Is Seeking Paradise and Fearing Hell in Worship Permissible?
Source: Qur’an o Hadees Ki Roshni Mein Ahkam o Masail – Volume 01
Some people insist that worship should be done solely for the pleasure of Allah, claiming that desiring Paradise or fearing Hell in worship is blameworthy. Some even consider it undesirable or a vile act. However, it is well-known that there are ahadith containing supplications for Paradise and seeking refuge from Hell. The question is: Are there similar verses in the Qur’an? Please explain clearly in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah.
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Those who hold the view that worship should contain neither hope (for Paradise) nor fear (of Hell), but only the pursuit of Allah’s pleasure, are in fact adopting a self-invented notion, resulting from ignorance of the evidences of Qur’an and Sunnah.
The Qur’an and Sunnah clearly show that:
✿ Worship with the desire for Paradise and the blessings of the Hereafter is encouraged.
✿ Worship motivated by the fear of Hell’s punishment is also praiseworthy.
① Surah al-Sajdah (32:16)
﴿تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ﴾
Their sides forsake their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend from what We have provided them.
② Surah al-A‘raf (7:56)
﴿وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
And call upon Him in fear and hope; indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.
③ Surah al-Zumar (39:9)
﴿يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ﴾
He fears the Hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord.
④ Surah al-Furqan (25:64–65)
﴿وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا﴾
And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering.”
① Musnad Ahmad (1/416)
The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah is pleased with two men:
② Sahih Muslim (1901)
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions:
«قُومُوا إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ»
Rise towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.
✿ Worship with the desire for Paradise and the fear of Hell is both praiseworthy and legislated.
✿ Allah has described the believers’ worship as being filled with both fear and hope.
✿ The Prophet ﷺ motivated the Companions by inspiring longing for Paradise.
✿ Alongside seeking Allah’s pleasure, striving for success in the Hereafter is also sanctioned in Shariah.
Wallāhu A‘lam
Source: Qur’an o Hadees Ki Roshni Mein Ahkam o Masail – Volume 01
Question:
Some people insist that worship should be done solely for the pleasure of Allah, claiming that desiring Paradise or fearing Hell in worship is blameworthy. Some even consider it undesirable or a vile act. However, it is well-known that there are ahadith containing supplications for Paradise and seeking refuge from Hell. The question is: Are there similar verses in the Qur’an? Please explain clearly in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah.
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Those who hold the view that worship should contain neither hope (for Paradise) nor fear (of Hell), but only the pursuit of Allah’s pleasure, are in fact adopting a self-invented notion, resulting from ignorance of the evidences of Qur’an and Sunnah.
The Qur’an and Sunnah clearly show that:
✿ Worship with the desire for Paradise and the blessings of the Hereafter is encouraged.
✿ Worship motivated by the fear of Hell’s punishment is also praiseworthy.
Evidences from the Qur’an
① Surah al-Sajdah (32:16)
﴿تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ﴾
Their sides forsake their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend from what We have provided them.
② Surah al-A‘raf (7:56)
﴿وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
And call upon Him in fear and hope; indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.
③ Surah al-Zumar (39:9)
﴿يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ﴾
He fears the Hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord.
④ Surah al-Furqan (25:64–65)
﴿وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا﴾
And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering.”
Evidences from the Hadith
① Musnad Ahmad (1/416)
The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah is pleased with two men:
- One who leaves his family and comfortable bed to pray, out of desire for what is with Allah and fear of what is with Him.
- One who, in the battlefield, returns after others have fled, giving his life out of desire for what is with Allah and fear of what is with Him.
② Sahih Muslim (1901)
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions:
«قُومُوا إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ»
Rise towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.
Conclusion
✿ Worship with the desire for Paradise and the fear of Hell is both praiseworthy and legislated.
✿ Allah has described the believers’ worship as being filled with both fear and hope.
✿ The Prophet ﷺ motivated the Companions by inspiring longing for Paradise.
✿ Alongside seeking Allah’s pleasure, striving for success in the Hereafter is also sanctioned in Shariah.
Wallāhu A‘lam
