The status of fear of God
Praise be to God, the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, severe in punishment, quick to judge. There is no god but Him to whom is final destination. May God’s blessings and peace be upon the master of the humble, and the role model of the virtuous, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.
O believers…What keeps a servant from sin?
What wakes the heart if it sleeps?
What keeps the sinner from continuing in sin?
It is the fear of God…
Fear that melts hearts, terrifies souls, keeps eyes awake, and fills the heart with watch and reverence for the Lord of the Worlds.
God Almighty said:So do not fear people, but fear others(Al-Ma’idah: 44).
And God Almighty said:And they fear their Lord above them.﴾[An-Nahl: 50].
Servants of God…It is not a fear that causes panic and despair, but rather a fear mixed with hope, a fear that prevents the forbidden, encourages obedience, and leads to safety.
Aisha ~ said to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace:“O Messenger of God, those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful… Is he the one who commits adultery and steals?”
He said:“No, friend’s daughter! But he is the one who prays, fasts, and gives alms, and is afraid that it will not be accepted from him.”; (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi and authenticated by Al-Albani).
Look, may God have mercy on you…
He does not commit adultery or steal, but rather fasts, prays, and does good, and yet he is afraid. What kind of heart is this?!
My dears…the predecessors feared God and were the purest of hearts and the purest of people.
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, held his tongue and said: “This is the one who brought me resources!”
Omar bin Al-Khattab, the caliph who was given the good news of Paradise, used to say: “I wish my mother had not given birth to me!” “I wish I were hay!”
Omar bin Abdul Aziz used to say: “I mentioned the people’s departure from before God, a group in Paradise and a group in the Hellfire…” Then he fainted!
So where are we?! And what hearts do we carry?!
We laugh a lot, we disobey a lot, we believe in God’s deception… and we are not afraid!
Some of the predecessors said: “Fear never leaves a heart without ruining it, and no servant fears God except that God will secure him on the Day of Great Terror.”
Praiseworthy fear is the one that prevents you from doing what is forbidden, makes you cry out of fear of God in private, lower your gaze, lower your voice, guard your tongue, and be ashamed before your Lord as if you see Him!
Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Fear is the whip of God with which He straightens those who stray from His door.”
And God said about the scholars:Only those of His servants who fear Allah are scholars.﴾ [Fatir: 28].
True fear… is what brings you back to God, not what drives you to despair and despair.
A man entered Imam Sufyan al-Thawri and saw him crying. He said: “What is this crying, Abu Abdullah?”
He said: “Oh, I fear that I have been written in the collection of wretched people!”
People who have reached the peaks in obedience, and whose hearts tremble with fear of God…
And us?! There is no timely prayer, no guarded tongue, no humbled eye, and yet we laugh and play as if we were guaranteed Paradise!
Fear God and hope in Him for every great thing  And do not obey the soul lest it regret it And be between these two of fear and hope And give good tidings of God’s forgiveness if you are a Muslim |
Oh God, make us among the humblest of Your servants, and among those who fear Your punishment, and those who turn to Your mercy. Oh God, grant us fear of You in secret and in public, and in anger and contentment, and fill our hearts with fear and shyness from You, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.
May God bless and grant peace and blessings to your Prophet Muhammad, and to all his family and companions.
Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.