Fear and hope
Holding both at once, the way the scholars taught it.
About 25 minutes of listening
Book 33: Fear and Hope
Imam al-Ghazali · Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din
Al-Ghazali explores khawf (fear of Allah) and raja' (hope in Allah) — the two wings of the spiritual journey that must be kept in balance for the heart to fly toward its Lord.
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From Fear & Hope.
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"As for the pious one who has abandoned both the manifest and hidden sins, both apparent and concealed, it is more suitable for his fear and hope to be balanced. This is why it is said that were the fear and hope of a believer to be weighed, they would be equal. It is narrated that Ali said to one of his children: "O my son, fear God with such fear that if you were to come to Him with the good deeds of the people of the earth, He would not accept them from you, and hope in God with such hope that if you were to come to Him with the sins of the people of the earth, He would forgive you."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 33: Fear and Hope
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"This love leads to a state where the world becomes like a prison, and death is a release to the beloved. Fear is cultivated through understanding the nature of divine decree and the reality of God's power. The fear of God is not just fear of punishment but also fear of estrangement from Him. This fear is more profound than the fear of Hellfire and is the fear of the scholars, as mentioned in the Quran: "Indeed, only those who fear Allah among His servants are the scholars.""
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 33: Fear and Hope
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"Hope leads to the nearness of the Merciful, while fear prevents the fires of hell. Thus, it is necessary to clarify their realities and virtues and how to balance them. This book consists of two parts: the first on hope and the second on fear. The First Part: On Hope Explanation of the true nature of hope Hope is one of the stations of the seekers and states of the aspirants."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 33: Fear and Hope · playable in the free preview