Between Hope and Fear: Allah’s Mercy, Forgiveness and the Reality of Hell

 Reason for forgiveness

It is stated in the book 'Kimiya-e-Sa'adat' that Sayyiduna Shaykh Kitaani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ said: After the demise of Sayyiduna Junayd Baghdadi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ, I had a dream in which I saw him and asked, 'مَا فَعَلَ اللهُ بِكَ؟', i.e. how did Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treat you? He replied, 'The acts of worship and pious deeds did not benefit me, however, I was forgiven by the blessing of the two Rak'aat Tahajjud Salah I used to offer having woken up from sleep at night.'

(Kimiya-e-Sa'adat, vol. 2, pp. 1007)

رَحْمَتِ حَق بَہا، نہ می جُوید

 رَحْمَتِ حَق بہانہ می جُوید

Translation: The mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ does not seek price. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ grants mercy even for minor deeds.

Dear Islamic brothers! In addition to Fard acts of worship, one should also develop the habit of performing Nafl ones. In particular, one should never miss Salat-ut-Tahajjud. Who knows the hardship of waking up at the time of Tahajjud gets accepted in the Divine court, bringing forgiveness for us.

Some Muslims will certainly enter Hell

Beware! No one should misunderstand this speech on mercy. Nobody should have such thoughts as the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is very great, so let's now miss Fard Salahs and Sawm, let's now watch movies and dramas on TV and internet, let's also indulge in unlawful gazing. The mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is very great, so let's bother our parents, swear at others, tell a lot of lies, indulge in the backbiting of Muslims, hurt their feelings, mistreat others. The mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is immensely great, so let's shave or trim our beard less than a fist-length, let's steal things, commit robbery, oppress others, drink alcohol, play gambling games and let's even open a casino. Let's commit even those sins we have not yet committed because the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is very great!

Dear Islamic brothers! May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy and grace on you and forgive you without accountability! Aameen! Be careful in case Satan makes you obey him in this way. Remember! While Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ shows mercy and kindness, He also shows wrath and gives punishment. While He grants huge blessings, He is also absolutely Self-Reliant. If He punishes anyone even for a minor sin, then the sinner will never be able to save himself in any way. Beware! Beware! Beware! It is confirmed that at least some Muslims will enter Hell due to their sins. We should always tremble with fear, thinking about the Hidden Plan of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in case our name is also included in the list of those entering Hell.

Madani mindset of Farooq-e-A'zam

The leader of believers, Sayyiduna 'Umar Farooq-e-A'zam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ had a great Madani mindset. He had a unique level of hope and fear. He رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ stated, 'If an announcer announces from the sky, 'All of you will enter Paradise but one person will not enter it, so I will fear that I might be that person. And if the announcer announces that all of you will enter Hell but one person will not enter it, so I will hope that I might be that person.' (Hilya-tul-Awliya, vol. 1, pp. 89) Anyway, we should neither get disappointed with the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ nor should we get fearless from His wrath.

One bullet from gun

Let me try to explain this point to you with the help of a logical example. Let's suppose that ten thousand Islamic brothers are present in the Ijtima' right now. If a terrorist standing on the roof of a nearby house threatens, 'I will fire only one bullet which will hit only one person. Others will remain safe.' What do you think? Only one person will be hit with a bullet. Will other nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine Islamic brothers get fearless? Never! Everyone will run away for the fear of being hit by the bullet. Hopefully, you may have got the point.

Slippers of fire

When it is confirmed that at least a few Muslims will enter Hell due to their sins, then why doesn't every Muslim fear in case I enter Hell? By Almighty! There is no comparison at all between being hit with a bullet fired from a gun and being punished in Hell. It is stated in the book 'Sahih Muslim' that the slightest punishment in Hell is that the person to be punished will be made to wear the slippers of fire whose heat will make his brain boil like a pot. He will think that he is being given the severest punishment.

(Sahih Muslim, pp. 134, Hadees 212)

It is stated in the book 'Sahih Bukhari' that on the Day of Judgement, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will say to the person being given the slightest punishment, 'If you were the owner of whatever (wealth etc.) is in earth, would you give it all in expiation in order to get rid of the punishment?' He will say, 'Certainly'.

(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, pp. 261, Hadees 6557)

That is, I will give everything if I am allowed to take off these slippers of fire, relieving me of this punishment in any way.

Can anyone bear the slightest punishment?

Dear Islamic brothers! Think! Ponder again and again! If anyone is given the very same slightest punishment due to any minor sin, then what will become of him? For example, if anyone swears at the other and is given this slightest punishment, what will become of him? If anyone bothers his parents and is inflicted with the same slightest punishment, how can he bear it? Remember! Swearing at others and bothering one's parents are both major sins, not minor ones. Ponder about the sins committed on a daily basis. Lying, backbiting, tale-telling, earning Haraam sustenance, taking drugs, watching films and dramas, listening to songs and music and watching only news being delivered by any female newscaster are all misdeeds. If anyone is given the slightest punishment as result of any of these sins, what will become of him? How unfortunate the woman is who reads the news on TV just for the sake of a few coins. If only she had realized that 'millions of men are filling their eyes with Haraam by unlawfully looking at me, thereby putting their eyes at risk of being filled with fire of Hell. And I am myself committing a great sin by doing so'.

Anyway, one who is under the impression that he has kept the TV just for listening to the news should be aware that for a man to look at a non-Mahram woman and for a woman to look at a non-Mahram man with lust are both Haraam deeds leading to Hell. So, if anyone is given the slightest punishment in Hell and is made to wear the slippers of fire due to watching and listening to the news on TV, what will become of him? In order to have enthusiasm for reforming yourself, you should develop the mindset that 'if I miss congregational Salah without a Shari'ah-approved reason and I am given the slightest punishment due to it, what will become of me? Similarly, if I have a friendly relationship with my sister-in-law or look at her deliberately or if I do not observe Islamic veil with the wives of the brothers of my father or with my paternal and maternal non-Mahram cousins or if I look at them and talk to them laughingly and if any of these misdeeds reaches the level of being a sin, resulting in me being made to wear the slippers of fire, so what will become of me?'

Remember that the sister-in-law and the aunts, etc. mentioned above are all non-Mahram women. Shari'ah has commanded Muslim men to observe Islamic veil with these women and with every such woman whom marriage is permissible with. Women should also observe Islamic veil with all non-Mahram relatives.