How to Overcome Fear with Faith in Islam
Fear is a natural reaction and a physical and emotional experience that is meant to keep us alert and on guard. Fear can also motivate us to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. However, fear can also become excessive and irrational, and prevent us from living a peaceful and productive life. Islam teaches us how to deal with fear in a balanced and healthy way, by relying on God and seeking His help.The Quran says:
قُل لَّن یُصِیبَنَاۤ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوۡلَىٰنَاۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡیَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ
Say, O dear Prophet “Nothing shall befall us except what Allah has destined for us; He is our Master; and the Muslims must rely only on Allah.” (9:51)
This means that we should not be afraid of anything or anyone other than God, because He is the only one who has power over everything. He is the only one who can harm or benefit us, and He is the only one who can protect us from harm or grant us benefit. We should trust in His wisdom and justice, and know that whatever He decrees for us is good for us, even if we do not understand it.
The Quran also says:
وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ
And do not be negligent nor grieve – it is you who will be victorious if you are believers. (3:139)
This means that we should not let fear weaken our faith or make us sad, but rather we should be strong and optimistic, and we will be victorious if we are sincere in our belief. We should also remember the rewards that God has prepared for those who are patient and steadfast in the face of fear.
The Quran says:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَـٰمُوا۟ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَیۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا۟ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُوا۟ وَأَبۡشِرُوا۟ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِی كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ
Indeed those who said, “Allah is our Lord” and remained firm upon it – upon them descend the angels, (saying), “Do not fear nor grieve, and be happy for the Paradise which you are promised.”
نَحۡنُ أَوۡلِیَاۤؤُكُمۡ فِی ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَفِی ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِیهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِیۤ أَنفُسُكُمۡ وَلَكُمۡ فِیهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ
“We are your friends in the life of this world and in the Hereafter; in it for you is all that you may wish for, and for you is all what you ask.”
نُزُلࣰا مِّنۡ غَفُورࣲ رَّحِیمࣲ
“The hospitality of the Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلࣰا مِّمَّن دَعَاۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِی مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِینَ
And whose speech is better than one who calls towards his Lord and does righteous deeds, and says, “I am a Muslim.”?
وَلَا تَسۡتَوِی ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّیِّئَةُۚ ٱدۡفَعۡ بِٱلَّتِی هِیَ أَحۡسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِی بَیۡنَكَ وَبَیۡنَهُۥ عَدَ ٰوَةࣱ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِیٌّ حَمِیمࣱ
And the good deed and the evil deed will never be equal; O listener! Repel the evil deed with a good one, thereupon the one between whom and you was enmity, will become like a close friend.
وَمَا یُلَقَّىٰهَاۤ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَمَا یُلَقَّىٰهَاۤ إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِیمࣲ
And none receive this great treasure except those who are patient; and none receives this except one who is extremely fortunate.
وَإِمَّا یَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنِ نَزۡغࣱ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ
And O listener! If a distracting thought from the devil reaches you, seek the refuge of Allah; indeed He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. (41:30-36)
According to Islam, we should not be worried about the future, but rather trust in God’s plan and wisdom. God knows what is best for us, and He is the only one who can control the future. We should be fearless in facing the challenges and difficulties that may come our way, and keep praying for a better future in this life and the hereafter.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “If you ask, then ask of God; and if you seek help, then seek help from God. And know that if the whole nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with what God had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with what God had already prescribed against you.
"The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.”
This means that we should rely on God alone, and not on anyone or anything else. We should also be content with what God has decreed for us, and not be anxious or depressed about what we do not have. God is the best of planners, and He does not burden anyone beyond their capacity. He tests us with hardship and ease, to see who is grateful and who is patient.
The Quran says:
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَیۡءࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَ ٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَ ٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ
And We will surely test you with some fear and hunger, and with paucity of wealth and lives and crops; and give glad tidings to those who patiently endure. –
ٱلَّذِینَ إِذَاۤ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِیبَةࣱ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّاۤ إِلَیۡهِ رَ ٰجِعُونَ
Those who say when calamity befalls them, “Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed it is to Him we are to return.”
أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ صَلَوَ ٰتࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةࣱۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ
These are the people upon whom are the blessings from their Lord, and mercy; and it is they who are on guidance.
Islam encourages believers to trust in Allah's plan and to focus on living in the present moment. The Quran states in Surah Al-Baqarah,
ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنُ یَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَیَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَاۤءِۖ وَٱللَّهُ یَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةࣰ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلࣰاۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَ ٰسِعٌ عَلِیمࣱ
The devil scares you of poverty and bids you to the shameful; and Allah promises you forgiveness from Him, and munificence; and Allah is Most Capable, All Knowing.
2:268
This verse implies that excessive worry about the future is a tool that Satan uses to create fear and divert believers from their faith. Instead, Muslims are advised to place their trust in Allah and to remember that only He knows what the future holds. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is quoted in the Quran as saying,
قُل لَّاۤ أَمۡلِكُ لِنَفۡسِی نَفۡعࣰا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَلَوۡ كُنتُ أَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡغَیۡبَ لَٱسۡتَكۡثَرۡتُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَیۡرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِیَ ٱلسُّوۤءُۚ إِنۡ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِیرࣱ وَبَشِیرࣱ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُؤۡمِنُونَ
Say, “I have no autonomy to benefit or hurt myself, except what Allah wills; and were I to procure knowledge of the hidden on my own, it would be that I had accumulated a lot of good; and no misfortune would touch me; I am purely a Herald of Warning and Glad Tidings to the people who believe.” (7:188)
Therefore, we should not be worried about the future, but rather be hopeful and optimistic. We should also work hard to achieve our goals and fulfill our duties, while seeking God’s help and guidance. We should also pray for a good end in this life and a good outcome in the hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say: “O God! I ask You for a good life and a good death.”
Living in the present moment is also emphasized in Islam. As stated by Ibn al-Qayyim,
"Your attention must be directed to your life in the present – the time between two times. If you waste it, then you have wasted the opportunity to be of the fortunate and saved ones. If you look after it, having rectified the two times – what is before and after it – then you will be successful and achieve rest, delight and ever-lasting bliss"
One way to cultivate presence and mindfulness is through silence and seclusion, which have an important effect on our hearts and character. The Prophet Muhammad (S) says, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak goodness or remain silent" [Bukhari]
While it is natural to worry about the future, Islam encourages its followers to trust in Allah, live in the present moment, and focus on doing good deeds in this life for a better future in the hereafter. This does not mean that one should not plan for the future, but rather that one should strive to balance between planning for the future and living in the present without excessive worry or fear.
We should also remember that God is always with us, and He is closer to us than our jugular vein. He hears our prayers and responds to our supplications. He is the most merciful and the most compassionate. He loves us more than we love ourselves, and He wants us to succeed in this life and the next.
The Quran says:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِی عَنِّی فَإِنِّی قَرِیبٌۖ أُجِیبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیبُوا۟ لِی وَلۡیُؤۡمِنُوا۟ بِی لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَرۡشُدُونَ
And O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), when My bondmen question you concerning Me, then surely I am close; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they must obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may attain guidance. (2:186)
Therefore, we should not be worried about the future, but rather be fearless and keep praying for a better future in this life and the hereafter. God is with us, and He will never forsake us. He is the best of helpers, and the most generous of givers. He is the source of peace, and the giver of tranquility. The Quran says:
وَمَن یَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ یَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجࣰا
وَیَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَیۡثُ لَا یَحۡتَسِبُۚ وَمَن یَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُۥۤۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ قَدۡرࣰا
"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide him sustenance from a place he had never expected; and whoever relies on Allah – then Allah is Sufficient for him; indeed Allah will accomplish His command; indeed Allah has set a proper measure for all things." (Quran 65:2-3)
May God grant us courage and confidence, and make us among those who are fearless and faithful.