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Defined as: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or is a threat.
‘Fear’ can cause tremendous anxiety and interfere with normal life; it can also cause us to behave irrationally. Sometimes the experience is so nerve-wracking that we may go to great lengths to avoid it—inconveniencing ourselves or even changing our lifestyle. All this because we step out of God’s kingdom and with it, we step out of His protection.
Having left my job and presently on my own without an income, the fear of “how will I manage” was foremost on my mind. Then God came to my rescue and provided for me from the most unexpected places. We know it’s Satan’s system to instill fear into us; however we let him have his way despite the knowledge. More often than not it is a small issue that we magnify to the extent of causing ourselves physical damage. In my case, low blood pressure. God clearly warns us, Fear: The Devil's Tool [3:175] It is the devil's system to instill fear into his subjects. Do not fear them and fear Me instead, if you are believers. Despite this warning I let fear get the better of me.
Mostly, I’d let Satan drive me round the bend with fear, and after I had tried everything then I’d turn to God. The last year has been a learning experience. I have now learned to first take it to God and then do what I need to do. Praise God for His guidance and understanding. It’s easy to say “God is running everything” with conviction when things are rosy but when the chips are down it is not so easy for some to truly believe that God is running everything and to stay steadfast. God puts us through different experiences so that we can improve in different areas of our lives. [2:155] We will surely test you through some fear, hunger, and loss of money, lives, and crops. Give good news to the steadfast.The fears we go
through are meant to take us to the other side, confident in the knowledge that God is doing everything. And the tests we go through in life are designed to make us stronger. God has taught me to be more conscious and prepare for the unforeseen through different routes. Like the reminder that alerts us to say “Rabbi aAoothu bika min hamazati shshayateen. WaAAoothu bika rabbi an yahduroon”, i.e., “My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they come near me.” (23:97-8).
Sometimes it helps to share your experiences with submitters we may be close to, as they are in a position to give you the best advice from the Quran. They may also give you a perspective that you may not think of on your own. Recently I went through an experience where I thought that God was showing me how wicked the human being can be, maybe because I was going to do something wicked in the future. But sharing the incident with another submitter gave me a fresh perspective, where she explained to me that I could look at that incident as a blessing from God as He allowed me do a righteous work without perceiving. That really helped me deal with the situation, because I was killing myself waiting for the time when I would do something bad, beating myself over what was not in my control. All I needed was a change in perspective. God teaches us through experience and through different people. We have to let it happen and not close ourselves to new experiences and advice from others. Most of the time we are so consumed by what others will say or think of us that we are not able to think clearly. All our decisions are based on fear of what others may say, what others may think. The individual is so full of itself that it’s easy to overlook God’s helping hand.
If we put our egos aside and ask for help, believe me it will come. All we need to do is ask. Divine Guarantee: [2:277] Those who believe and lead a
righteous life, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), they receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
[Matthew 7:7] Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Fear moved me towards ill health only because I was not following God’s commandments. Fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of what people will say. I let it steer my life for over a year, till God showed me what I was doing to myself. It has been a year of learning. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but now being aware, recognizing it and facing it, has set me free and that is the freedom I value; a life of awareness and no fear. I can’t say I will not succumb to fear again but at least next time, God willing, I’m going to be prepared to deal with Satan from the start without losing focus of who my God really is.
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Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a Muslim who recently came into contact with the writings of Dr. Rashad Khalifa. I recently obtained Dr. Khalifa’s translation of the Quran and aside from the amazing readability of the translation, I was impressed by 2 things:
1. the mathematical miracle of the Quran, and more specifically,
2. The exhortation to worship Allah (God) Alone. I have always had an issue with the seemingly idolatrous view of the prophet Muhammad that is prevalent in Sunni Islam, and am drawn to the International Community of Submitters as I realize that happiness is Submission to Allah (God) ALONE.