The Qualities That a Believer Gains Because He Fears Allah

A high standing with Allah

… The noblest among you in Allah’s sight is the most righteous. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surat al-Hujurat: 13)

Without a doubt a person’s standing with Allah will be in accordance with his appreciation of Him, the amount of his good actions, his implementation of the Qur’an’s injunctions, his goodness of character and the sincerity of his belief. Without fearful awareness of Allah, one cannot fulfil these qualities of character and behavior. Hence, the degree of fear of Allah in someone’s heart is a key indicator of his rank with Allah.

The ability to discriminate between right and wrong

You who believe! If you fear Allah, He will give you discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah’s favor is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal: 29)

The ability to distinguish right from wrong and the increase in understanding that goes with it are, without a doubt, the greatest and most valued blessings to be bestowed upon a true believer on Earth.

If someone is granted the intelligence to be able to distinguish right from wrong, their every word, their every attitude, their every decision and their every reaction will be insightful and correct. Because someone who fears Allah can immediately distinguish between right and wrong, they will behave in accordance with what is most pleasing to Allah in everything they do. They will not be affected by indecision, uncertainty, hesitation, anxiety, or confusion. In total contrast to this however, those who have not been given the ability to discriminate are destined for ruin, both on Earth and in the Hereafter.

A double share from Allah’s mercy

You who believe! Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger. He will give you a double portion of His mercy and grant you a Light by which to walk and forgive you. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Hadid: 28)

In the Qur’an Allah promises to all His servants who fear Him and behave cautiously that their lives will be blessed, both temporally and spiritually. As expressed in the Qur’anic verse: “… Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.” (Surat al-Ma’ida: 119) For a true believer, that Allah should include him in His mercy is without doubt above everything else.

It should not be forgotten that during our lives on Earth, Allah may grant us happiness, abundance, blessing, comfort, and security. In the Hereafter, however, those who fear Allah will receive His infinite mercy and will be provided with far greater blessings, which those on Earth could never be compared with.

Acceptable worship

Recite to them the true report of Adam’s two sons when they offered a sacrifice and it was accepted from one of them but not accepted from the other. The one said, “I shall kill you.” The other said, “Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].” (Surat al-Ma'ida: 27)

Here one of the sons of the Prophet Adam (as) states that Allah accepts the sacrifice of those who fear Him. Someone who does not possess fear of Allah is, by definition, unable to give the acknowledgement due to the omnipotence of Allah, and is unable to feel the respect he should feel towards Him. As a result of their distorted view of existence and the inevitable corruption of character and behavior that goes with it, the efforts of people such as these will almost certainly amount to nothing in Allah’s sight. For this reason, Allah requires above anything else that an individual’s character be built upon fearful awareness of Him and seeking His approval. Any approach based upon denial of this will no doubt end in disappointment, as indicated in the Qur’an:

Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)

It is not possible that the worship of people who do not possess fearful awareness of Allah and whose conduct is unacceptable, will be as devoted and sincere as it ought to be. Behind every task or act of worship they undertake there will always lie the desire to show off or to impress, or to project a better image than others. Therefore, everything they do throughout their lives will amount to nothing if they do not turn to Allah and change their ways.

The enjoyment of ease in one’s affairs

… Whoever fears Allah—He will make matters easy for him. (Surat at-Talaq: 4)

Allah will always enable true believers who are mindful of His disapproval and who observe His limits, to enjoy His mercy, protection and support. He will open the way for them in all of their undertakings. In the words of another Qur’anic verse: “We will ease you to the Easy Way.” (Surat al-A‘la: 8) Allah, openly or otherwise, will make matters easy for His servants in every way, be it worldly or spiritually.

Allah provides the way out of difficulty

… Whoever fears Allah—He will give him a way out. (Surat at-Talaq: 2)

For Allah’s pious and fearful servants, no predicament is ever insoluble or insurmountable. By Allah, they are capable of overcoming every obstacle by using the intelligence and understanding He has provided them with. Even in the apparently most difficult situations, Allah will eventually show them a way out, and however long their difficulty lasts, they will not be left alone. This is Allah’s promise to the believers.

Allah erases their wrong actions, forgives them and multiplies their reward

That is Allah’s command which He has sent down to you. Whoever fears Allah—He will erase his bad actions from him and greatly increase his reward. (Surat at-Talaq: 5)

After their death when they are called to account, for true believers there will be an easy reckoning. This is because believers have lived their lives on Earth in accordance with the guidance of our Lord Who created them. Most certainly they are not without fault, they may even have sinned but Allah, the possessor of infinite mercy, has stated in the Qur’an that He will forgive them:

Say [from Me]: “My servants, you who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah forgives all wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (Surat az-Zumar: 53)

Therefore, those people whom Allah has forgiven will receive an even greater reward for what they have done on Earth; they will be admitted to the Garden which is full of countless blessings.

Allah’s infinite compassion will be demonstrated to the true believers even on Earth. As a result of their fearful caution, their attachment to Him and the good actions they have carried out, the reward for their kindness and sincere behavior will be increased many fold. Even though they owe a debt of worship and obedience anyway for the life He has given them in the first place along with all of the countless blessings that go with it, Allah by the vastness of His generosity sees fit to reward them purely from His matchless kindness and benevolence.