Hope in Allah

[sheem]

Hope in Allah

By Sheikh Ali Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhayfi

RAJAA' (hope) is an aspect of worship. This is the type of hope a person has for Allah's pleasure and reward along with having Iman (correct belief) and doing righteous deeds. It is waiting for Allah's reward and seeking His pleasure. Hope is the opposite of despair. Being despaired of Allah's Mercy is one of the major sins. Hope, however, is an act of worship beloved to Allah. Allah said in the Qur'an:
"Verily, those who have believed, and those who have emigrated (for Allah's religion) and have striven hard in the way of Allah, all these hope for Allah's Mercy..." (Qur'an, 2:218)
The opposite of hope is despair and hopelessness in the Mercy of Allah. Allah said:
"...Certainly no one despairs of Allâh's Mercy, except the people who disbelieve." (Qur'an, 12:87)
And in another verse:
"...And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?" (Qur'an, 15:56)
So hope is a quality or an aspect of Tawheed, whereas despair, its opposite, is not. It is (rather) an act of disobedience. Allah mentioned in the above verses that despair is a characteristic of those who are astray and who do not believe in Him.

–Extract from the Sheikh's lecture "Enter into Islam wholeheartedly"

[DaNgErOuS tEaRs]