ALSO ON THE FEAR OF ALLÂH I

Abû al-Layth rahmatullâhi 'alayh said: “Allâh has angels in the seven heavens who are in prostration since the very time Allâh created them [and they will continue to be in prostration] till the day of resurrection. Violent fear seizes them from merely thinking about acting against the orders of Allâh . On the day of resurrection they will raise their heads and say: “Glory be to You! We did not worship You as we ought to have worshipped You.” This is a manifestation of Allâh’s words:

“They fear their Sustainer from above them and they carry out whatever they are ordered.” (Sûrah an-Nahl, 16: 50)

In other words, they do not disobey Allâh even for the blink of an eye. The Messenger of Allâh said: “When the body of a person trembles out of the fear of Allâh , sins fall off him just as leaves fall off a tree.”

It is related that a person’s heart became attached to a woman. This woman came out for some work of hers. This man went with her. When he was in solitude with her in the jungle and the people were all asleep, the man expressed his secret [of loving her] to her. So the woman said to him: “Go and see if all the people have fallen asleep.” The man was overjoyed by her words and thought that she had accepted him. He therefore went and checked around the entire residential area. He saw that all the people were asleep. He returned to her and informed her that all the people were in fact sleeping. She said to him: “What do you have to say about Allâh . Is He sleeping at this hour?” The man replied: “Allâh does not sleep. Neither does slumber nor sleep overtake Him.” So the woman said: “Surely He who never slept and never sleeps is watching us even if people do not see us. He is therefore more deserving of being feared.” The man then left her out of fear of the Creator. He repented and returned to his land. When he passed away, someone saw him in a dream and asked him: “What did Allâh do to you?” He replied: “Allâh forgave me because of my fear [of Him] and because of my leaving that sin.”

There was a pious man in the Banî Isrâ’îl who had many children. He was afflicted by poverty and was reduced to compulsion. He therefore sent his wife in search of something for her children. She went to the house of a businessman and asked him for something which she could feed her children. The man replied: “Yes, [I will give you something], but will you agree to have intercourse with me?” The woman remained silent and returned to her house. She saw her children screaming out and saying: “O our mother! We are going to die out of hunger. Give us something to eat.” So she went back to the businessman and informed him about her children. He said to her: “Will my wish be fulfilled?” She replied: “Yes.” When he went in privacy with her, she began trembling with such force that her limbs were on the verge of coming out of their joints. So he asked her: “What is wrong with you?” She replied: “I fear Allâh.” The man said: “You are fearing Allâh despite the poverty which you are experiencing. I have a greater duty to fear Allâh than you.” And so he abstained from her and gave her whatever she needed. She returned with lots of goods to her children. On seeing all this, they were overjoyed. Allâh then inspired Mûsâ saying: “Go to such and such person and inform him that I have forgiven him his sins.” Mûsâ went to him and said: “You probably did some good which is only known to you and Allâh.” The man then related his story to Mûsâ . The latter said to him: “Surely Allâh has forgiven you all your sins.”

It is reported from the Prophet that he said: Allâh says: “I do not combine two forms of fear and two forms of peace for My servant. The one who fears Me in this world, I give him peace in the hereafter. The one who does not fear Me in this world, I cause him to fear on the day of resurrection.”

Allâh says:

“Do not fear people, but fear Me.” (Sûrah al-Mâ’idah, 5: 44)

He says in another verse:

“Do not fear them but fear Me if you are truly believers.” (Sûrah Âl ‘Imrân, 3: 175)

‘Umar used to fall down unconscious out of fear when he would hear a verse from the Qur’ân. One day he took a straw of grass and said: “If only I was a straw of grass and I was not worthy of any mention. If only my mother did not give birth to me. He would cry profusely to the extent that his tears would flow from his eyes. There were two streaks of black lines on his face due to excessive crying.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The person who cries out of the fear of Allâh will not enter the fire until milk goes back into the teat.” [It is impossible for milk to go back into the teat.]

