Excellence of having no high hopes

Dear Islamic brothers! Through the blessing of having no high hopes, a person comes to the right path. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘Whoever will incline to worldliness and rely on high hopes, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make his heart blind according to his inclination to worldliness and whoever will show dislike towards worldliness and will lessen his hopes, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will grant him knowledge without learning and will grant him the straight path without anyone’s guidance. (Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 3, pp. 82, part 3, 6191)

Cure for negligence

Dear Islamic brothers! Negligence does not overpower when there is a lack of worldly and false hopes. One does not dare to commit sins, he rushes to seek forgiveness and always keeps his death in view. It is for this reason that the pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی used to refrain from high hopes. Listen to three parables in this regard:

1.         Sayyiduna Muhammad Bin Abu Taubah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: Sayyiduna Ma’roof Karkhi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه gave the Iqamah for Salah and said to me, ‘Go ahead and lead the Salah.’ I humbly replied, ‘I would lead only this Salah, not other than it.’ Listening to this, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said, ‘You are thinking of another Salah; may Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ save us from high hopes as these are the hurdles to righteous deeds.’ (Ihya-ul-’Uloom, vol. 5, pp. 200)

2.         Sayyiduna Safwan Bin Sulaym رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ used to remain inside the Masjid; when he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ would exit the Masjid, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ would weep saying, ‘I fear that I might not be able to return to Masjid.’

(Mawsu’ah Ibn Abid Dunya, vol. 3, pp. 317, Raqm 62)

3.         A person saw Sayyiduna Zaraarah Bin Awfa رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه in a dream and asked, ‘O people of Barzakh [the state of the grave]! Which deed is excellent before you?’ To which he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه replied, ‘The pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ as well as holding little hopes.’ (Ihya-ul-’Uloom, vol. 5, pp. 264)