Aslam

There are differenccces between two men-one fearss sin and another fears God's glory and attributes. The first man may have got faulty ideas but the latter lives in security. He Who recognises God and His attributes fears God without committing sin. He who is fortunate feels easy to tread the paths of virtue and he who is unfortunate feels difficulty to tread them. He who raised the Prophet to the highest paradise recorded him as such before he was born. He who was recorded as virtuous entertains a strong will to do virtuous acts and he who was recorded as a great sinner entertains a will to do evils and sinful acts. So everybody should fear what was recorded in his original fate.

It is in Hadis that God revealed to the Prophet David: O David, fear Me as you fear a destructive ferocious beast. This will make you understand the original object of fear. This is not stayed for any cause of fear, as to know cause and to know the secret of Taqdir are the same. A ferocious beast is not feared for its fault, but for its ferocious nature, attack, strength, fearful look etc. and it does not hesitate to kill. It does not care whether you live or die. For God there is the highest example. The inner sight of one who has recognised Him is stronger than his sight of open eyes.^

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 1 25

MERITS OF FEAR

Merits of fear are known in two ways - by guess and meditation and by the Quran and Hadis. The mode of guess and meditation is this that there is good of a thing in proportion to the good fortune of meeting with Lord in the next world as there is no good fortune without meeting and companionship with God.
;There is good in that thing which helps towards that goal and that depends on proportion of the object. It appears from this that there is no alternative for meeting with Him in the next world without earning love for Him in this world. His love can not be attained without His knowledge and His knowledge is not possible without constant thought about Him and remembering Him. That is not possible without severance of relegious and attachment from the world. Attachment for this world is not again possible without giving up worldly comforts and passions and low desires. They are not possible if they are not kept under control and passions cannot be brought under control without fear. So the fire of fear burns the evil desires and passions. The more they are burnt, the more the merits of fear will be achieved.
So there is difference of merits according to the difference and degree of fear. ,