Which side should prevail after a servant repents from sins: fear or hope? And how can one differentiate between fear and despair of God's mercy?

A servant must combine fear and hope, and if one side outweighs the other, the other should not be disregarded. A penitent person should let the side of hope outweigh the side of fear, because he believes that Allah Almighty will forgive him, due to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "I am as My servant thinks of Me." This does not mean despairing of Allah's mercy; rather, it is a despondency that is unfitting for a Muslim. Whoever performs these acts while believing that Allah will not accept them has despaired of Allah's mercy, and this is one of the greatest major sins. As for expecting mercy and forgiveness while persisting in disobedience, this is ignorance and delusion, and it leads to the doctrine of the Murji’ah. Fear should not lead the servant to the point of despair; rather, one should fear punishment and hope for Allah's mercy.