Imām Ibn Qudāmah -rahimahullāh-
Said:
However, planting in a salty, hard soil where no water gets to and the land wasn’t prepared for planting, then waiting for a good harvest from such a land is termed as foolishness and deception, not Hope in real sense.
But when the seed is planted in a good soil, but lacks water, however, waiting for rainfall, this is also not hope. Rather, it is wishfulness.
Therefore, the true meaning of hope indicates being truthful in a waiting for a lovable thing whose means are well prepared under the choices of the servant, and nothing is left unturned except those things that are not under his control, which is bestowed upon him by Allah Ta’āla because of His Mercy.
Hence, if a servant plants the seed of Īmān, and nurtures it with the water of obedience, and purifies the heart from despicable characters, and then seeks the pleasure of Allāh Ta’āla and was steadfast on it till death, and also asks for good ending and forgiveness, thus, this type of waiting is termed a praiseworthy hope which is built on sticking to obedience till death.
However, if the seed of Īmān is planted without nurturing it with the water of obedience and the heart is full of bad characters, and it is fully engrossed with seeking the luxuries of the transitory world, but at the same time, anticipating for forgiveness, this act is termed as a sheer foolishness and delusion.
Allah Ta’āla says:
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا الْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ وَالدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Then there came after them an evil progeny who inherited the Book, taking only the fragile good of this low life and saying: we shall be forgiven. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth, and they have read what is in it; and the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who have Taqwah. Do you not then understand?
Sūratu Al-A’rāf, verse 169.
Allah also blamed those saying where He says:
وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا
And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this.
Sūratu Al-Kahf, Verse 36.
In this context, Ma’rūf Al-Karkhī Rahimahullāhu said:
Hoping for Mercy of the One you didn’t obey indicates lack of success and foolishness, and for this, Allah Ta’āla says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Surely those who believed and those who fled (their home) and strove hard in the way of Allah, these are those who hope for the mercy of Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Sūratu Al-Baqarah, Verse 218.
Meaning: these are those who deserve hope, however, the hope is not only restricted to them, since others may hope for that too.
Allāhu A’alam! Bārakallāhu fīkum!
3rd Sha’bān,1440H.
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