The Meaning of Fear of Allah
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The third meaning: Fear of Allah?
Answer: The believer fears Allah in everything; he does not feel secure. Allah the Exalted says: [Al-A'raf: 99], and He says: [Al-Imran: 175], and He says: [Al-Ma'idah: 44], and He says regarding His righteous servants: [Al-Anbiya: 90], and He the Exalted says: [Al-Isra: 57], and He says: [Al-Imran: 175].
Therefore, it is obligatory to fear Allah while doing what Allah has made obligatory and leaving what Allah has forbidden. This fear should lead to taking the means. One fears Allah with a true fear that drives him to perform the obligatory and leave the forbidden. Just as he hopes that Allah will admit him to Paradise and save him from the Fire if he fulfills His rights, he fears Allah and does what Allah has made obligatory and leaves what Allah has forbidden. He hopes in Allah and holds a good opinion of Allah while fulfilling the rights of Allah and leaving what He has forbidden. He hopes and fears, but with action, with performing the obligations and leaving the prohibitions. This is the sincere one who fears Allah and hopes in Him; he is the one who fears and hopes with action, with performing the obligatory duties and leaving the prohibitions and standing by the limits of Allah. He hopes for His reward and fears His punishment, Blessed and Exalted is He. Thus came the messengers, and thus came the Noble Qur'an.
Answer: The believer fears Allah in everything; he does not feel secure. Allah the Exalted says:
Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ فَلا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَSo fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
فَلا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَSo do not fear the people but fear Me
فَلا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِIndeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَThose whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment
أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُSo fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
فَلاا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَTherefore, it is obligatory to fear Allah while doing what Allah has made obligatory and leaving what Allah has forbidden. This fear should lead to taking the means. One fears Allah with a true fear that drives him to perform the obligatory and leave the forbidden. Just as he hopes that Allah will admit him to Paradise and save him from the Fire if he fulfills His rights, he fears Allah and does what Allah has made obligatory and leaves what Allah has forbidden. He hopes in Allah and holds a good opinion of Allah while fulfilling the rights of Allah and leaving what He has forbidden. He hopes and fears, but with action, with performing the obligations and leaving the prohibitions. This is the sincere one who fears Allah and hopes in Him; he is the one who fears and hopes with action, with performing the obligatory duties and leaving the prohibitions and standing by the limits of Allah. He hopes for His reward and fears His punishment, Blessed and Exalted is He. Thus came the messengers, and thus came the Noble Qur'an.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.