Question: How should the balance between targhib (encouragement and giving glad tidings) and tarhib (warning and cautioning) be maintained when communicating the message of religion?
Answer: When we consider the Qur’an’s overall mode of expression, we clearly see that targhib and tarhib are used together. Expressions that inspire hope and direct people toward God’s mercy appear alongside warnings that keep their sense of responsibility alive. In the Sufi tradition, this Qur’anic principle is described as the “balance between khawf and raja’”—fear and hope. Accordingly, as a servant who recognizes their own powerlessness and dependence on God, a person feels profound reverence and awe before Him while remaining hopeful and trusting in His infinite mercy. Indeed, in the Qur’an, a verse containing a warning is often followed by a passage that inspires hope. This balance is clearly evident in the longer surahs, while in the shorter surahs it is present more implicitly within their characteristically concise mode of expression.
As the Qur’an draws attention to in various surahs, a delicate balance is evident in the Divine laws governing the universe. Through this balance, the universe continues its existence in a stable and orderly manner. The balance observed in the Divine laws governing creation is also reflected in the Divine commands governing religious and moral life. The human being, as the recipient of the Divine address within these two magnificent manifestations of balance, is likewise called to maintain a balance of fear and hope in their intellectual and spiritual life. In this way, a person is called to fulfill their duties as a servant of God in the fullest sense.
In light of the guidance provided by their religious sources, Muslims should maintain this balance when conveying the message of religion. If warning and fear are overemphasized, they may lead to panic and despair; if encouragement and glad tidings are overemphasized, they may lead to complacency and a lack of seriousness. Excessive fear can overwhelm a person and disturb their mental equilibrium, while excessive joy, confidence, and ease can lead to an attitude of undue complacency and irreverence. Yet the essential aim of religion is to protect people from all forms of excess and guide them toward a balanced life, harmony between heart and mind, and an awareness of their servanthood to God. A person who achieves this balance remains vigilant and mindful of their responsibilities before God Almighty while, at the same time, keeping their sense of hope alive.
The fundamental principle in conveying the message of religion and offering spiritual guidance is to maintain an overall balance between targhib and tarhib. At the same time, depending on the condition of the person being addressed, it may be necessary to give greater emphasis to one or the other. Age, level of knowledge and understanding, psychological state, and particular circumstances are among the factors that should determine the approach. With children, for example, targhib—encouraging them by making what is good attractive and desirable—should receive greater emphasis, and the language used should be predominantly one of raja’, or hope. They should be told about God’s mercy and blessings and the beauties of Paradise, with the emphasis placed on nurturing love and awakening in them a desire for what is good. If a member of a child’s family or a close friend passes away, the child should be comforted by being told that, God willing, they will be reunited with that person in Paradise.
On the other hand, an education entirely devoid of khawf, or a proper sense of fear, would not be appropriate either. In an indirect and age-appropriate way, children should be told about God’s majesty and greatness and helped to develop a sense that He is an exalted and sublime Being, worthy of profound reverence and respect. They should also be taught how inappropriate it is to show disrespect toward such a Being. The sense of reverence cultivated in a child in this way will also provide a foundation for a deeper understanding of the truths about God that will be introduced later. In all circumstances, however, when speaking with children, their horizons and capacity for understanding should be taken into account. Religious truths should be presented in ways they can understand, absorb, and accept without undue difficulty.
For young people, particularly at a stage of life when personal desires and impulses are especially strong, the language of tarhib may need to be more prominent. At this stage, the hopeful and encouraging teachings of childhood should be complemented by the truth that wrongdoing may also be met with punishment as a requirement of Divine justice. Constantly speaking of forgiveness and mercy or focusing primarily on the blessings of the Hereafter may lead young people, who are at a stage of discovering their own identity and becoming more fully engaged with life, to grow lax in their religious practice and may weaken their resistance to sin. By contrast, a more cautionary style informed by tarhib can serve as a kind of “brake,” helping young people maintain their balance and refrain from wrongdoing.
