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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Taqwa (Piety) Advice of The Effects Of Fear ======================= The fear of God Almighty is the highest devotion and the best deed. This is the fear which our Imams, who are the models of knowledge and practice, have observed and taught us.

Sometimes, they say: “Praise is due to Allah from Whose fear the heaven and its inhabitants are moaning, and the earth and the people of the earth shiver, the seas and those floating in them are roaring.”[^1] Once, they recite this supplication: “Put Thy fear in my heart, cut off (the desire of) everything other than Thee so that it neither turns to, nor is afraid of anyone except Thee.”[^2] And at other times, they say: “O Lord! Make me fear You as if I see You.

Make me prosperous with piety and obedience. Make me not unfortunate with sins.”[^3] This kind of fear has certain effects which are perceptible in the same way that the other kinds of fear have their own effects. One of the most important effects of this kind of fear is to keep away from committing sins which is actually the best feature, because all misfortunes, entanglements, diseases, physical and mental problems arise from the committing of sins and the doing of unlawful acts.

It is for this reason that the supplications of Komail and Arafah, glorification (tasbeeh) after prayers and the Du’as of the Infallible Imams refer to different kinds of sins and their consequences: “O Allah, forgive me those sins which alter blessings … which causes regrets … which causes ailments … which violates protections… which causes supplications to be rejected … which deters rain … which shortens life … which causes adversity … which darkens the space … which uncovers the veils.”[^4] Each of these sins is considered as special one in Ma’ani al-Akhbar, Al-Kafi, Al-Wafi, Bihar al-Anwar and other books of Hadith.

Imam Baqir (AS) has been reported by Abu Hamza ath-Thumali as saying: “Among the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), there is a saying as follows: when adultery increases after me, sudden deaths becomes numerous, when people deal in short-weight, God afflicts them with famine; when the zakat is prevented, the earth becomes devoid of blessings of plantation, fruits and mines. When they deviated from justice in their judgments, they assist each other in oppression and aggression.

When they break their covenants, God will make their enemies overcome them.