How our fear of God is a lesson to respect others

When people’s hearts are filled with fear of God, they tend to improve their behaviour and respect the rights of others – worshippers will be reminded today.

“Please know that among the great merits of being conscious of Allah is that it is conducive to guide Muslims to perfect their acts and be devoted to good deeds,” the sermon will say.

For instance, when people sense God’s great presence and observance knowing that they will return to Him and be held accountable for all their acts, they will try to improve their actions and good deeds.

“One will be dutiful towards his parents, maintain good ties of kinship, perfect his work and treat others with leniency, mercy and honesty.” Prophet Mohammed once illustrated this meaning in a hadith (a divine inspired speech) that he narrated to his companions. He told them the story of three people who were travelling and got stuck in the rain, so they ran to a cave for shelter.

But the entrance to the cave got blocked with rocks, trapping them inside. So they started saying to one another: “O you! Nothing can save you except the truth, so each of you should ask Allah’s help by referring to such a deed as he thinks he did sincerely [just for gaining Allah’s pleasure].”

So one of them mentioned his fulfilment of trust and giving to the labourer his rights. Then he said: “O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.”

The rock shifted a little from the mouth of the cave.

“So, from this we learn that trustworthiness and giving the labourers their full rights as and when they are due, are part of fearing Allah,” the sermon says.

The second man in the cave mentioned his dutifulness towards his parents and then said: “O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.”

The rock shifted a bit more from the mouth of the cave.

“This indicates that treating parents with kindness and showing patience with them is part of Allah’s obedience and will be rewarded abundantly by Him,” the sermon says.

The third man talked about how he controlled his desires and avoided what Allah prohibited, relieving thereby his cousin and fearing Allah with regards to her. Then he said: “O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.”

So Allah saved them and they came out of the cave.