Reca-hopeful expectation- is the pleasure comes from to wait and hope something that will happen in the future. The thing that is expected depends on some causes. If those causes are performed then it is true to say hopeful expectation to this waiting. But without performing those causes expecting of to happen something turns to be pride, deception and foolishness but not hopeful expectation. If it is not known that those causes exist or not then this awaiting is a wish.
That means reca is expectation of the desired result of a born servant after he performed the things that are under his will. After that, the result is dependent on Favor and Will of Allah. If a born servant sows the seed of faith, waters it with worship and clear the thorns of bad morals and then awaits forgiveness of Allah this is a hopeful expectation. But if he doesn't support his faith with worship, left his heart unclean with bad morals and if he is absorbed in worldly pleasures and awaits forgiveness of Allah then this is foolishness and pride. As it is declared in the Noble Quran:
“After them succeeded an (evil) generation: they inherited the Book but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world saying (for excuse): "(everything) will be forgiven us." (Even so) if similar vanities came their way they would (again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? And they study what is in the Book. But best for the righteous is the home in the hereafter: will ye not understand?” (1)
Because of this, sagacious people are agreed on that expectation without pious deeds is not correct. Ebû lî er-Ruzbâri said: “For a born servant fear and hope are like the two wings of a bird. If both of them are equal bird can stand still and fly. If one of them is absent flying of the bird weakens. If both of them are destroyed the bird comes to the boundary of death. (2)
Sulemi says: “Fear and hope are two halters which straightens nafs of a born servant for all deeds and in all time. When one of them exceeds other he can not move and go forward. So in the state of fear he should hold hope and in the state of hope he should hold fear that his situation is balanced and deeds are proper. Because having weight of fear causes hopelessness and when hope is influential that may lead to looseness with too much confidence (3).
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(1) Chapter A'raf, 169.
(2) Medâricu's-Sâlikin
• The Treatise of Sulemi.
That means hope is necessary for everybody starting from a salik-follower of the road of piety - to sagacious people. Who deviates from hope -reca- for one moment he comes closer to perish. Because a born servant either expects the mercy of Allah or to correct one of his faults, or acceptance of his deeds, or occurring and continuation of his moderation or to attain a degree before Allah. There is no follower who does not expect them or a part of them. Then salik-follower- has hope every time.
Ebû Al'i ed-Dakkak: “Fear is not to give opportunity to one's carnal mind to find excuse like I will, I hope I will do if Allah wills etc.” (1)
Hâlem el-Asamm said: “There is an ornament for everything, the ornament of worship is -havf- fear from Allah
Vas ı ti said: “Fear and hope are two reins that prevent bad habits of nafs. But if Truth rules over the secrets in the heart, there will be no place for them
Abdullah bin Mubarek: In the hearts there is always control and fear agitates until the death” (2)
Yahya ibn Muaz said: “(My Lord) Almost I have more hope because of my sins than my pious deeds. Because I suppose that I rely on sincerity while performing my worships. As I my self subject to some calamities how can I protect my pious deeds from them . But while committing some small sins I see myself relying on Your Mercy. As one of your attributes is Generosity how is it possible that you will not forgive them?” (3)
“The characteristics of hope is turning towards piety according to one's power, the characteristics of fear is to abstain from all opposition. Only hopeful person understands the real fear and only the person who has fear understands the real hope.” (4)
Allah The Most High declared:
“Those whom they call upon do desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord even those who are nearest: they hope for His Mercy and fear His Wrath: for the Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of.” (5)
After mentioning many Prophets and also Hadrat Zekeriyya, they are praised as follows:
“So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife's (barrenness) for him. These three were ever quick in emulation in good works: they used to call on Us with love and reverence and humble themselves before Us.” (6)
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(1) The Treatise of Kushayri.
(2) Medâricu's-Sâlikin.
(3) Ihya.
(4) Derecâtu'l-Muâmelât
(5) Chapter Isrâ, 57.
