Fear

[abo mussaab]

“Fear rips away desires and muddens luxuries so that cherished sins become reprehensible, just as a honey lover is repelled by it when he learns that it has poison in it. This is how fear burns desires, disciplines the organs, subordinates the heart and gives it tranquility.
It also enables the heart to rid itself of pride, hatred, and envy; and it leaves it absorbed in it (fear). Hence, the heart becomes preoccupied with its own worries and looks towards its best interest in the long run. It is then engaged in only matters like meditation, self-analysis and struggle. It cherishes its time and moments.”

— Imaam al-Ghazzaalee [Ihyaa Uloom al-Deen (4/160)]

[Physicist]

But there are different kinds of fear. Fear of other people, being stronger than fear of Allah, turns people to hypocrits.
While correcting mistaken persons, one has to be gentle enough, to induct sincere desire of True instead of hypocritic desire to conform.

[Abz2000]

Here is a narration which i read in a children's book when i was younger but i haven't been able to verify it, if anyone can provide a source it would be great - am posting as found when i googled for it,
It describes the nature of inner endeavour to obey Allah working with social endeavour to obey Allah - where both assist each other in weakness in order to repair a society and keep it in line with the coands of the Creator and Ruler of the heavens and the earth.

Telling the truth*is a very good habit. If you always speak the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of trouble!
Here is a story of a man who did a lot of bad things, but his promise to tell the truth saved him.

Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and said, "O Messenger of Allah (SWT), I have many bad habits. Which one of them should I give up first?"
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Give up telling lies first and always speak the truth."
The man promised to do so and went home.
At night the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he thought for a moment about the promise he made with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). "If tomorrow Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asks me where have I been, what shall I say? Shall I say that I went out stealing? No, I cannot say that. But nor can I lie. If I tell the truth, everyone will start hating me and call me a thief. I would be punished for stealing."
So the man decided not to steal that night, and gave up this bad habit of stealing.
Next day, he felt like drinking alcohol, when he was about to do so, he said to himself, "What shall I say to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) if he asks me what did I do during the day? I cannot tell a lie, and if I speak the truth people will hate me, because a Muslim is not allowed to drink alcohol." And so he gave up the idea of drinking alcohol.
In this way, whenever the man thought of doing something bad, he remembered his promise to tell the truth at all times. One by one, he gave up all his bad habits and became a good Muslim and a very good person.

If you always speak the truth, you can be a good person, a good Muslim whom Allah (SWT) likes and favors. If Allah (SWT) - our Creator - is pleased with us, He will reward us with Heaven, which is a place of happiness and joy.
Moral of the Story: Make a promise; I shall always speak the truth and never break it.

http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/prophet.muhammad2.asp

We clearly see the necessity of the inner deeds and outer deeds being for the sake of Allah, if a person is badly corrupted by desire to sin and is finding it difficult to comply with the rules of Allah, the endeavour of the society will help them conform until it becomes normal for them to walk aright. If a person is inwardly good or attempting to be good and avoid sin, a corrupt society immersed in sin will either frustrate or repulse the person regularly (fa bi qalbihi wa dhaalika adh'aful eemaan) or the person or their children will slowly assimilate due to the human nature to choose the apparent path of least resistance.

One must appreciate the fact that the first revelations of the Quran focused on jannah and jahannam, it was after the state was established by believers who feared Allah inwardly that the laws began to come down with high frequency and were applicable to everybody, an exception was the people of the book who were allowed to continue until the truth became clear to them, but then, most of their laws were similar and a clash was less likely - check out the leniency (with discretion) and also check out the hudood.


Here is a description of corrupt, sinning rejecters of the truth on rhe inside, who live amongst corrupt, sinning rejecters:

19.*On the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered together to the Fire, they will be marched in ranks.
20.*At length, when they reach the (Fire), their hearing, their sight, and their skins will bear witness against them, as to (all) their deeds.
21.*They will say to their skins: "Why bear ye witness against us?" They will say: "(Allah) hath given us speech,- (He) Who giveth speech to everything: He created you for the first time, and unto Him were ye to return.
22.*"Ye did not seek to hide yourselves, lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins should bear witness against you! But ye did think that Allah knew not many of the things that ye used to do!
23.*"But this thought of yours which ye did entertain concerning your Lord, hath brought you to destruction, and (now) have ye become of those utterly lost!"
24.*If, then, they have patience, the Fire will be a home for them! and if they beg to be received into favour, into favour will they not (then) be received.
25.*And We have destined for them intimate companions (of like nature), who made alluring to them what was before them and behind them; and the sentence among the previous generations of Jinns and men, who have passed away, is proved against them; for they are utterly lost.
Quran 41:19-25

[ardianto]

But there are different kinds of fear. Fear of other people, being stronger than fear of Allah, turns people to hypocrits.
While correcting mistaken persons, one has to be gentle enough, to induct sincere desire of True instead of hypocritic desire to conform.

Imam Al-Ghazali was talking about fear (khauf) in relationship between human and Allah. Fear of being far from Him. Fear of losing His blessing. This fear must also combined with hope (roja), hope to always close with Allah, hope to always get His blessing. This is what make someone can eliminate the wrong desire in his heart and always close with Allah. It's about purification of the heart.

Fear of Allah, indeed, can be exploited to create fear of other people. Maybe you have found example which some Muslims easily threaten the others through "Fear Allah! .... Fear Allah!" just because difference in opinion. But if someone has closeness with Allah in his heart, then he will not be affected by this threat because he can distinguish which the fear of Allah, which the fear of another human.