What Does It Mean to ‘Fear’ God?
“But, whosoever feared the standing before his Lord and prevented the self from desires,” reads verse 40 of Surah Al-Nazi'at. According to this verse, one of the conditions for salvation is having fear. One who fears the position of God will not abide by his worldly desires.
This fear is obtained when man understands the grandeur of God the Almighty. This understanding will bring fear. What causes scholars and scientists to fear God is because of their understanding of His position.
This is similar to the fear that Moses felt in Jabal Mousa: “And when Moses came at the appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: 'Lord, let me see, that I can look at You. ' He replied: 'You shall not see Me. But look at the mountain; if it remains firm in its place, then shall you see Me. ' And when his Lord was revealed to the mountain and caused it to be crushed and leveled whereupon Moses fell down senseless, and when he recovered, he said: 'Exaltations to You! I repent to You. I am the first of believers.” (Surah al-A’raf, verse 143)
A correct understanding of God makes us see Him overseeing our deeds. This creates a sort of self-control in humans. The modesty that one feels in presence of God is what constitutes Taqwa, although not everyone can clearly understand this.
This article was derived from remarks of Ayatollah Seyyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad.
