Both fear and hope play a fundamental role in our lives. None of us can deny the reality of death. Everyone one us will perish, Subhan’Allah (Glory be to Allah). Sometimes when we are involved in a serious accident, or a close call, a severe disease etc., death stares us in our faces. That is the closest we get to fearing death. Otherwise we remain totally unaware of it as if we would live in this world forever. The fear of death and the awareness that all of us would be held accountable for our deeds on the Day of Judgement ought to guide us to the Straight Path. Fearing death in the right sense is actually fearing God, because God has decreed death for all of us.
On the other hand, a lot of us fear other people more than God. There are plenty of things that we do in our lives just to please people. Either we boast off or because of fear of people talking about us we do things in a certain way. This is wrong kind of fear. We should ask ourselves, whom do we fear more? God or people?
Hope drives all of us in both normal and difficult situations. It helps us to move on and stay determined. However, hoping without action is not only wrong but foolish. It is absurd to do no preparation for an exam and then hope to get good marks. Why don’t we apply the same principle when it comes to our lives? It would definitely be extremely foolish to not prepare for the Day of Judgement and hope for Paradise.
Granted, that God is the most merciful and the most forgiving, but remember that He is also the most Just. So strive hard to seek the truth and continually seek forgiveness. Most of all, evaluate yourself. Check whether you have the right balance of fear and hope.
Allah says in the Chapter 2 of Qur’an
“ And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you; and We did not make that which you would have to be the qiblah but that We might distinguish him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.”
Do justice to yourselves.
Notice that Chapter 2 has 286 verses and Allah is talking about “medium” in exactly the 286/2 = 143rd verse. Subhan’Allah (Glory Be to Allah)
May Allah guide us all to the Straight Path.
