INTERVIEWER 1: It is said that every believer will experience awe of grave no matter what. Is that true?

ADNAN OKTAR:Suffering in grave?

INTERVIEWER 1: Yes.

INTERVIEWER 3: Suffering in grave.

ADNAN OKTAR:No, of course not.

INTERVIEWER 1: Not as suffering, but as awe, as fear.

ADNAN OKTAR: No, there is a very clear command in the Qur’an. There are verses. This contradicts with them. Someone who claims that cannot explain to us this contradiction with the verse in the Qur’an.

INTERVIEWER 2: Could the believer be looking with amazement?

ADNAN OKTAR:Of course, the believer can be amazed, and ponders upon the Mightiness and fear of Allah. One feels excitement and joy. But the believer is constantly happy. There is no part where he experiences fear and awe. No, a Muslim’s fear of Allah is not something that inflicts grief upon him. When a Muslim is brought next to the edge of Hell in the Hereafter, he still fears Allah, but this is a fear full of love and joy. This is not the classic fear as we know it. Fear, as if a man points a gun into your face and the man fears.  Or he is in a fire and he fears. Muslim’s fear of Allah is not like that. It is said, “with deep respect”, look “they fear Allah with a deep respect”. This means a fear full of intensive respect. This is a fear surrounded by obedience to Allah, loving Allah and trusting Allah. Therefore, it is not a fear that results in awe, pain or misery. So there is no misery and pain in the fear of Allah. If there is someone who thinks otherwise, then he is doing wrong, meaning performing it wrongly. It is unlikely to think that one will both love Allah, trust Allah and also fear Him in such a way that he feels awe. There is no way.

INTERVIEWER 2: Actually this is not something that is understood clearly. Not everyone comments on the verses, which say “they fear Allah”. Thank you. May Allah bless you.

ADNAN OKTAR: Of course, if it happened in that sense, then people should die out of fear. A devout Muslim should die in pain because of that misery, that tension and that pain caused by psychological tension. On the contrary, a Muslim is very joyful, healthy and full of life. Is that so? They have a clear being, his state of mind. Therefore, this is not what it’s meant. Allah reveals in the Qur’an, “They fear Allah with deep fear.” A fear caused by an animal attack (Allah is beyond this) is different and fear experienced by a man in a fire is different. How could we compare with this? The purpose of fear of Allah is love of Allah. And it has the purpose to feel love and passion for all of Allah’s creations. Fear of Allah is at the root of love and passion. So if a person is in love with someone for the sake of Allah, as a manifestation of Allah, he can only feel that by a deep fear of Allah.

INTERVIEWER 1: In that sense, we should all fear, is that so?

ADNAN OKTAR:Of course.

INTERVIEWER 2: It is actually to fear to show disrespect to Him, is it not?

ADNAN OKTAR:You fear to displease Allah, to show a lack of respect for Allah.

INTERVIEWER 3: You don’t want Him to be away in the first place. You want to be among His loved servants.

ADNAN OKTAR:Insha’Allah. Because, to be away from Allah, is a great misery. I mean burning in Hell does give a person serious ache, but just think about the pain caused by displeasing Allah. Think about the pain of Hellfire. Isn’t that so? The pain caused by displeasing Allah is the biggest pain. Therefore, a Muslim avoids that. Allah is the Beloved of every Muslim. To displease Him, to know that Allah has a negative view about someone, I mean to know that for sure; that is very painful. Muslim avoids that, and this is the basis of fear. If not, with a classic fear like that, in the sense that we understand, if the person is truly faithful, then it is for sure that the person’s heath would deteriorate. So he could neither eat nor sleep, such a person, he can’t even find the strength to speak.