Source : FaithinAllah.org / 11 Sep 2014

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Islam teaches us to worship Allah out of love for Him but with a healthy balance of fear and hope.

Allah said:

تَتَجَافَىٰجُنُوبُهُمْعَنِالْمَضَاجِعِيَدْعُونَرَبَّهُمْخَوْفًاوَطَمَعًاوَمِمَّارَزَقْنَاهُمْيُنفِقُونَ

They arise from their beds and they supplicate their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend from what We have provided them.

Surah As-Sajda 32:16

And Allah said:

إِنَّهُمْكَانُوايُسَارِعُونَفِيالْخَيْرَاتِوَيَدْعُونَنَارَغَبًاوَرَهَبًاۖوَكَانُوالَنَاخَاشِعِينَ

Verily, they would hasten to good deeds and supplicate to Us in hope and fear, and they were humbly submissive to Us.

Surah Al-Anbiya 21:90

Al-Bara ibn Azib reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

اللَّهُمَّإِنِّيأَسْلَمْتُوَجْهِيإِلَيْكَوَفَوَّضْتُأَمْرِيإِلَيْكَوَأَلْجَأْتُظَهْرِيإِلَيْكَرَغْبَةًوَرَهْبَةًإِلَيْكَ

O Allah, I submit my face to you and entrust my affair to you. I commit myself to you out of hope and fear of you.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2710, Grade: Sahih

Fear of Allah means to fear falling into sin and earning His punishment in the Hellfire.

Allah said:

وَاتَّقُوايَوْمًاتُرْجَعُونَفِيهِإِلَىاللَّهِۖثُمَّتُوَفَّىٰكُلُّنَفْسٍمَّاكَسَبَتْوَهُمْلَايُظْلَمُونَ

Fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly.

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:281

Fear of Allah makes us think twice before we commit a sin. It is the quality of mindfulness and awareness of Allah that resides inside the heart of a believer.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, pointed to his chest three times and he said:

التَّقْوَىهَاهُنَا

Godfearing piety is here.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2564, Grade: Sahih

Indeed, the description of punishment in the Hereafter found in the Quran and Sunnah should increase our resolve to be righteous. On the Day of Judgment, those who did not fear Allah will wish they had never been born.

Allah said:

إِنَّاأَنذَرْنَاكُمْعَذَابًاقَرِيبًايَوْمَيَنظُرُالْمَرْءُمَاقَدَّمَتْيَدَاهُوَيَقُولُالْكَافِرُيَالَيْتَنِيكُنتُتُرَابًا

Verily, We have warned you of a near punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say: Oh, I wish that I were dust!

Surah An-Naba 78:40

Fear of Allah is the source of all knowledge as it motivates us to seek the truth and act in accordance with it.

Allah said:

إِنَّمَايَخْشَىاللَّهَمِنْعِبَادِهِالْعُلَمَاءُۗإِنَّاللَّهَعَزِيزٌغَفُورٌ

Only those who fear Allah among His servants are those with knowledge. Verily, Allah is Almighty and Forgiving.

Surah Al-Fatir 35:28

Hope in Allah motivates us to perform good deeds and to abandon our base materialistic desires for the sake of righteousness.

Allah said:

الْمَالُوَالْبَنُونَزِينَةُالْحَيَاةِالدُّنْيَاۖوَالْبَاقِيَاتُالصَّالِحَاتُخَيْرٌعِندَرَبِّكَثَوَابًاوَخَيْرٌأَمَلًا

Wealth and children are only adornment of the worldly life, but enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for one’s hope.

Surah Al-Kahf 18:46