Abu Dharr (ra) reported that the Rasul of Allah (saw) said: 

“I see what you do not see. The sky has squeaked, and it has every right to do so, for it does not have a space of four fingers where there is no angel prostrating his forehead before Allah, the Almighty. By Allah! If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much; you would not enjoy women in bed; and you would go out to the open plains loudly imploring Allah, the Almighty.” (Tirmidhi)

“Among His servants, only those who have knowledge (of what is denoted by the name Allah and who are aware of its Might) are truly in awe of Allah (realize their nothingness in respect of His magnificence)!”[1]

The Rasul of Allah (saw) says, “It is I who knows Allah best among you and it is I who fears Allah most!”

Ok, but why should we fear Allah?

“O believers... Protect yourselves duly from Allah (as He will definitely subject you to the consequences of your deeds) and die only as ones who have experienced submission.”[2]

The word “taqwa” means to refrain from things that can harm and cause suffering. To have taqwa is to protect yourself by seeking refuge in a powerful shelter.

There are two aspects of protecting oneself:

1. Protecting oneself against the potential dangers awaiting in the hereafter, as the Rasul of Allah (saw) has advised us, by complying with the compulsory protection measures.  

2. Measures to protect one’s self against being deprived of Allah, the One who comprises one’s essential being. 

Does the word ‘fear’ refer to an emotion or is it used in reference to the importance of taking the necessary precautions to be protected against potential dangers that are awaiting us? 

The verse “Only the learned ones will fear Allah” shows us that he who has no knowledge cannot fear Allah! 

Hence it is evident that only those who are learned and knowledgeable fear Allah consciously! 

Just as the Rasul (saw) says “It is I who knows Allah best among you and it is I who fears Allah most!”

To think of the infinite existence denoted by the name Allah, as a “god” is duality (shirq)!

Since we can’t think of Allah in this sense then we must turn our attention to His manifestations at the level of Acts.

The incidents that are to transpire at the level of acts in the future will operate like an automated mechanism.

The verse says:

“You will not find an alteration in Our Sunnah.”[3]

Because it is an automated system!

The consequences are inescapable and irreversible. It is as though the Rasul of Allah (saw), the person who cares most for you, is warning you against the inevitable dangers awaiting you, telling you:

“You are being pulled towards a point at which you will encounter extremely dangerous situations. It is as though you are strapped on a band that is moving towards a saw! Please take the necessary precautions! Do not be fooled by the amusements of the world. Don’t waste your time with gossip and empty discourse. Cease your ties to the band you’re stripped on and escape the saw!”

Certainly, the life of the world is nothing but a fleeting pleasure, an illusory amusement. And no doubt, your belongings and your children are nothing other than distractions. 

Do not waste your life by succumbing to these illusions. The inescapable end awaiting you is definite and absolute and relentlessly cruel. So, take your precaution while you still can in this world. That is all you can do. On that day, the child will run from his mother and the wife will run from her husband. Nobody will be of any avail to anyone.

If we believe that Muhammad (saw) is the bearer of the truth then we must take heed of his message. Even though, taking heed of his message goes against our current comfort zone, conditionings and compositional make up. 

The divine laws advise that we cleanse ourselves from our natural programming, habitual make-up, conditioned temperaments, etc…

If we fail to do so, we will face a pitiless end. 

If some shaking event took place now you would run for your life. Think of a scenario much worse than any you have ever seen or heard of. 

The lightest of the pain awaiting us in the hereafter is the pain of separation from all our worldly ties, everyone and everything that we are attached to. And this pain lasts forever. Because the concept of time doesn’t exist as it does here. And you do not encounter another situation to help you get over the previous one. You are stuck in that painful state!

In this world, you live a tragic event and then time passes and something else happens to help you get over that pain and misery, you can forget… But this isn’t the case after death. Once the body decomposes and you become totally detached from your body, if you haven’t been able to ascend to a higher level of life, a state of sleep overcomes you and you fall asleep.

Either to a dream or a nightmare which continues until the doomsday…

On that day the spherical structure of the earth will disappear and become like a flat surface. All of the people who lived on earth will be resurrected! Think of that crowd!