The Meaning of Fear in the Saying of Allah the Exalted: “So do not fear them, but fear Me,” and Its Categories
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The questioner:
Abu Abdullah from Tabuk, Abu Abdullah al-Balawi from Tabuk, says: Regarding the saying of the Mighty and Majestic,[Ali 'Imran 3:175], what is the intended meaning of fear in this noble verse? And does fear have categories?
The Shaykh:
The reason for the revelation of this verse is that after the Battle of Uhud and the calamity that befell the Muslims, when the polytheists turned back to Makkah, they consulted among themselves and said, “How did we leave their remnants and not exterminate them?” So they sent a message to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) informing him that they would come and that they would eliminate their remnants.
When this news reached the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he hastened and ordered those who had gone out with him to Uhud, among whom were the wounded and the weak after the battle, to go out. They hastened to go out, they hastened to go out, obeying the command of Allah and His Messenger despite their weakness and wounds. They descended in a place called Hamr al-Asad. When the polytheists learned that the Muslims had gone out and that they had strength and readiness to meet them, terror seized them, so they turned back to Makkah, and Allah protected the Muslims from their evil.
And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) revealed His saying: "That is only the Shaytan trying to frighten his allies." This report,[Al-Mujadila 58:10], is about frightening his allies, those who follow the Shaytan; he frightens them. As for those who follow the command of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he does not harm them and does not frighten them. The frightening of the polytheists is [based on] "That is only the Shaytan trying to frighten his allies." Some exegetes say that the original text is "That is only the Shaytan trying to frighten you with his allies," so the speech contains a concise expression. In any case, this is the reason for the revelation of the verse, and this is what happened in this situation: when the Muslims stood firm and obeyed the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and went out, and the enemy knew that there was strength among them, they feared them and continued returning to Makkah. And Allah saved the Muslims from their evil. [Ali 'Imran 3:172-174]. [Ali 'Imran 3:174-175] Yes.
The questioner:
And does fear have categories?
The Shaykh:
Fear is of two types: fear of worship, which is not permissible except for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, accompanied by humility and submission. And the second type of fear is natural fear: you fear the enemy, you fear the lion, you fear the cold, you fear harmful things and avoid them. This is natural fear and has nothing to do with worship. Yes.
The questioner:
And is there fear that is disobedience, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
Yes. Fear of other than Allah, if it is in the category of fear of worship, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah), it is not merely disobedience; it is shirk with Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Because fear is one of the types of worship. Fear of this type is one of the types of worship. Yes[Ali 'Imran 3:175] Yes.
The presenter:
Yes, may Allah preserve you.
Abu Abdullah from Tabuk, Abu Abdullah al-Balawi from Tabuk, says: Regarding the saying of the Mighty and Majestic,
That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَThe Shaykh:
The reason for the revelation of this verse is that after the Battle of Uhud and the calamity that befell the Muslims, when the polytheists turned back to Makkah, they consulted among themselves and said, “How did we leave their remnants and not exterminate them?” So they sent a message to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) informing him that they would come and that they would eliminate their remnants.
When this news reached the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he hastened and ordered those who had gone out with him to Uhud, among whom were the wounded and the weak after the battle, to go out. They hastened to go out, they hastened to go out, obeying the command of Allah and His Messenger despite their weakness and wounds. They descended in a place called Hamr al-Asad. When the polytheists learned that the Muslims had gone out and that they had strength and readiness to meet them, terror seized them, so they turned back to Makkah, and Allah protected the Muslims from their evil.
And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) revealed His saying: "That is only the Shaytan trying to frighten his allies." This report,
Private conversation is only from Satan
إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَىٰ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ(172) Those [believers] who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward - (173) Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." (174) So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them
الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَّمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌAnd they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. (175) That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَThe questioner:
And does fear have categories?
The Shaykh:
Fear is of two types: fear of worship, which is not permissible except for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, accompanied by humility and submission. And the second type of fear is natural fear: you fear the enemy, you fear the lion, you fear the cold, you fear harmful things and avoid them. This is natural fear and has nothing to do with worship. Yes.
The questioner:
And is there fear that is disobedience, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
Yes. Fear of other than Allah, if it is in the category of fear of worship, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah), it is not merely disobedience; it is shirk with Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Because fear is one of the types of worship. Fear of this type is one of the types of worship. Yes
So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَThe presenter:
Yes, may Allah preserve you.
Source
قناة «مؤسسة الدعوة الخيرية»، فتاوى على الهواء 18-12-1434هـ - الفوزان — youtube.com (12:52)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.