God Casts Dread Into the Hearts of Disbelievers
God states in many verses that He casts fear into the hearts of those
who disbelieve:
And when your Lord revealed to the angels, 'I am
with you so make those who have faith firm. I will cast dread into the
hearts of those who are disbelievers...' (Surat al-Anfal: 12)
It is He who expelled those who were disbelievers
among the People of the Book from their homes to the first gathering-place.
You did not think that they would leave and they thought that their fortresses
would protect them from God. Then God came upon them from where they least
expected it and cast dread into their hearts. Their houses were pulled
down by their own hands and by the hands of the believers. People of insight,
take note! (Surat al-Hashr: 2)
What is told in these verses is a miracle by God. Through casting dread
into their hearts, God diminishes the strength of those who oppose believers
and who resist God and the morality of His religion. It is of great importance
that believers should ponder on these verses and draw lessons for themselves.
This is because, as mentioned in previous chapters, our hearts are in
God's hand, and God sows whatever He wills in the heart of whoever He
wills. The duty of believers is not to try to create an impact on others,
but only to be sincere. For example, a believer is responsible to warn
a person in the light of God's verses. However, that person will only
be rightly guided by the advise given, no matter how lucid the explanation,
if God guides that person to the right path. By the same token, a believer
is helpless against dangers. Alternatively, there is no power to frighten
enemies. But God protects and supports believers who are sincere and put
forth efforts for the sake of God's pleasure. For example, as said in
the verses above, He casts dread into the hearts of their enemies, making
them deeply occupied with their own troubles. This way, God gives relief
to believers.
God inspires various fears into the hearts of disbelievers. There is
the fear of death, the future, injury, natural disasters or fear of loss
of wealth. Alternatively, the fear of death is greater because a disbeliever
does not believe in the hereafter and is strongly attached to this world.
Believing that he will be reduced to nothing and lose all possessions,
the great fear for death is nurtured. Ultimately, this fear breeds infirmities.
God tells us dread is cast into the hearts of disbelievers because they
associate others with Him. The end these people will meet is related in
the Qur'an as follows:
We will cast dread into the hearts of those who are disbelievers because
they have associated others with God for which He has not sent down any
authority. Their shelter will be the Fire. How evil is the abode of the
wrongdoers! (Surah Ali 'Imran: 151)
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