by Harun Yahya taken from his book "Fear Of Allah"
WHY DO BELIEVERS FEAR ALLAH?
To understand why believers fear Allah, it is very important to understand that fear of Allah is a feeling which incites a believer’s faith, eagerness, love and respect for Allah. This fear guards a person against adopting attitudes which Allah does not approve, curbs the overflowing desires of the self and reigns in boundless evils. When experienced from a positive perspective, this fear gives constant rise to good actions and attitudes.
This fear distances the believer from Allah’s punishment, and draws him towards Allah’s pleasure and mercy, which results in great spiritual satisfaction. It inspires in a believer the need to respect Allah’s boundaries, gives him an uncompromising determination in seeking Allah’s approval and a constant vigilance. Subsequently, the fear of a believer in this world will save him from the fear of the Last Day and the eternal fear and terror of Hell. A Qur’anic verse declares:
Those who give away their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara: 274)
Believers who fear Allah’s warnings and punishment and who adhere with absolute vigilance to His order and judgment will possess a superior morality, which Allah approves of: modesty, tolerance, thoughtfulness, devotion, a pure intellect and a deep awareness of the surpassing excellence of Allah’s creation. Such people will display exemplary conduct and possess a high awareness and great sensibility. In essence, fear of Allah spiritually enriches the believer. It increases their inner sight, and engenders a noble spiritual state enhanced by subtle intimations of divine wisdom; it is the key to eternal reward and happiness.
About this issue, Prophet Muhammad (saws) said:
“When the heart of a believer is filled with these two feelings of hope and fear, Almighty Allah fulfils his hope and saves him from what he fears.” (Ibn Majah)
They fear losing Allah’s approval and love
The true believer who possesses an intimate and profound love of Allah knows very well that the most important nourishment for this love is again an intimate, profound fear which is full of respect. True believers, who have tasted the indescribable spiritual pleasures of loving Allah, are very afraid of committing any offence or error that might endanger that love or, worse still, arouse the displeasure or enmity of their Most Beloved, Allah.
Fear of Allah is inextricably linked to love of Allah. Love of Allah can only be achieved with nearness to Allah, which becomes a reality when one develops an intimate and sincere attachment to Him. However, nearness to Allah is not possible without His love and approval, and this is gained by protecting His boundaries and fulfilling His commands. This however, is not a position that can be arrived at without first establishing fear of Allah, because the soul of a person who does not fear Allah will constantly be drawn towards doing things which Allah does not approve of and being neglectful and indifferent towards those things which Allah desires of us. It is for this reason that the only way to gain Allah’s approval is through fear of Him.
This order of things is established by Allah. Hence, to imagine that one will earn His love and approval before one has acquired fear of Him is a sign of great self-deception. Before all else, Allah has ordered people to fear Him. To overlook this imperative and to say that one only needs to love Allah makes no sense. People who assert that they love Allah whilst they remain indifferent to what may be displeasing to Him are, in reality, deceiving themselves in their attempts to ease their own consciences. The love of Allah they refer to is a figment of their imagination and is superficial in nature. People who truly love Allah are extremely meticulous and decisive when it comes to the matter of adhering to His commands and prohibitions. Arguing that fear of Allah is unnecessary is in fact no different from saying, “there is no need for fasting, prayer and worship.” Such people resort to a variety of excuses not only on the matter of fearing Allah but also in order avoid fulfilling many of Allah’s other commands.
