Alongside love, however, the servant must fear Allah, place his hope in Him, yearn for Him, and stand in awe of Him. When he considers his sins, Allah’s justice, and the severity of His punishment, he fears his Lord and is afraid of Him. When he considers His grace, both general and particular, and His all-embracing pardon, he hopes and aspires. If he is enabled to perform an act of obedience, he hopes that his Lord will perfect the blessing by accepting it, yet fears that it may be rejected because he failed to fulfill its due. If he falls into an act of disobedience, he hopes that his Lord will accept his repentance and erase the sin, yet fears that he may be punished for it because of the weakness of his repentance and his turning back toward the sin. When blessed with favors and joys, he hopes that Allah will preserve and increase them and enable him to give thanks for them, yet fears that they may be taken away because of his failure to show gratitude. When faced with hardships and calamities, he hopes that Allah will remove them and awaits relief through their resolution. He also hopes that Allah will reward him for them when he duly fulfills the duty of patience. Yet he fears suffering both calamities—losing the cherished reward and enduring the unwelcome affliction—if he is not granted success in observing the patience required of him.

Thus, in every circumstance, the believer who affirms Allah’s oneness remains committed to both fear and hope. This is obligatory and beneficial, and through it happiness is attained. The servant must, however, beware of two blameworthy dispositions: either fear may overwhelm him until he loses hope in Allah’s mercy, or hope may carry him so far that he feels secure from Allah’s plan and punishment. Once the servant reaches either state, he has neglected the obligatory fear and hope that rank among the greatest foundations of the religion and its weightiest obligations.1

Praiseworthy and sincere fear is that which prevents a person from violating what Allah has forbidden. If it goes beyond that point, there is reason to fear that it may cause him to despair of relief from Allah and lose hope in Allah’s mercy. Praiseworthy and sincere hope is hope that is