When divine mercy envelops a society...

When divine mercy envelops a society, that society gains the ability to endure; it steadily advances toward progress and perfection and triumphs over its enemies. When necessary, God even sends unseen assistance, as in the Battle of Badr , where angels came to the aid of the Muslims and supported them.

On the other hand, when divine wrath overtakes a society, its destruction becomes inevitable, even if it appears outwardly strong and possesses every form of worldly power, such as wealth, armies, knowledge, and population. The example of Pharaoh and his followers illustrates this truth: despite their apparent might, they were ultimately destroyed.

Reminding of divine Mercy Alongside His Punishment Imam Ali (AS) presented the concept of balancing fear and hope in a unique way, saying: “The true jurist, in the full sense of the word, is one who does not make people despair of divine mercy, does not make them lose hope in His grace, and does not make them feel secure from His punishment” . [3] To reach one’s goal, two forces are always needed: a motivating force and a restraining force.

The motivating force initiates movement and, the stronger it is, the faster the progress. The restraining force, however, maintains balance and prevents danger, especially on perilous paths. Human beings were created for perfection and nearness to God (qurb ila Allah). The necessary motivations for this purpose have been provided both within and outside of the human being through the teachings of the prophets and divine guides.

Yet the lower self (nafs) and satanic temptations constantly try to distract and mislead, pulling the person toward deviation or even destruction. The restraining force serves to protect against these dangers. All prophets were both bearers of good news (bashir) and warners (nadhir). Everyone who continues their path must also embody these two functions.

[4] This is the very concept of fear (khawf) and hope (raja), two wings by which one can soar toward the heavens of salvation and closeness to God. The traditions (hadiths) clearly state that neither of these two should outweigh the other. If fear dominates, a person falls into despair; and despair leads to sin, for one who has lost hope believes there is no benefit in avoiding sin or performing good deeds. Conversely, if hope exceeds its limit, the person becomes heedless toward sins.