Quran verses about hope

1. ۞قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿٥٣﴾

   Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves: do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for Allah forgives all sins. He is indeed the Forgiver, the Clement.”

   Addressed to those who have wronged themselves, this verse tells them not to despair of Allah's mercy, because He forgives all sins.

2. قَالُواْ بَشَّرۡنَٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡقَٰنِطِينَ ﴿٥٥﴾ قَالَ وَمَن يَقۡنَطُ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ ﴿٥٦﴾

   ⁵⁵They said, “We bring you good news in truth, so do not despair.” ⁵⁶He said, “And who despairs of his Lord’s mercy but the lost?”

   When angels bring the elderly Abraham news of a son, he wonders at it, and then says that only those who are lost despair of their Lord's mercy.

3. يَٰبَنِيَّ ٱذۡهَبُواْ فَتَحَسَّسُواْ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَاْيۡـَٔسُواْ مِن رَّوۡحِ ٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يَاْيۡـَٔسُ مِن رَّوۡحِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾

   “O my sons, go and inquire about Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of Allah’s comfort. None despairs of Allah’s comfort except the disbelieving people.”

   After losing Joseph and then Joseph's brother, Jacob sends his other sons to search for them and tells them not to despair of Allah's comfort.

4. وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦﴾

   And when My servants ask you about Me, I am near; I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. So let them answer Me, and have faith in Me, that they may be rightly guided.

   Placed in the middle of the verses on fasting, this verse says Allah is near and answers the one who calls on Him.

5. وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبٗا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٨٧﴾ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُـۨجِي ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ﴿٨٨﴾

   ⁸⁷And Jonah, when he stormed out in fury, thinking We had no power over him. But then he cried out in the darkness, “There is no god but You! Glory to You! I was one of the wrongdoers!” ⁸⁸So We answered him, and saved him from the affliction. Thus We save the faithful.

   Jonah calls out from the darkness, admitting his wrong and glorifying Allah, and Allah answers and rescues him, adding that this is how He saves the believers.

6. أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأۡتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۖ مَّسَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَأۡسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصۡرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبࣱ ﴿٢١٤﴾

   Or do you expect to enter Paradise before the example of those who came before you had reached you? Adversity and hardship had afflicted them, and they were so shaken up, that the Messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is Allah’s victory?” Indeed, Allah’s victory is near.

   Earlier believers were shaken so badly they asked when help would come, and the verse answers that Allah's help is near.

7. فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرٗا ﴿٦﴾

   ⁵With hardship comes ease. ⁶With hardship comes ease.

   Surah Ash-Sharh repeats twice that ease comes with hardship, a promise many people hold on to in difficult times.

8. وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعًاۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ﴿٥٦﴾

   And do not corrupt on earth after its reformation, and pray to Him with fear and hope. Allah’s mercy is close to the doers of good.

   Believers are told to call on Allah with both fear and hope, and that His mercy is close to those who do good.

9. مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ ﴿٣﴾ وَلَلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرࣱ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ﴿٤﴾ وَلَسَوۡفَ يُعۡطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرۡضَىٰٓ ﴿٥﴾

   ³Your Lord did not abandon you, nor did He forget. ⁴The Hereafter is better for you than the First. ⁵And your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied.

   Surah Ad-Duha reassures the Prophet ﷺ that his Lord has not left him and that what comes later will be better than what came before.

10. فَإِذَا بَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمۡسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٖ وَأَشۡهِدُواْ ذَوَيۡ عَدۡلٖ مِّنكُمۡ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلشَّهَٰدَةَ لِلَّهِۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجٗا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدۡرٗا ﴿٣﴾

    ²Once they have reached their term, either retain them honorably, or separate from them honorably. And call to witness two just people from among you, and give upright testimony for Allah. By that is exhorted whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever fears Allah—He will make a way out for him. ³And will provide for him from where he never expected. Whoever relies on Allah—He will suffice him. Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure to all things.

    Allah promises to make a way out for those mindful of Him and to provide from where they never expected.

11. وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ﴿٦٩﴾

    As for those who strive for Us—We will guide them in Our ways. Allah is with the doers of good.

    Those who strive for Allah's sake are promised that He will guide them in His ways.

12. وَلَا تَهِنُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ﴿١٣٩﴾ إِن يَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحࣱ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحࣱ مِّثۡلُهُۥۚ وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمۡ شُهَدَآءَۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿١٤٠﴾

    ¹³⁹And do not waver, nor feel remorse. You are the superior ones, if you are believers. ¹⁴⁰If a wound afflicts you, a similar wound has afflicted the others. Such days We alternate between the people, that Allah may know those who believe, and take martyrs from among you. Allah does not love the evildoers.

    After a painful loss in battle, the believers are told not to lose heart, and reminded that days of hardship and relief alternate among people.

The Quran's hope is not a mood that comes and goes. It rests on who Allah is: near, merciful and aware. On days when hope feels thin, it may help to remember that Jacob held on through years without news, and that Jonah's prayer was a single honest sentence said in the dark.