09-30-2006, 09:49 PM
<b>Pearls of Wisdom - Fear and Hope</b>
- The least torture in Hell-
The severity of its heat, and their variation in it: An-Nu`man ibn Bashir (RA) narrated that he heard the Prophet(SAW) say:
“The least torture in the Hell on the Day of Judgment is that of a man whose foot sole is laid on a live coal which causes his brain to boil just like a boiler.” [bukhari and Muslim]
Muslim narrated in his Sahih:
“He does not think that any other person is tortured more severely than him although he is in the least torture.” [Muslim]
Abu Huraira (RA) narrated:
This fire of yours which burns the son of Adam (in this world) is the seventieth part of the heat of the Hell. They say: ‘We swear by Allah, our fire is quite enough.’ The Prophet said: ‘It is sixty nine times more and each part of it is like the heat of your fire.’” [Muslim]
Abu Huraira said that the Prophet (SAW) said:
“The Hell complained to her Rabb: O my Rabb! I am eating myself. He allowed her two breaths: One in winter and the other one in summer, and that is why you feel the heat in Summer and the cold in Winter.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Samura narrated that he heard the Prophet, (SAW), said:
Fire holds some to their ankle bones, some to their knees, some to their waists, and some up to their collarbones.” [Muslim]
This Hadith is a statement for the variation in degrees in the punishment of those in the Hell. We seek protection of Allah from it and from anything that leads to it whether word or deed.
- Between hope and despair -
(False) security and despair are ways leading out of the folds of the community of Muslims. The right attitude for the people of the Qiblah lies between the two. That is to say, a slave should remain between fear and hope. For, the right and the approved kind of fear is that which acts as a barrier between the slave and the things forbidden by Allah. But, if fear is excessive, then the possibility is that the man will fall into despair and pessimism.
On the other hand the approved state of optimism is of a man who does good in the light of the Shari'ah and is hopeful of being rewarded for it. Or, conversely, if a man committed a sin, he repents sincerely, and is hopeful of being forgiven. Allah (swt) said:
"Verily, those who believed, and those who migrated and fought in the way of Allah, it is they who are hopeful of Allah's mercy. And Allah is very Forgiving, very Merciful." (Al-Baqarah, 218)
In contrast, if a man indulges in sins and excesses, but is hopeful that he would be forgiven without doing anything good, then, this is self-deception, mere illusion and false hope. Abu 'All Rowzbari has said, "Fear and hope are like the two wings of a bird. If they are well balanced, the flight will be well balanced. But, If one is stunted, the Right would also be stunted. And, to be sure, if the two are lost, the bird will soon be in the throes of death." Allah has praised the people of hope and fear in the following verse:
'Is one who worships devotedly during the night, prostrating himself or standing, fearing the Hereafter, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (is equal to him who doesn't do these things)?' (Al Zumar, 9)
Hope then also demands fear. If that was not the case, one would be in a state of false security. Conversely, fear demands hope.
- Medicine of the Heart -
Yahyaa ibn Mu'aadh said: "The medicine of the heart is five things: reading Qur'aan and pondering the meaning, having an empty stomach, praying at night (qiyaam al-layl), beseeching Allaah at the time of suhoor, and keeping company with righteous people."
- Best of the Best -
"I looked at all friends and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all dresses, but did not find a better dress than piety. I thought about all types of wealth, but did not find a better wealth than contentment in little. I thought of all types of good deeds, but did not find a better deed than offering good advice. I looked at all types of sustenance but did not find a better sustenance than patience" [umar(RA)]
- How many days in your life? -
The World is three days:
As for yesterday, it has vanished, along with all that was in it.
As for tomorrow, you may never see it.
As for today, it is yours, so work in it. [Hassan al-Basri]
Excerpts taken from http://www.lutonmuslims.co.uk/Pearls.htm#Reference