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The Book of Constructive Virtues Sign in to save

Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness

THREE EXPRESSIONS OF FEAR:;(1) The signs of the burning of heart is expressed in bodily organs and nature.
Slothness body being yellow, falling into swoon crying and weeping. are the signs of fear on body. Then he meets with bitterness and faces death which reduces intellect and despair and failure grow. If fear is expressed in bodily organs, the body can not move to commit sins as it remains confined to virtuous acts 'and prepares for the future after repenting for the past misdeeds. For this reason, it has been said: He who weeps and wipes out tears is not a fearful man but the fearful man is he who gives up the objects of fears for fear of punishment. He who fears a thing, flees away from it. He who fears God flees to Him. The saint Jun-Num was asked: When does a servant fear? He said:
When he takes himself to the position of a patient -and saves himself for fear of continued disease. If fear is expressed in nature, he controls his passions, gives up pleasures and enjoyments and his dear actions become disliking to him just as honey is hated by one who comes to know that there is poison therein. His desires then are burnt and his limbs come under control. There come then in mind modesty and humility and there go away pride, conceit and hatred. He then engages himself in Morakaba (meditation), taking account of actions and making efforts for divine service. He then becomes like a person who falls in the clutches of a ferocious beast. Such is the condition of one in whose heart fear is strong. Such was the condition of the companions and their successors.

STAGES OF FEAR: The lowest sign of fear that is expressed in action is to abstain from unlawful and prohibited things. The

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fear which keeps away from unlawful things is fear of sin. If the proportion of fear is excessive and it keeps one away from doubtful things, it is called Taqwa or self-abnegation. The meaning of Taqwa is to give up doubtful things and to act on things of sure faith. The fear which gives advice to give up everything in excess except what is absolutely necessary for a man is called Taqwa or God fear. If this Taqwa reaches to such a high pitch that it leads a man to erect no other house except one to reside, not to hoard anything which is eatable, not to look to the world with this knowledge that it shall have to be left behind and not to pass a minute without remembrance of God, it is called Sidq or truthfulness ad such a man in called Siddiq or a great truthful man. Taqwa is a higher stage of fear of unlawful things, because it keeps away not only from unlawful things but also from things of doubtful nature. Sidq is a higher stage than Taqwa. So a Siddiq possesses three qualities fear of unlawful things, fear of doubtful things fear of losing a moment without remembrance of God and possessing other qualities as mentioned above.

Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
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