Khawf al-Khātima
Definition
Khawf al-khatima — fear of the end, specifically of how one will meet death and what one's condition will be at the moment of death — is one of al-Ghazali's most powerful prescriptions against ghurur. The person who is truly concerned about their khatima cannot remain complacent about their current spiritual condition, because they understand that the direction of movement matters as much as the current position: a person currently in a good state who is moving away from Allah is in greater danger than a person currently in a struggling state who is moving toward Him. Khawf al-khatima prevents the comfortable assumption that current religious performance guarantees a good end.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
1 book in the library
Hear the term in context.
Every book above uses Khawf al-Khātima the way the classical scholars meant it. Listen with the full Study Kit in the app.