As people grow older and draw closer to the grave, they naturally begin to look for something to hold on to. For those who have reached this stage of life, the feeling of raja’ should once again be brought to the fore. They should be encouraged in worship and obedience and, as Imam al-Ghazali emphasizes, their hopes should be revived and strengthened by reminding them of God Almighty’s mercy and forgiveness.[1]
A person’s level of religious knowledge is another factor that should be taken into account when communicating the message of religion. A harsh or intimidating approach toward those who keep their distance from religion or are only beginning to become acquainted with it may prove counterproductive. Frightening someone whose heart has not yet warmed to religion may drive them away from it altogether. If someone who seldom comes to the mosque is immediately confronted with talk of God’s punishment—for example, “God will seize sinners and cast them into Hell”—such words may frighten them and drive them away from the mosque. Indeed, many people have become alienated from the mosque, worship, and even religion because of preachers who have used a harsh and threatening tone in their sermons. No one has the right to drive away from God those who have come to His house seeking refuge in His mercy by suddenly confronting them with talk centered on punishment, torment, and Hell. In a sense, this can amount to placing oneself between God and His servant and presuming to pass judgment in God’s name—a very dangerous position for the person speaking. Moreover, as believers, our approach toward others should, in keeping with the guidance of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), emphasize making things easy and giving glad tidings.[2]
When dealing with people who are not yet sufficiently familiar with the teachings, practices, and proper conduct of Islam, we should initially use a language centered on mercy and hope, deepening their love of worship and obedience and strengthening their enthusiasm for them. As Bediuzzaman Said Nursi puts it, we should show them the light, not the club.[3] This is possible only if our own hearts and inner worlds are filled with light. Religion cannot be truly represented by those who hypocritically show the light while concealing the club. We should also remember that, in representing religion, our attitudes and conduct are just as important as our language and manner of expression. When speaking, we should pay attention even to our tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. Islam’s forbearance and the boundless nature of God’s mercy and forgiveness should also be reflected in our attitudes and conduct. While our words convey God Almighty’s mercy, our warm and sincere manner should reinforce that message. We should also give generous recognition to even the smallest good deed and show that every act performed for the sake of God has value, thereby encouraging those we address to take further steps in their devotion and service to Him. For what matters is not frightening people, but inspiring them toward what is good.
A person’s psychological state and overall circumstances may also help determine the most appropriate way to address them. When speaking with someone overwhelmed by despair, for example, we should place greater emphasis on themes of raja’, or hope. When speaking with someone who is overly lax in their religious practice or living in a way that leaves them particularly vulnerable to sin, however, hope may need to be given somewhat less emphasis while a more cautionary approach is adopted. The same flexibility of approach can also be seen in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Depending on the circumstances of the person he was addressing, he sometimes spoke in a more cautionary manner and at other times offered greater reassurance and glad tidings, giving fear and hope their proper place. He reassured those who were fearful and cautioned those who had become overly complacent. He also responded differently to different people who asked the same question, taking their individual circumstances into account. However, such flexibility does not apply when it comes to clear and binding religious rulings that apply to everyone. The Prophet likewise conveyed such rulings to everyone in the same way.
In conclusion, targhib and tarhib are two indispensable elements in conveying the message of religion, and the essential principle is to maintain a proper balance between them. However, how this balance is applied may vary according to the age, level of understanding, and circumstances of the person being addressed. At times, fear may be given greater emphasis and, at other times, hope; but neither should ever be entirely neglected. Wisdom lies in striking the right balance and addressing each person according to their particular needs.
[1] Al-Ghazali, Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, 4/166.
[2] Al-Bukhari, ‘Ilm, 11; Adab, 80; Muslim, Jihad, 8.
[3] See Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, Tarihçe-i Hayat, p. 452 (Emirdağ Hayatı).