Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
It is very difficult to cover all that is mentioned in the Quraan, the Hadith, and in the incidents of the pious saints, about the importance of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala. It should, however, be understood that the fear of Allah Ta‘ala is the stairway to all spiritual perfection and progress.
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has said, “The fear of Allah Ta‘ala is the root of all wisdom.”
Hazrat Ibnu Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) used to weep so much with the fear of Allah Ta‘ala that eventually, he lost his eyesight. Once, when a person observed him weeping, he said to him, “You seem surprised at how much I weep. Even the sun weeps out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala.”
When a similar incident occurred on another occasion, he said, “Even the moon weeps out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala.”
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) once passed by a Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who was reciting the Qur’aan Majeed, when he came to the Aayat:
فَاِذَا انۡشَقَّتِ السَّمَآءُ فَکَانَتۡ وَرۡدَۃً کَالدِّہَانِ ﴿ۚ۳۷﴾
And when the sky will be split apart and will become rosy, like (red) hides (leather) …” (Surah Rahmaan v. 37)
As he recited this verse, the hair on his body stood on end, and he nearly choked due to his excessive weeping. While weeping, he would say, “Alas! What will happen to me on the day when even the Heavens will split (i.e. the Day of Qiyaamah)? Woe to me!” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “Your weeping has caused even the angels to weep.”
Once, a Sahaabi from the Ansaar was weeping after the Tahajjud salaah as he said, “I seek Allah Ta‘ala’s protection from the fire of Jahannum!” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “You have even made the angels weep today.”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaahah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was once weeping. When his wife saw him, she also began to weep. He asked her, “What makes you weep?” She replied, “Whatever makes you weep makes me weep as well.”
He said, “The thought that I have to cross the bridge of siraat across Jahannum makes me weep. I do not know whether I shall be able to cross over and gain salvation, or whether I will fall into Jahannum.”
Once, Hazrat Zuraarah bin Awfaa (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was leading the salaah in a musjid when he recited the Aayat:
فَاِذَا نُقِرَ فِی النَّاقُوۡرِ ۙ﴿۸﴾ فَذٰلِکَ یَوۡمَئِذٍ یَّوۡمٌ عَسِیۡرٌ ۙ﴿۹﴾
When the trumpet will be blown (to signal the arrival of Qiyaamah, then surely) that day will be a difficult day!” (Surah Muddatthir v. 8-9)
He fell down immediately upon reciting the verse and passed away. His body was then carried by the people and taken back to his home.
Khulaid was once performing salaah when he reached the verse:
کُلُّ نَفۡسٍ ذَآئِقَۃُ الۡمَوۡتِ ؕ
Every soul shall taste death” (Surah Aal-e-Imraan v. 185)
He began to repeat it again and again, until he heard a voice from a corner of the room saying, “How many times are you going to repeat this Aayat? Your repeating it over and over has already caused the death of four Jinns!”
It is written about another person that (while reciting the Qur’aan Majeed,) when he reached the Aayat:
ثُمَّ رُدُّوۡۤا اِلَی اللّٰہِ مَوۡلٰىہُمُ الۡحَقِّ
Then they will be returned to Allah, their true Master. (Surah An’aam v. 62)
Upon reciting the verse, he gave out a cry, shivered and breathed his last.
There are so many stories like these. Hazrat Fudhail (rahimahullah), a famous Shaikh, said, “The fear of Allah Ta‘ala leads to everything that is good.”
Sheikh Shibli (rahimahullah), another saint whose name is known by one and all, said, “Whenever I have felt Allah’s fear in me, I have found a new door of knowledge and wisdom opened for me, which was not opened for me before.”
(Fazaa’il-e-A’maal [English] pg. 55-56, [Urdu] pg. 42-43)
