls into despair, and despairing of Allah's mercy is disbelief. Fear should not be so great that it leads to despair, but great enough to keep a person from sin; nor so little that one falls into heedlessness — fear should remain balanced. On the other hand, hope too should not be so little that it leads to despair, nor so great that it crosses into carelessness, so that a person begins to sin. Wretched is the one who sins in the hope of repenting; before sinning is the occasion for fear, not hope. But once a mistake has been made and remorse arises in the heart, and one resolves to give up the sin and is ready to repent, then let him hold onto hope in Allah's mercy, seek forgiveness, and not despair. This is why these two things go hand in hand.