– Alamgeer Hossain
When fear of a tyrannical ruler or powerful people enters the heart of an individual or a nation, it becomes very easy to control them. Once a person is overcome by fear, they lose the courage to speak the truth, stand for justice, and demand their rights. Fear gradually destroys independent thinking, the ability to raise one’s voice against oppression, and one’s sense of dignity, until a person begins to accept injustice as normal. In this way, fear slowly transforms a free human being into an obedient slave.
For this reason, tyrannical rulers and oppressive powers first seek to instil fear in the hearts of people. Through mob lynching, stripping people of their citizenship and exiling them, demolishing homes and property with bulldozers, confiscating property, arbitrary arrests, staged encounters, imprisonment, executions, and countless other forms of oppression, they cultivate an atmosphere of fear and terror.
Fear is a state that enslaves human beings to other human beings. As a result, people begin to accept man-made laws and regulations with ease, while the commands of Allah gradually become secondary in their minds. A person may appear outwardly free, but if they constantly live in fear of those in power, they are not truly free. True freedom is attained only when a person becomes free from every fear except the fear of Allah.
That is why, throughout the Qur’an, Allah repeatedly commands believers not to fear the powers of this world but to fear Him alone:
“It is only Satan who frightens you through his allies. So do not fear them; rather, fear Me alone, if you are truly believers.” (Surah Aal ‘Imran 3:175)
To fear any worldly power in a way that causes a person to abandon the truth is contrary to faith. Fear of anyone besides Allah is not a characteristic of a believer. On the contrary, when the believers are threatened by false and oppressive forces, their faith only increases, and they place their trust in Allah alone.
“Those to whom people said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But this only increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.'” (Surah Aal ‘Imran 3:173)
The Prophet (SAWS) warned against Al Wahn – The Love of the World & Fear of Death
The Love of This World Breeds Fear
Another cause of fear is excessive attachment to worldly life. When one’s car, house, wealth, business, job, and career become the central focus of one’s love, a person naturally begins to desire a longer life in this world. Consequently, wherever there is a possibility of losing wealth, status, or life, they withdraw from that path.
Love of the world gives rise to an aversion to death. The longing for martyrdom gradually weakens until, eventually, it disappears altogether, and death itself becomes undesirable. This disease—described in Islamic tradition as “wahn” (love of the world and hatred of death)—is so destructive that if it afflicts a nation, then no matter how numerous its people may be, they become no more significant than the foam upon the sea or the straw floating on water.
When this condition prevails, fear of false and oppressive powers enters the hearts of the people. They no longer possess the courage to resist injustice. Instead, they begin asking themselves: What will happen to my property? My career? My business? My livelihood? As a result, compromise with falsehood gradually becomes their habit, until eventually they begin following it and accept a life of subjugation as their destiny.
Throughout history, the nations and people who have launched great movements and brought about revolutions have been those who cherished death in the path of their cause as much as others cherish life itself. The shining stars of Islam’s golden age looked the superpowers of their time in the eye and boldly declared:
“You love life as much as we love death.”
When the willingness to sacrifice and fight for a just cause disappears from a nation, fear comes to dominate it completely. At that point, even the smallest act of resistance becomes impossible. The desire for martyrdom is the force that enables people to cross seas, enter enemy lands, and undertake daring, decisive actions—even burning their own ships behind them.
If freedom is to be secured for future generations, some people must first be willing to take great risks and act courageously. Sacrifice and bold action always precede freedom and victory.
True Freedom only lies in overcoming worldly fears and submitting oneself completely to Allah
A Parable of Freedom
Imagine a magnificent palace in which a group of people are imprisoned. There is only one exit, and it is locked from the outside. A key is needed to unlock the door.
Inside the palace is a wall containing ten holes. The key is hidden inside one of them, but there is a catch: the other nine holes each contain a venomous snake. This danger prevents anyone from stepping forward. Everyone remains seated, paralyzed by fear. Some even choose the more comfortable corners of the palace and settle there, as though they have accepted imprisonment as their destiny.
Eventually, one man rises.
His eyes are filled with unwavering determination. He walks confidently toward the wall, chooses one hole, and fearlessly thrusts his hand inside.
The snake bites him immediately, and he dies almost instantly.
Then another person stands up. As a precaution, he wraps a piece of cloth around his hand and selects one of the remaining nine holes. But the cloth offers no protection. He too is bitten and loses his life.
Then came the third, the fourth, the fifth…
One after another, people stepped forward. Each tried, in their own way, to protect themselves from the snake’s strike, but each ultimately gave their life.
Throughout all this, the majority remained silent spectators. While these brave individuals sacrificed themselves for everyone’s freedom, the spectators mocked them. They called them foolish, naïve, emotional, and reckless. Secretly, they comforted themselves by saying:
“At least we are not risking our lives searching for the key.”
Finally, nine people had sacrificed their lives.
Only one hole remained.
The tenth person reached inside, found the key, calmly walked to the door, and unlocked it.
Those who had sat silently criticizing all along erupted with joy. Applause filled the palace. Some were moved to tears. They showered the man holding the key with praise and admiration.
Now step out of this imagined world for a moment and consider this question:
To whom does this freedom truly belong?
Was it only the achievement of the tenth person?
Or do the first nine deserve an even greater share of the credit?
What about the very first individual, the one who fearlessly placed his hand into the first hole? Was his sacrifice any less valuable than those who came after him?
The truth is that the real loser is not the one who dies seeking freedom, but the one who prefers a life of imprisonment rather than taking a risk; the one who never even attempts to attain freedom because of fear of the snake.
Those who rise without fear, who struggle for freedom and success despite every danger and hardship, who sacrifice their lives, wealth, and everything they possess in the path of Allah even though they know they may never witness victory with their own eyes—these are the true inheritors of honour and dignity.
These are the vanguard of the Ummah.
May Allah grant all of us the understanding of these truths and the ability to live by them.
Ameen.
