Should We Fear God or Have Hope in Him?
The issue of fear and hope is among major ethical issues that plays an important role in everyone’s life. People should have fear of God and His greatness and also of their own conduct. Given the unlimited scope of divine mercy and compassion, they should also have hope in Him and His mercy.
That the two come together has a definitive role in believers’ life and that is why ethics scholars always lay emphasis on talking about fear and hope together.
True believers both have hope in God’s mercy and compassion and fear His punishment. Only having hope without acting properly is nothing but conceit and self-deceit.
On the other hand, losing hope in God’s mercy is among grave sins and is very harmful. That is why Khawf and Raja should come together and they are approved of in the Quran and Hadiths.
God says in Verse 16 of Surah As-Sajdah: “Their sides give-up rest in beds in order to pray before their Lord in fear and hope. They spend for the cause of God out of what we have given them.”
Emphasis on Khawf and Raja and creating a balance between them can in a way show the importance of keeping a balance between the heart and the intellect.
It is because what orders us to fear God and his Jalal (Majesty) is the intellect while it is our heart and the emotions that look at the compassion and mercy of God that give us hope.
Imam Ali (AS) says in this regard: “Fear God and have hope in His mercy so that you will be safe from what you fear and achieve what you hope for. One who fears God, God will make everything fear him and one who does not fear God, God will make him fear everything.” (Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim: 5052)
Human beings usually go to extremes in everything and deviate from the balanced path of perfection.
The purpose of emphasizing Khawaf and Raja is for one to achieve balance and moderation in life.
From the viewpoint of the Holy Quran, when one is always in a state of Khawf and Raja together, it will help him walk on the path of perfection.
