The Virtue of the Fear of Allah and Its Impact on the Rectification of the Hearts

 

The Virtue of the Fear of Allah and Its Impact on the Rectification of the Hearts

 

 

 

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the most honorable of messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions.

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, that He said: "By My Might and Majesty, I will not gather upon My slave two fears, nor will I gather upon him two securities. If he feels secure from Me in this world, I will terrify him on the Day of Resurrection; and if he fears Me in this world, I will grant him security on the Day of Resurrection." (Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman, and authenticated by Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar and Sheikh Al-Albani).

The Fear of Allah: A Condition of Faith and a Station of Great 

Magnificence

Allah, the Exalted, has commanded His servants to fear Him and has made it a prerequisite for true faith. He says: "That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers." (Surah Al-Imran, 3:175). He also praised the people of fear and awe in His Noble Book, commending them with His words: "Indeed, they who are from the fear of their Lord apprehensive" – until He said – "It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein." (Surah Al-Mu'minun, 23:57-61).

Furthermore, Allah has made clear what He has prepared for the fearful in the Hereafter, saying: "And for he who has feared the standing before his Lord are two gardens." (Surah Ar-Rahman, 55:46). This magnificent hadith illuminates the rank and immense significance of the fear of Allah, establishing it as one of the most elevated and beneficial stations for a servant. It is among the greatest causes of security on the Day of the Greatest Terror—a Day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except for he who comes to Allah with a sound heart.

Fear: The Whip that Drives the Soul towards Obedience

Fear is the divine whip that drives the soul towards obedience to Allah and the abode of the Hereafter. Without it, the soul becomes complacent, indulges in rest and false security, and abandons striving, relying solely on Allah’s pardon and mercy without exerting any effort to draw near to Him. Truly, the one who feels secure does not work, and none can strive in worship except those whom fear unsettles and disturbs. For this reason, the righteous predecessors (Salaf) said: "Fear is the whip of Allah by which He brings back those who have strayed from His door. A heart that is never touched by fear is nothing but ruined." Others said: "People remain on the path as long as fear does not leave them; once fear departs, they lose their way."

Praiseworthy fear is that which compels the servant towards obedience, drives him to repentance, keeps him firmly on the straight path, prevents him from persisting in sins and transgressions, and fills him with longing for the eternal bliss that awaits in the Gardens of Delight.

The Essential Balance between Love, Fear, and Hope

It is incumbent upon the believing servant to combine three great qualities: Love, Fear, and Hope. For the heart, in its journey to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is like a bird. Love is its head, while fear and hope are its two wings. When the head and wings are sound, the bird flies beautifully. But if the head is severed, the bird dies; and if the wings are lost, it becomes prey to every hunter and predator.

Limiting oneself to only one of these three qualities, to the exclusion of the others, is a deviation from the right path and a flaw in one's conduct. Worshipping Allah through fear alone breeds despair, hopelessness, and ill-thinking of Allah—and this is the path of the Khawarij. Worshipping Him through hope alone leads to delusion and feeling secure from Allah’s plan—and this is the path of the Murji'ah. Worshipping Him through love alone is a gateway to heresy and abandoning sacred obligations—and this is the path of the extremist Sufis, who claim: "We do not worship Allah out of desire for His Paradise nor out of fear of His Fire, but purely out of love for His Essence."

Thus, the Salaf proclaimed their famous dictum: "Whoever worships Allah through love alone is a heretic (Zindiq); whoever worships Him through fear alone is a Haruri (i.e., an extremist Khariji); whoever worships Him through hope alone is a Murji'; and whoever worships Him through love, fear, and hope is a believing monotheist (Mu'min Muwahhid)."

Emphasizing Fear in Times of Health and Hope at the Time of Departure

Nevertheless, the Salaf recommended that during periods of health and vitality, the aspect of fear should outweigh the aspect of hope. This is because the servant is still in the field of action and is in dire need of a driving force that propels him towards obedience, worship, and earnest striving in good deeds. However, during times of weakness, illness, and the approach of death, the servant should strengthen his hope. For his deeds are about to conclude, and he should meet his Lord while thinking well of Him. Indeed, the issue of hope and good expectations of Allah has been covered previously in the discussion of the hadith: "I am as My servant thinks of Me." (Agreed upon).

Fear: The Pathway to Success in this World and the Hereafter

The fear of Allah, the Exalted, is the pathway to success in this world and the Hereafter. It is what purifies the soul, cleanses the heart, and strengthens the will to perform righteous deeds and abandon all that is evil. Whoever fears Allah in this world, Allah will secure him on the Day of Resurrection from every terror and fright, and will place him among the secure and tranquil in the Gardens of Eternal Bliss.

We ask Allah to grant us fear of Him in a manner that pleases Him, to combine for us fear, hope, and love in perfect harmony, and to establish us firmly upon obedience until we meet Him while He is well-pleased with us. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the Answerer of prayers. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds.