“When these two feelings (hope and fear) unite in a servant’s heart, Allah gives him what he hopes for and protects him from what he fears.” (Hadith Sharif)

Ihya’ Ulum al-Din, the greatest work of Imam al-Ghazali, has always been the first reference source that comes to mind for Muslims in every period, and this work has been held in high regard. We are now presenting this major, guiding work, which has been constantly consulted by Muslims and held in a place of honor in their libraries for centuries, in a brand-new format. Each of the topics contained in the work has been translated using a fluent and clear language, without ever compromising the original narrative, and transformed into a book in its own right. Ihya’ Ulum al-Din consists of four main sections, each containing ten topics. The third topic of the fourth section, Munjiyat (The Means of Salvation), is about “hope and fear.” Imam al-Ghazali says: “Hope and fear are two wings with which the servants who have attained nearness to Allah fly to the praiseworthy stations. They are two vehicles with which all the difficult slopes on the path to the hereafter are overcome. A person devoid of hope cannot attain the nearness of the All-Merciful, nor the blessings of the gardens which are far away, heavy to bear, and surrounded by things that hearts dislike and that burden the limbs. Nothing but the whip of fear of the hellfire and the painful torment, which is surrounded by all kinds of desires and alluring pleasures, and the fear of severe rebukes, can keep a person away from it. Therefore, it is necessary to explain the truth and virtue of hope and fear, and the way to reconcile them despite their opposing and conflicting nature. We will discuss hope and fear under one topic, in two headings