The Ruling on Fear of Created Things

Question:
One of the worshippers says: The questioner asks, if a person says, "I am afraid of so-and-so," or "I am afraid of such-and-such," meaning something that harms him, is that considered diverting the worship of fear to other than Allah the Exalted?

Answer:
No, fear of pain, or of what one naturally fears, is not considered [diverting worship]. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said in the story of Moses: He was afraid for his life, afraid of being killed. Fear of enemies, of harmful things, and of the Sirat is natural. However, fear leads to taking precautions. One fears that someone might take action, so he leaves the town fearing them. If he is on the road, he takes his brothers with him on the road. He fears thieves, so he locks the door and hires a guard; he takes precautions. Natural fear and fear of harmful things are not shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is like the fear of a secret: if a person believes that so-and-so, in secret, controls the universe, that is shirk. If he believes that a certain animal or a certain wali (close friend of Allah) controls things, that is shirk. But natural fear—fear of thieves, fear of an enemy so that one prepares weapons against him, fear of a snake biting him so that one stays away from it or kills it—this contains no shirk. It is like the story of Moses, who left while afraid.