ibn qudāmah, two
It's been a while since I returned to Ranks of the Fearful. For a thin book, it sure is taking time for me to get through. Probably cause, I read through the words multiple times to absorb them.
I've got two extracts from the fourth chapter.
I was initially going to crop out the part where it speaks of balance of fear and hope for the righteous. But then I decided to let the whole thing be anyway. Recently I was reading an article on the Yaqeen Institute app (I still haven't finished it), and the topic was spiritual personality. It's really insightful and eye opening because as people we need to realise that we are all different. We work on different levels intellectually, emotionally and physically... So obviously spiritually as well. But that's where we start closing our hearts or narrowing them down. And so while some need to inculcate more fear in their relationship with Allah. Others need to invest more hope in Him.
The optimum for a believer, is a balance of faith and hope. However, there are times when some people operate better on fear and others on hope.
Islam works on the principles of moderation. Excess of fear or hope would be destructive. Just think of parenting. If all a parent did was scold and criticise and the child did everything they did out of fear of the parent's wrath, would you call it healthy parenting? Would that be a healthy parent-child relationship? At the same time if all a parent did was tell a child "It's okay, you're going to be alright, I'm here for you," without caring to be stern about the mistakes made, would that child grow up with a solid moral foundation?
A healthy dose of fear and hope leads to a solid relationship with our Creator. We need to be worried about facing Him and our hearts being cut off from guidance and turned hard and living heedlessly and displeasing Him. We also need to feel reassured that He's Oft Forgiving Most Merciful and we need to have حسن الظن بالله, an optimistic good outlook towards our Master.
May Allah guide us all and keep us firm upon the straight path 😊
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