Hope is the Elixir of Life

Please join us in mediating on what motivates a farmer to work hard
and sweat. It is the hope of harvesting. What urges a merchant to
travel, adventure and leave his people and home? It is the hope of
getting revenues. What encourages a student to study hard and remain
awake for hours? It is the hope for success. What motivates a soldier
to fight desperately and endure the hardships of war patiently? It is
the hope for victory. What makes a patient like bitter medicine? It is
his hope for health. What calls a believer to disobey his desires and
obey his Lord? It is the hope of winning the Pleasure and Paradise of
Allaah The Almighty.
Hope, then, is a motivating power that makes one feel delighted when
working, that provides the stimulus for struggling for the sake of
duty and which enlivens body and soul. This power encourages lazy
people to work hard and urges hardworking people to remain as such. It
also stimulates the failing person to try repeatedly until he
succeeds, and encourages the successful person to double his efforts
to be more successful. The hope which we are talking about here is the
opposite of despair; it carries meanings of cheerfulness and good
thoughts. Despair is the demolishing tool that destroys the work
motive in man's soul and weakens the sources of strength in his body.
Therefore, Ibn Mas'oodsaid, "Destruction lies in two things: despair
and conceit." Imaam Al-Ghazaalisaid, "They were mentioned together
because happiness cannot be obtained except through endeavor, hard
work, and diligence; a despairing person neither seeks nor endeavors,
because what he hopes for is impossible in his eyes."
Faith Infuses Hope in the Soul
Faith infuses hope in the soul and defends it against despair and
sorrow. A faithful person believes that everything is at the hands of
Allaah The Almighty. Accordingly, he thinks good of his Lord and
aspires for His reward taking into consideration the Sacred Hadeeth in
which Allaah The Almighty Says: "I am as My slave thinks I am…"
How can despair sneak into a believer's heart while he reads the
Quranic verses )which mean(:
}And despair not of relief from Allaah. Indeed, no one despairs of
relief from Allaah except the disbelieving people."{]Quran 12:87[
}And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except for those
astray?{]Quran 15:56[
If a servant is a real believer, he will never despair; rather, he
will be always cheerful, satisfied, and looking forward to what is
better in all cases and under all circumstances. The Prophetsaid: "How
wondrous is the case of a believer! There is good for him in
everything. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to
Allaah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he
endures patiently and that is good for him." How, then, could a true
believer despair while he is promised of goodness in all
circumstances?
His true faith makes him feel that Allaah The Almighty is with him and
that He will support and protect him, consequently:
If he gets sick, he would hope for recovery and reward. Allaah the
Almighty says )what means(:}And when I am ill, it is He who cures
me.{]Quran 26:80[
If he commits a sin, he would repent to Allaah The Almighty
immediately in the hope that Allaah The Exalted would forgive and have
mercy upon him. In such a case, he would keep the following Quranic
verse in his mind )which
If he suffers distress or hardship, he would be certain that this
would end soon since Allaah the Almighty Said )what means(:}For
indeed, with hardship ]will be[ ease. Indeed, with hardship ]will be[
ease.{]Quran 94:5,6[ Of course, one
A believer always has great hope for the mercy, relief, and support of
Allaah The Almighty. This is because he does not count on material
means only, but also believes that these means have a Creator in Whose
Hand is the dominion of all things, and when He decrees a matter, He
only Says to it, "Kun )i.e. Be(," and it is. Hence, a believer's heart
is filled with trust in Allaah The Almighty and hope for gaining His
Mercy. This is exactly what the disbelievers lack, thus we see them
commit suicide and suffer many psychological diseases. We ask Allaah
to protect us against this.
How Difficult Life Would be Without Hope
Hope is necessary for achieving progress in all fields. Without hope,
civilizations would not have been built and science and technology
would never have progressed. Without hope, nations would have never
overcome times of distress and no call for reforming a society would
have been made. In the past, a sage said, "Without hope, none would
have built a building or planted a plant."
Hence, O believer, think good of your Lord, hope for gaining His
reward and support. If you suffer a distress or hardship, be patient
and be sure that wherever there is a difficulty, certainly there would
be ease. So, be patient and courageous, seek support from Allaah The
Almighty, and do not lose heart!