Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Fear of Allah is one of the obligatory acts of the heart. Worship in Islam is based on love, fear, and hope together. A Muslim does not worship his Lord through love alone, fear alone, or hope alone.
Allah Almighty says:
“So do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are believers.”
[Al ‘Imran 3:175]
And He says concerning His prophets:
“Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were humbly submissive to Us.”
[Al-Anbiya 21:90]
Worship Combines Love, Fear, and Hope
The believer loves Allah and hopes for His mercy and Paradise, while at the same time fearing His anger and punishment.
Allah combines these meanings in His saying:
“They hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever to be feared.”
[Al-Isra 17:57]
Seeking Paradise and fearing Hell do not conflict with loving Allah. Rather, they are themselves acts of worship for which Allah praises His servants.
Is Prayer Merely a Spiritual Experience?
Prayer is not merely a means of attaining inner peace or “union with existence.” Rather, it is an act of worship prescribed by Allah with specific times, forms, and essential components.
Humility, love, and presence of heart are among its greatest purposes, but this does not mean that its prescribed form can be abandoned or that the number of prayers and rak‘ahs is unimportant.
A Muslim also does not pray merely to obtain a certain psychological feeling. Rather, he prays in obedience to Allah, out of love and reverence for Him, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment.
Why Does the Believer Need Fear?
Praiseworthy fear of Allah motivates a person to avoid sin and fulfill acts of obedience. However, it is not a fear that leads to despair or hopelessness. Rather, it is accompanied by hope and good expectations of Allah.
Allah says:
“Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen will have forgiveness and a great reward.”
[Al-Mulk 67:12]
Summary
Fear of Allah is obligatory and is part of faith, but it is inseparable from loving Allah and hoping for His mercy. Correct worship combines love, fear, and hope.
Therefore, calling people to worship Allah through love alone while rejecting fear of Hell or hope for Paradise contradicts what is taught in the Qur’an. Prayer is also a prescribed act of worship with specific times and forms; it is not merely a spiritual experience whose form a person determines for himself.
And Allah knows best.