‘Fear Your Lord’

Indeed the advice, which Allaah has given to His servants from the time of Aadaam (‘alayhis salaam) up until now, has been to have taqwaa (fear) of Him. Glorified and Exalted be He.

 The Mighty, the Majestic says:

 And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allâh, and keep your duty to Him, But if you disbelieve, then unto Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allâh is Ever Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise. (An-Nisa 4:131)

 It is also the advice of the Messenger of Allaah subhaana wa ta’alaa to his nation:

Abu Umamah Suddi Ibn ‘Ujlan al-Bahili (radiallaahu ‘anhu) reports: I heard the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa salaam giving a sermon in the farewell Hajj saying:

 “ Fear your Lord, pray your five prayers, fast the month of Ramadhaan, pay your zakaah and obey your leaders, in doing so, you will enter your Lord’s Paradise”

[reported by at-Tirmidhee]

Whenever the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa salaam sent a leader of a raiding party on a military expedition, he would advise him to have a deep rooted taqwaa of Allaah and he would also advise the rest of his military party likewise.

 The Pious Predecessors (Salaaf us-Saalih) did not stop giving mutual advice for having taqwaa of Allaah in their sermons, their corresponding letters and their testaments after the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa salaam passed away.

 ‘Umaar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu ‘anhu) wrote to his son ‘Abd Allaah ibn  ‘Umaar:

 “Verily I advise you to have taqwaa of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, for whoever fears Him, Allaah will protect him and whoever gives a loan to Him, Allaah will reward him and whoever thanks Him, Allaah will increase him”

 ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (radiallaahu ‘anhu) gave advice to a man and he said:

 “ I advise you to have taqwaa of Allaah the Mighty, the Majestic. There is no escape in meeting Him and there is no other to meet you except Him when you reach the Hereafter, for verily Allaah owns this world and the Hereafter”

 The meaning of taqwaa regarding Allaah’s servants is “That the servant puts between him and that which he fears (ie. gaining the anger and wrath of his Lord) a guard which will protect him.

 My noble brother, here are some sayings of our Pious Predecessors in explaining the meaning of taqwaa:

 ‘Abd Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said:

 “The ones who fear Allaah, they are the ones who are wary of Allaah and His Punishments”

The tabee’ Talq ibn Habib said:

“If an ordeal appears amongst you extinguish it with taqwaa”

When asked what taqwaa is, he replied:

“ Taqwaa is that you act in obedience to Allaah and hope in His Mercy, upon a light from Him; and taqwaa is leaving acts of disobedience to Allaah out of fear of Him, upon a light from Him”

‘Abd Allaah ibn Mas’ood (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said: “ Speaking about the statement of Allaah the Most High:

“ O you who believe have taqwaa (fear) of Allaah, as you should have of Him and do not die except as Muslims” [Soorah al-‘Imraan 3:102]

“ Allaah is meant to be obeyed and not disobeyed; remembered at all times and not forgotten; and to be thanked and we are not to be ungrateful to Him”

So strive, O noble brother, in fearing Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, for He, Glory be to Him is entitled to be feared, revered and Glorified in your heart

 

• “The Benefits of Fearing Allaah”| Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen