Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 53

Combining Hope and Fear (of Allah)

باب الجمع بين الخوف والرجاء

This short chapter brings fear and hope together, since the believer is meant to live holding both at once. an-Nawawi places these reports side by side so that awareness of Allah's punishment and trust in His mercy keep one another in balance.

Notice how the same heart is asked to take the Hereafter seriously while never despairing of Allah's mercy. The nearness of both Paradise and the Fire, shown vividly here, is a call to walk carefully: hopeful enough not to give up, fearful enough not to grow careless.

Hadith 443

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن أبي هريرة، رضي الله عنه ، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏"‏ لو يعلم المؤمن ما عند الله من العقوبة، ما طمع بجنته أحد، ولو يعلم الكافر ما عند الله من الرحمة، ما قنط من جنته أحد” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If a believer had full knowledge of the chastisement of Allah, none would covet His Jannah; and were an infidel to know the Mercy Allah has, none would despair of His Jannah". [Muslim].

In plain words

If believers fully grasped Allah's punishment, none would presume on Paradise, and if disbelievers fully grasped His mercy, none would lose hope. The heart is meant to hold fear and hope together.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 443 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 443

Hadith 444

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن أبي سعيد الخدري، رضي الله عنه ، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏إذا وضعت الجنازة واحتملها الناس أو الرجال على أعناقهم، فإن كانت صالحة قالت‏:‏ فدموني قدموني، وإن كانت غير صالحة، قالت يا ويلها‏!‏ أين تذهبون بها‏؟‏ يسمع صوته كل شئ إلا الإنسان، ولو سمعه صعق‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a dead body is placed on a bier and men carry it on their shoulders, if the deceased was pious, it (the corpse) will say: 'Take me in haste'; but if he was not, it will say (to its bearers): 'Woe to it. Where are you taking it?' Everything except man hears its voice. Had a human being heard its voice, he would have surely died". [Al- Bukhari].

In plain words

A righteous person's body urges to be carried swiftly to its rest, while the unrighteous dreads where it is taken. It is a vivid reminder that how we live shapes what awaits us.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 444 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 444

Hadith 445

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن ابن مسعود، رضي الله عنه ، قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، “الجنة أقرب إلى أحدكم من شراك نعله، والنار مثل ذلك‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Jannah is nearer to you than your shoelace, and so is the (Hell) Fire". [Al-Bukhari].

In plain words

Paradise and the Fire are nearer to us than our own shoelace. Our next choice can draw us toward either, so every moment and deed matters.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 445 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 445