What are the roles of fear and hope in our connection with Allah (s.w.t.)?

Fear of Allah (s.w.t.) helps us to be aware of His power as our Creator, leading us to submit to His will and become devout servants of Him.

Hope in Allah (s.w.t.) is to behold the vastness of His mercy and generosity, which would motivate us to worship Him with sincerity and joy.

These two elements are crucial in our connection with the Almighty, as He mentions in the Qur’an,

Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. And call upon Him with hope and fear. Indeed, Allah’s mercy is always close to the good-doers.

(Al-A’raf, 7:56)

However, if one of the two overpowers the other, it may detrimentally impact our relationship with Him.

Only fearing Allah (s.w.t.) will lead us to despair, as we become hopeless in His mercy, while only being hopeful in His compassion could lead to complacency in our worship.

Hence, we must find the middle ground between these two elements.

But, a question remains: how can we accomplish that?

Find out more in Fear & Hope: Rediscovering a Servant’s Connection with His Rabb by Mufti Menk, Dr Muhammad Salah and Shaykh Wael Ibrahim, as we find the balance between fear and hope in Allah (s.w.t.), to nourish our divine connection with Him.