Too Much Fear is Harmful

Too Much Fear is Harmful

Fear is actually a whip which drives a person towards everlasting success. As long as it remains a driving force towards righteousness, it is approved.
However, it should not be so excessive, that it leads one to despondency,eventually causing him to renounce all good. Such excessive fear that creates despondency is disliked in the Shariah, since a hadith states, “Imân is suspended between fear and hope.”

Thus together with fear, hope is also necessary. However, a sinful Muslim should keep the quality of fear dominant. When he becomes obedient, then both these qualities should be balanced.

Once Umar Fârûq stated, “If an announcement is sounded,‘All will enter Jannah except one person,’ then I fear that I would be tha person. If an announcement is made, ‘All will enter Hell except one person,’ then I have hope that I would be that person.”

During one’s youth and sound health, fear should be the dominating quality, since during this era of overpowering desires, there is a need for the whip of fear to break carnal desires and mould it so that one reaches
his destination. When a person reaches old age or becomes sick, then hope should be dominant, since a person cannot really fulfil his desires at this age, and if fear overcomes him, then even the little he is doing will
terminate. Nabî is reported to have stated, “None of you should die, except whilst maintaining good hopes in Allâh Ta’ala”

1 Kitâbul Azmat (page 789, vol.2)
2 Kitâbul Azmat (page 814, vol.3)