Ghurūr bi al-Maghfirah · Taking Mercy for Granted

The story

Ibrāhīm ibn Adham used to say: 'How blessed is the one between two fears: the fear of his past sins, and the fear of his future ones.' The believer walks between the two fears with hope; the deluded skips fear and assumes only hope.

Why it's named first

The opposite extreme of despair: the believer who hears 'Allah forgives all sins' and acts as if forgiveness is automatic. This disease forgets that forgiveness requires tawbah, and tawbah requires sincerity and reform. The Qur'an warns: 'do not be deluded about Allah' (Q 31:33).

In the Qur'an

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱخْشَوْا۟ يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ ۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ

“O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].”

31:33Listen Read 31:33 with tafsir

Svenska: MÄNNISKOR! Frukta er Herre och bäva inför den Dag då en fader inte kan lösköpa sin son och en son inte kan överlämna sig som lösen för sin fader! Guds löfte är sanning. Låt er då inte förledas av det jordiska livets [lockelser] och låt inte Djävulen föra er bakom ljuset vad gäller Guds [dom].

In the Sunnah

«الكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعدَ المَوْتِ، وَالعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاها وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ». 'The wise is the one who holds himself accountable and works for what is after death; the helpless is the one who follows his desires and merely WISHES from Allah.' (Tirmidhi 2459)

The cure

Pair every awareness of Allah's mercy with awareness of His justice. He is Ghafūr; He is also Shadīd al-ʿIqāb. Both Names are real. The believer holds both: the deepest hope and the most serious fear, simultaneously.

What is at stake

The deluded believer keeps sinning, expecting mercy without effort. The Day reveals that mercy requires turning, and assumed mercy is not granted mercy.