ILM AL-HÂL

227 HOPELESSNESS IS INCORRECT Both overconfidence and despair are a denial of faith. It would be unbelief, if one feels overconfident about the wrath of Allâh by claiming they have done ‘this number of good deeds’ and thus deserves Jannah, or to the contrary, they feel despair because of ‘this number of sins’ and feel certain that they will end up in Hell. Our Prophet ﷺ said: "A Muslim should be in a state of consciousness between fear and hope”. A Muslim should be hopeful because of the mercy of Allâh, but must be afraid of their weaknesses. If one were to hear that "Only one person will go to Paradise”, one should say "I wonder if it is me”, and if they were to hear that "Only one person will go to Hell”, they should say "I wonder if it is me”. Allâh تعالــى declares in a Hadîth Qudsî: "If my servant comes to me one span I go to him a fathom, and if my servant walks to me I run to him”. This partial quote reveals that Allâh speedily favours us with His Forgiveness and Guidance when we sincerely desire it.