Hope - Part 1

"'What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah,- "'Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages?
(Al-Qur'an, 71:13-14 (Nooh [Noah])

Foundation for Islamic Publications
P O Box 13278, Laudium, 0037 Editor : Ahmed Adam e-mail : aadam@icon.co. za
20th August 2002 /11th Jamad-ul-Akhir 1423

Hope
1. INTRODUCTION

Life on this earth is a period of trials & challenges . Physical life is only temporary – the spiritual life continues beyond the physical realm . Life is a series of problems – that is the definition of life . One cannot wish for a life without problems ; the only place where there are no problems is in Jannah – but we have to earn our seat for that abode. The other extreme is where there are continuous problems and difficulties – that is in Hellfire – for that also , one has to earn one’s ticket for the hellfire. Between these 2 extremes is our life on this earth. The problems that we are faced with are sometimes easy to manage while other problems seem so huge and insurmountable that we give up all hope of finding a solution to that problem. The laser weapon to smash problems is a characteristic called hope , while the absence of such a quality is called ‘despair’ or ‘hopelessness.’ This short article examines this quality of hope and how we can apply it in our daily lives and thereby attain a sense of inner peace and tranquility , while at the same time anticipating the challenges of tomorrow with the memory of the failures of yesterday.
2. DEFINITION OF HOPE

Hope = anticipation ; belief ; desire ; expectancy ; light at the end of the tunnel ; aspire towards something ; look forward to ; optimistic ; assured ; reassuring ; confidence

Hope is usually described with light-metaphors , such as “ a ray of hope ‘ ; a glimmer of hope ; light at the end of a dark & long tunnel’ ; a beam of sunshine through the stormy clouds ; every cloud has a silver lining ;
3. EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL PROBLEMS

When faced with life’s challenges , one needs various tools to equip oneself to cope with these challenges (see related article on ‘patience & perseverance’ ) . In one’s everyday life , one is typically faced with some of the following problems . The way to deal with these problems depends on our outlook on life , whether it is negative and filled with despair , or it is positive and hopeful

Category

Remarks

Outlook : despair

Outlook : Hope
Financial

Economy looks bad ; crime is high ; business is down ; no future in the country ; people don’t have liquidity and cash flow anymore

Gloomy ; hopeless ; worrying ; concern

Persevere ; try something else ; look for opportunities
Religious

Global onslaught against Muslim countries (such as Afghanistan ; Palestine ; Iraq ; Chechnya ; Kashmir) and verbal or physical humiliation and assault on muslims by other communities

Frustration at media bias & manipulation ; anger at global muslim apathy ; helplessness at observing the massacre of muslims ; feeling of hopelessness and despair at the condition of children in Afghanistan , Palestine and in vast areas of poverty stricken Africa

Take action ; educate oneself ; strive and pray to Allah (SWT) ; rectify misconceptions about Islam
Marriage

Couple have regular arguments and fights ; many times the families have mediated to solve the problems but to no avail

No hope to save the marriage

Look for the good in both partners & search for win-win scenarios
Illness & sickness

Doctors have diagnosed terminal illness

Situation looks bleak and hopeless

Never give up hope
Children

Influence of TV , music, drugs , fast cars

What kind of future is there for our kids ? what kind of leadership are we training ?

Educate our children and the community about the dangers of immorality ; have workshops and leadership summer camps
Intellectual

Children are more keen on video games , TV and sport than in reading & school & University

Situation is worrying ; is there any hope that we can inculcate a culture of learning ?

Inculcate a love for reading amoungst our children
Global

Muslim apathy at the onslaught against muslims

Some muslim ‘leaders’ have become lovers of this material and temporary physical world with its illusion of temporary riches and gold

Inspire ourselves and others for individual , local and global Islamic revival
Palestine

Homes are being demolished daily ; curfews being imposed with impunity ; death , suffering , malnutrition , torture & brutality , detention without trial , are all being done in full view of the ‘civilised’ world

Is there any hope for peace or is the situation hopeless , bleak and despairing ; the suffering has gone on for more than 50 years with no end in sight ; Palestinian land has been stolen and 5 million have become refugees squatting in shanty towns

Study facts and create awareness about the current plight of the Palestinians & other Muslims ; logical , hard facts work better than emotion & anger
Suicide bombings

Young intellectuals are willing to sacrifice their lives to attain their freedom

Is this an act of despair and sheer desperation

These are not acts of despair but hope
Examinations

Exam was very difficult – child did not prepare sufficiently

Outcome looks hopeless

study to the best of your ability , then keep hoping for a positive outcome
Spiritual

We commit sins daily , both major and minor , both intentionally and unintentionally

Outcome is both fear in Allah’s (SWT) punishments and hope in His Mercy

Pray to Allah (SWT) & keep hope for Allah’s (SWT) Forgiveness and Mercy
Getting married

It is very difficult to find a suitable marriage partner ; who will our children get married to ? we only pray for their happiness , yet we are worried ,

Situation looks worrying & hopeless ; how do you reduce the worry of opening this surprise package (lucky packet) & ensuring a better outcome

Look for piety and a good heart ; marriage requires patience & perseverance and lots of hope (see related article on marriage)
Physical

Try to lose weight ; tried out different diets and exercise and machines

Situation looks hopeless ; weight is simply not coming down

Focus on the positive ; visualize a more fitter & healthy body
Drugs ; gambling

If your loved ones and children or parents are addicted to these evils and despite many attempts they still continue indulging in drugs & gambling

Situation looks hopeless ; the people who care for you & love you get sick with worry and despair and hurt

Keep hope alive that the loved ones in your life need your love and compassion ; be kind to them ; send to drug rehabilitation ; (see related article on Drugs)
4. WHAT IS HOPE ?

