Following the examples of Muhammad and the past prophets

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 160
Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 160

Following the examples of Muhammad and the past prophets

منها كيف يكون الرجاء : يَدَّعِي بِزُعْمِهِ أَنَّهُ يَرْجُو اللهَ، كَذَبَ وَالْعَظِيمِ! مَا بَالُهُ لاَ يَتَبَيَّنُ رَجَاؤُهُ فِي عَمَلَهِ؟ فَكُلُّ مَنْ رَجَا عُرِفَ رَجَاؤُهُ فِي عَمَلِهِ، وَكُلُّ رَجَاء ـ إلاَّ رَجَاءَ اللهِ ـ فَإِنَّهُ مَدْخُولٌ، وَكُلُّ خَوْف مُحَقَّقٌ، إِلاَّ خَوْفَ اللهِ فَإِنَّهُ مَعْلُولٌ.
[A part of the same sermon about hope and fear in Allāh :] He claims according to his own thinking that he hopes from Allāh. By Allāh, the Great, he speaks a lie. The position is that his hope (in Allāh) does not appear through his action although the hope of every one who hopes is known through his action. Every hope is so, except the hope in Allāh, the Sublime, if it is impure; and every fear is established except the fear for Allāh if it is unreal.