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📌 Description: In this clip, Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan explains the Islamic ruling on being scared of dark places. ❓A questioner asks whether this type of fear is a deficiency in aqidah. - The Shaykh clarifies that this is not a creed issue, but rather a form of cowardice that a person may develop until it makes him a coward. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⚖️ Islam teaches that there is a difference between natural fear and superstitious fear. ⚠️ Natural Fear is the fear of things that can truly harm you—such as snakes, scorpions, spiders, or the fear of being bitten or attacked. This is normal and does not affect your aqidah, although such fear should not be exaggerated. And the Muslim must remember that everything occurs by the decree of Allah, which he should be pleased with and accept. 📌 However, the type of fear mentioned in the video falls under natural fear where there is no real harm at all, and this is cowardice. There is nothing present that should cause fear. - Not the fear of dark abandoned buildings where a real threat exists, or a place where someone may jump out and harm you. Rather, it refers to being frightened in a safe dark room just because its dark, or a dark hallway, a dark basement, a dark closet, a dark kitchen, or even the darkness under the bed, situations where there is no real danger at all. This type of fear comes from cowardice. ⚠️ Superstitious fear is the fear of imagined forces, hidden powers, omens, signs, or superstitions that have no real cause and no ability to harm by themselves. It is fear based on false beliefs, illusions, or myths, not on anything that Allah created as a real danger. This includes things like fearing certain numbers, shapes, sounds, shadows, objects, or places because of imagined harm, not real harm. Superstitious fear when it involves believing that something besides Allah can independently bring harm or benefit is shirk! This is because fear, in that sense fear of harm or benefit is an act of worship that is permitted only for Allah. - It is only Allah who is to be feared regarding His punishment, the non-acceptance of good deeds, having a bad ending, or departing from Islam. - If a person believes that an object, place, or superstition has power on its own to benefit or harm, this is major shirk because he has given a share of Allah’s lordship (harm and benefit), and worship (fear) to something created. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⚠️ Evidences That Fear Is an Act of Worship 1. Allah commanded fear of Him alone: {So do not fear them, but fear Me if you are believers} Surah Al Imran 3:175 ➡️ If fear was not worship, Allah would not command it exclusively for Himself. 2. Allah condemned fearing others besides Him: {And they fear their allies, but they do not fear Allah} ━ Surah 9:13 ➡️ Condemnation of fearing creation the way only Allah should be feared. This proves fear is a form of worship that must be directed to Allah alone. 3. Allah described the believers as those who fear Him: {So fear them not, but fear Me} ━ Surah 2:150 ➡️ Exclusive command = fear is worship. 4. Fear is paired with other acts of worship such as dua and tawakkul {So fear Allah and obey Me} ━ Surah 26:108 ➡️ Fear is mentioned alongside obedience—another act of worship. 5. Allah praised the righteous for fearing Him in worship {Those who fear their Lord in secret} ━ Surah Al-Mulk 67:12 ➡️ Fear in the heart for Allah is an act of worship that earns reward. 6. Ibn Taymiyyah’s definition of worship includes fear Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (728H) said: “Worship includes what Allah loves and is pleased with from statements and actions, inward and outward—such as love, fear, and hope.” ➡️ Fear is explicitly listed as worship. In all cases, superstitious fear is forbidden, and a Muslim must rely upon Allah alone, fear Him alone, and know that no harm or benefit occurs except by His decree. A Muslim should rely upon Allah, recite the daily adhkar and Quran, and reassure his heart th