Hope is a way of thinking about the future . You cannot hope over something that has already happened – that is a memory. A memory is about a past event. You cannot change the past. Memory can be either a good memory or a bad memory or a memory filled with regret – but there is nothing that you can do to undo the events of yesterday, except learn from the past. On the other hand, the future has not yet happened. Hope is the desire that you keep inside of you while waiting for the results or outcome of an event. It is the thoughts that you keep in your mind that anticipate an outcome (positive, good, pleasant, rewarding, relieving, happy outcome) that you want. Hope is your dream. Hope is obtained with confidence, optimism, looking for solutions where others see only problems. Hope is our desire to excel and to achieve, despite all odds. Hope is the only choice that we have to function effectively as human beings. Without hope we have nothing. In the absence of hope we have hopelessness, despair, gloom and doom. Hope inspires us to try once more with patience and perseverance while despair and worry weaken us to give up too soon. Hope fills our lives with the dreams and visions of a better tomorrow, while despair , worry and hopelessness fill our lives with nightmares of terrible calamities. There are numerous verses in the Holy Quran making reference to this quality of hope and how we can inculcate hope in our daily lives. Furthermore, the entire life of the Prophet(SAW) is a living example of the quality of hope in action – the Prophet (SAW) patiently persevered , despite insurmountable odds and hardships , in the face of enemies numerically larger & stronger , yet despite all of this , he (SAW) never gave up hope of victory of establishing the Religion of Islam . It was his single minded focus on hope and his Trust in Allah (SWT), that he did not even consider the possibility of failure . The following few verses and quotes give insight into the application of hope in our lives.
5. HOPE UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Whenever we are faced with any difficulties or problems , then there are several ways in which to solve a problem : we can talk to a friend or colleague or delegate the problem to someone else who has knowledge about these matters ( an ‘expert’ eg a doctor or an aalim or an engineer or an architect or a plumber etc) , or read books or ponder over the problem by ourselves . Whichever method that we use , the main key to solving any problem is to first have a deep understanding of that problem , for every problem contains within it the seeds of its own solution. The only way to dismantle a problem and lay it bare is to have hope , patience and perseverance and a determination born out of a steel furnace . Hope is that mindset that says “I can do it” , “everything will work out fine”. Hope is the mindset that envisions a positive outcome , a successful outcome and then focus all your energies in making that anticipated possibility a reality .

Too often , our own potential for success is weakened by negative people & negative news (radio +TV+ Newspapers) around us who tell us all the time : “don’t even try , there is no hope’ ; “there is no future in this country ‘; or ‘what is the use of trying “ ; or “the future is very bad” ; these are the messengers of doom and gloom and the best advice is to stay away from them Take charge of your own life and fill your mind with possibility thinking and hope and place your trust in Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) did not send us to this world to fail . He (SWT) did not send us to this world so that we must lose all hope and fall into despair . On the contrary , Allah (SWT) has made us the best of Creation and He has given us faculties and powers at our disposal and He has given us Guidance through the Quran & the Sunnah which forever shows us the Straight Path . This is the Religion of Hope . It therefore follows , that the followers of this religion must also be visionaries of hope and patiently persevere in all their activities according to the Wisdom of the Quran & Sunnah. It is only in this way , that we can arm ourselves against the fluctuating vicissitudes of life & get a deeper understanding of our mission here on Earth.
6. CONDITION OF THOSE WITHOUT HOPE

Some of the unbelievers cannot envision the future ; they do not believe in the Accountability in the Hereafter ; they have no hope that One Day they will be meeting with Allah (SWT) & give account of their life here on earth . These people are left without direction in their trespasses , for a while :

S10V11 : ..We leave those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering in distraction to and fro.

These people are lost and have no clear direction regarding their mission & purpose in life . Hence they will pursue activities that give temporary pleasures and material gains irrespective of who they harm or hurt in the process. They will commit sins and evil openly & knowingly because they are a people without morals and guidance . If they cannot get what they strive for they become despondent , full of despair and unhappiness. Yet there are some believers as well , who out of ignorance or wrong direction , pursue other creations of Allah (SWT) (soothsayers and hakims and fortune-tellers) to give them good news and hope . Yet , Allah (SWT) clearly says :

S71V13 : “What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah ?

Those people who are fooled by the illusion of this temporary world , and are deceived by the temptations and whisperings of Satan , are followers of false hope – they are the losers :

S10V 7-8 : Those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present, and those who heed not Our Signs ,- their abode is the Fire, because of the (evil) they earned.

Those who are pleased with the life of the present are only deceiving themselves by thinking that this world is all there is . Little do they realize that this world is only a small amount of time compared to the Hereafter . People who strive for the pleasures of this world and forget about their encounter with Allah (SWT) in the Next world , are living on false hope and disillusionment – they are in a state of denial :

S15V3 : Leave them alone, to enjoy ( the good things of this life) and to please themselves ; let (false) hope amuse them : soon will knowledge (undeceive them).

Hence , it is clear from the above verses , that the first primary requirement for leading a moral & righteous life is to have an unequivocal belief of the hope of meeting Allah (SWT) on the Day of Accountability , where all deeds and all our actions (those actions that we did and those that we failed to do) will be revealed . Without this hope being at the forefront of one’s psyche, one will lose sight of one’s mission & purpose as a Muslim.
AB Withheld62@yahoo. com "For to us will be their return; then it will be for us to call them to account." (Holy Quran 88:25-26)