It is related in Raqâ’iq al-Akhbâr that a person will be brought on the day of resurrection and his evil deeds will be more [than his good deeds]. He will be ordered to be taken to the fire. One of his eye lashes will speak and say: “O my Sustainer! Your Messenger, Muhammad , said: ‘Whoever cries out of the fear of Allâh, Allâh will make that eye unlawful to the fire.’ And I cried out of Your fear. Allâh will forgive him and save him from the fire by the blessing of a single eye lash which used to cry out of the fear of Allâh in this world. Jibra’îl will announce: “Such and such person gained salvation through a strand of hair.”

It is related in Bidâyah al-Hidâyah that on the day of resurrection, Hell will be brought while it will be sighing deeply. Every single nation will then bow down on its knees out of awe of Hell. Allâh says: “You will see every nation sitting on its knees.” [16] In other words, every nation will be on its knees, summoned to give an account [of its deeds]. When they are brought before the fire, they will hear its fury and moaning. Its moaning will be heard from a journey of 500 years. Every single person, even the Prophets, will say: “O what is going to happen to me, what is going to happen to me!?” Only the choice of Prophets [Muhammad ] will say: “O what is going to happen to my ummah, what is going to happen to my ummah?” A fire will then come out from Hell which will be as huge as mountains. The followers of Muhammad will try to repulse it and they will say: “By the right of those who used to offer salâh, those who used to give in charity, those who used to fear, and those who used to keep fast, we order you to go back.” But it will not go back. Jibra’îl will call out: “The fire is going after the followers of Muhammad.” He will then bring a bucket of water and give it to the Messenger of Allâh and say: “O Messenger of Allâh! Take this and pour it onto the fire.” He will pour it and the fire will immediately subside. The Messenger of Allâh will then ask: “What water is this?” Jibra’îl will reply: “This water is the tears of the sinners from your ummah who cried out of the fear of Allâh . I have just been commanded to give it to you to pour it onto the fire so that it may subside by the permission of Allâh .” The Messenger of Allâh used to make the following supplication: “O Allâh! Bless me with eyes that cry out of Your fear before a time when there are no tears.”

A poet says:

“O my eyes! Why do you not cry over my sins. My life has slipped through my hands without even realizing it.”

It is related with regard to Muhammad ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullâh that when he used to cry, he would wipe his face and beard with his tears, and say: “I have heard that the fire will not devour a place which tears have touched.” It is therefore the duty of a believer to fear the punishment of Allâh and to stop his soul from base desires. Allâh says:

“As for he who transgressed and preferred the life of this world, Hell alone is his abode. As for he who feared standing before his Sustainer and stopped his soul from desires, then Paradise alone is his abode.”(Sûrah an-Nâzi‘ât, 79: 37-41)

The one who desires to be saved from the punishment of Allâh and to acquire His reward and mercy should bear patiently the hardships of this world, he should patiently obey Allâh and abstain from sins.

It is related in Zahr ar-Riyâd that the Prophet said: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, the angels meet them with every type of good and bounty. Minarets are placed before them and carpets are laid out. Various types of food and fruits are brought for them. Together with these bounties will be the damsels of Paradise. Allâh will say: “O My servants! What are these damsels when this is not the place for them?” They will all reply: “We were made a promise, and its time has come.” Allâh will then say to the angels: “Raise the veils from the faces.” The angels will ask: “O our Sustainer! How can they see You when they were sinners?!” Allâh will reply: “Raise the veils for they were certainly those who engaged in [My] remembrance, who prostrated [before Me], who cried in the world out of desire to meet Me.” The veils will be raised, they will look and immediately fall into prostration before Allâh . Allâh will say to them: “Raise your heads for this is not the place for doing deeds. This is the place of conferring honour.” Allâh will then appear before them and say to them with delight: “Peace be on you O My servants! I am pleased with you. Are you pleased with Me?” They will reply: “Why should we not be pleased with You when You have given us that which no eye has ever seen, that which no ear has ever heard of, and that which no heart has even thought about?” This is what is meant by the words of Allâh : “Allâh is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.” [17] And the words: “Peace! A greeting from a Merciful Sustainer.” [18]