The Meaning of Allah the Exalted’s Saying: {So do not fear them, but fear Me}

Question:
Allah the Exalted says: [Al Imran: 175]. What is the fear here?

Answer:
Fear is of three types:
The obligatory fear.
And the fear that is an act of worship.
And natural fear.
The fear that is an act of worship is not fitting except for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Whoever fears other than Allah in such a way that it sets his heart on fire, or that it turns him away from guidance by specific causes; that is major shirk (associating partners with Allah): [Al Ma'idah: 44]. But if he fears him because of his evil, and guards against him because of his evil, or fears thieves and takes the means, such as a guard and the like; then there is nothing wrong with that. This is in the category of taking the means, so it does not harm.
As for if the fear leads him to leave an obligatory act or to commit a sin, then it is not permissible. Like the one who fears fighting, and fears being killed without a valid legal excuse, or does not enjoin good and forbid evil; he fears that something will befall him. This is cowardice and weakness on his part, otherwise there is nothing that obligates this thing. So this is not permissible.
As for natural fear and the fact that he fears harmful things: he fears the snake, and fears the scorpion, and takes the means, and fears thieves so he takes a guard; then there is nothing wrong with that.
Q: Fear of the jinn?
A: He seeks refuge in Allah from them, and takes the means: he names Allah when entering, and says: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He created, when he enters the house, and when he becomes morning, and when he becomes evening. So he takes the means, just as he fears the enemy and takes the means.