I advise you to have fear of Allah because it is the best...

I advise you to have fear of Allah because it is the best advice to be mutually given by persons, and the best of all things before Allah.”[^14] Taqwa has been mentioned in another sermon by Imam Ali (AS) as follows: “He (Allah) has advised you to exercise fear and has made it the highest point of His creatures. You should therefore fear Allah, Who is such that you are as though just in front of Him, and your forelocks are in His grip, and your change of position is in His control.

If you conceal a matter, He will know of it. If you disclose a matter, He will record it. For this, He has appointed honored guards (angels) who do not omit any rightful matter nor include anything incorrect. You should know that whoever fears Allah, He would make for him a way to get out of troubles and (grant him) a light (to help him) out of darkness.

He will ever keep him in whatever (condition) he wishes, and will make him stay in a position of honor near Himself, in the abode which He has made for Himself.

The shade of this abode is His throne, its light is His effulgence, its visitors are His angels, and its companions are His prophets.”[^15] In another sermon, Imam Ali (AS) has said: “you should therefore exercise fear of Allah because it has a rope whose knob is strong and its pinnacle is lofty and invulnerable.”[^16] On Taqwa, Imam Ali (AS) further says: “I advise you, O creatures of Allah, that you should have fear of Allah because it is a right of Allah over you and it gives a right before Allah, and that you should seek Allah’s help in it, and its help in (meeting) Allah.

Certainly, for today, fear of Allah is a protection and a shield, and for tomorrow (the Day of Judgment) it is the way to Paradise. Its way is clear and he who treads it is the gainer. Whoever holds it guards it. It has presented itself to the people who have already passed and to those coming from behind, because they will need it tomorrow (on the Day of Judgment) when Allah will revive His creation again, take back what He has given and take account of what He has bestowed.

How few will be those who accept it and practice it as it ought to be practiced. They will be very few in number, and they are the people who correspond to the description given by Allah, the Glorified, when He says “… And very few of My creatures are grateful!” [^17] Therefore, hasten with your ears towards it and intensify your efforts for it.