(6) Chapter Enbiyâ, 90
If a born servant who makes effort for piety avoids rebellion, if he likes goodness but not sins he does not approve his nafs and if he is not arrogant then he may expect forgiveness for his sins. Because Allah The Most High declared:
“ Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of Allah they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah; and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.” (1)
“Those who rehearse the Book of Allah establish regular Prayer and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them secretly and openly hope for a Commerce that will never fail:” (2)
So only such people expects The Compassion of Allah. Yahya ibn Muaz: “ In my opinion the greatest deception is to expect Mercy while remaining absorbed in sins without giving up them with regret, to expect being near to Allah without worship, to sow the seeds of the Hell and to wait the sprout of the gardens of Paradise; to demand going into the house of obedience with rebellion, to expect reward without action, to wish goodness from Allah while doing excessive behaviors.”
Reca-hopeful expectation- is a state which is caused by knowledge and gives the result of doing the necessary acts for the realization of the expected things. A born servant does not cease hoping from The Compassion of Allah while he is trying to weaken the desires of nafs with his obedience.
“O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy except those who have no faith.” (3)
Havf-fear- is not the opposite of hope but its friend. It is a cause that leads to struggle by the way of fearing. While -reca-hope leads to struggle by the way of inclination -havf- also guides to struggle with nafs by the way of fearing. That means hope leads to perform long worships and continue worship and piety. Who has hope find pleasure in pious deeds in the way of Allah and in praying to Him. This is one of the characteristics of reca-hope-
Yahya ibn Muaz said: Who worships only with the feeling of fear-havf- is absorbed by worry. Who worships only with the feeling of hope - reca- is perished in the pride of salvation. A person who performs worship both fear and hope walks on the street of praising Allah properly.”
Havf and reca are two mutual essentials. A believer is balanced between them and he stands in moderation among hope, fear, going to excess and remaining behind.
Mekhûl ed-D ı ma ş kî said: Someone who worships to Allah only with fear is Haruri. Someone who worships to Allah only with reca is Mürcii. A person who worships only with Affection-without piety- is heretic. But someone who worships with fear, hope and with affection is Monotheist-Muslim-.”
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(1) Chapter Bakara, 218.
(2) Chapter Fât ı r, 29.
(3) Chapter Yusuf, 87.
Then it is necessary to unite all of them. But in the time before death being influential of havf -fear- is more suitable. But at the moment of death influence of hope and good opinion is more suitable. Because fear does the function of a whip which leads to pious deeds. There is no opportunity to perform worship for someone who is going to die. While he can not worship if his fear strengthens he cannot resist it and this speeds his death. But in this situation the ease of hope strengthens the heart and increase the Affection towards His Lord. Everybody should leave this world while loving Allah so that he likes to meet Him. Allah loves the person who loves to meet Him. Because a person is together with the one whom he loves. (1)
Hadrat Ali-May Allah be well pleased with him- said to a man who fell into hopelessness by being afraid of his much sins: “ O man, your hopelessness about The Compassion of Allah is a greater sin than the sins you have committed”
In a hadith it is declared: “When a born servant repents after a sin, Allah The Most High says to the angels that: “Look to that born servant of Mine. He committed a sin and knew that he has a Lord who forgives and gives punishment to the sinner and he repented witness that I forgave him.” (2)
In the hadiths below the abundance of the Compassion of Allah is stressed and hope is inculcated to people:
“If an infidel knew that how The Compassion of Allah is abundant, he wouldn't cease hope from Paradise.” (3)
“Before He created the creatures, Allah considered Compassion as necessary for Himself and wrote that: My Compassion will overcome my Wrath” (4)
“If you didn't commit sins, Allah would create a crowd to commit sins so that He would forgive them” (5)
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(1) Ihyâ.
(2) Ihyâ.
(3) Buhâri, Muslim.
(4) Buhâri, Muslim, Ibn Mâce.
• Muslim.