Why do we need fear so we can acknowledge higher authority?
It becomes forcefull , by what you say..
Peace,
I think human existence was not always planned by God. It was plan B, if the first sentient beings needed it. First, Jinn were Angels, all of them, not all God's close or chosen Angels, but they were saints, and Angel's definition is a saintly Jinn.
I think the first plan was these creatures were tuned and created in a world very close to God's reality, even their nature makes ascending to God very easy and makes God very easy to see. The Ahlulbayt back than didn't know they would become humans either.
Then the Angels became a bit to full of themselves. Their worship lacked humility and love it was more self-centered into themselves and they adored their own beings as worshipers of God almost as much as they adored God.
They're worship was become more and more vain, and so God came with a plan. The plan was to put the Authorities in volatile race where things can go wrong, and even bloodshed spilled by the volatile and vulnerable nature of the beings, and Angels all thought it was bad plan. But God told them he knows what they do not.
He created Adam and taught him knowledge higher than what Angels had, and made him the only means by which they can attain that knowledge.
Up to this point, there was no threat of hell for anyone. And if Angels enjoined each other sincerity and not self-praise, we might all have been created as Angels.
Then as you know Iblis refused to submit to God through Adam and prostrate to him. Then God intervened and asked him, what prevented him. Iblis instead of acknowledging his fault, sought to justify his action. Only way to justify is to disbelieve in God and his signs at this point. No one would dispute God's knowledge, but Iblis said he was better, so he doesn't believe in God nor the voice talking to him is of God at this point. So he disbelieved in God's signs after believing. Then asked for respite and when given it, as a final warning, God told him of hell. But he was too arrogant to even turn back to God then.
When Adam was warned, he wished deeply to be God's favorite and closest and highest, and so craved the authority that is everlasting and the position of the everlasting authority. So he too convinced himself Iblis was telling the truth, and forgot what he knew, due to his wish to become of the exalted ones (Ahlulbayt).
But the difference is when Adam noticed he deviated, he stopped himself quickly. He repented, and changed coursed. This means that his chosen status was not all diminished by Iblis' deceptions.
But there was further dispute as a result in the high council, and the spirits whether to become Jinn or Human, were are all confused. God then promised a guidance would come from him and there is temporary life we will have on earth.
Because God is hidden, and there are consequences in becoming like Iblis, he sent warnings through his Messengers.
The reality of hell is a destination that becomes unavoidable consequence of evil actions if we don't change and are not saved by God and his chosen, in regards to them.
Actions good and bad take on living form. Bad actions can consume us and make us blind and in darkness forever. God is the light of those consumed and surrounded by darkness to, but as a dim far away star.
From what I understand, fear of God when God is hidden, means we acknowledge our own fault, and see our evil, and see we are worthy of his wrath when we sin, and so this love trying to protect us (self-love perspective) and also acknowledge God's justice while he is hidden (love of God and his right to punish and his beautiful side of both mercy and wrath perspective).
Fear of God in Prophets because they know they are going to paradise, takes on a different form. They fear more so for people.
Quran at first can generate a lot of self-fear. In the long run, it makes you more worried for others. Empathy is a strong connection we all have, and mathematically it is correct to value others like you value yourself. If you fear hell for yourself, you should fear it for others.
The Quran emphasizes a lot that God is feared in regards to the hidden, that we don't perceive his hidden judgment fully. But we this belief in the hidden is praised.
People who hate God out of lust towards evil desires and the world, easily can do two things:
(1) Deny his Personality
(2) Deny the Creator's Existence all together
Yet, believers instead of letting lust they followed take over their souls so much so they justify it and deny God's right to punish their evil, acknowledge God's right to punish but attempt to change.
When they change, they hope for increase in blessings and proximity. When they hope, they act. When they act, they attain, and then they become lovers of God appreciating him.
However, even though they would have no worry with regards to themselves at this point, they fear regarding others. They also do not expose their purity and station with God, because, it's between them and God and they are not chosen Messengers that need to prove their purity through proofs.
The sign of their state is in their preaching. You can tell they act on what they preach despite them trying to hide their inward states of proximity to God and not claim it. The believers who follow and love God recognize each other through this.
Fear once attained to proximity of God becomes a guard that keeps the soul from deviating from the path knowing what they have with God is better then anything the world has to offer. But that fear begins to pale for personal as deviation becomes near impossible with more good deeds creating barriers of light protection. So the only fear that remains like their hope is through empathy, they fear for others.
Fearing and worrying for others is not easy, but it's while we can do something. When it's all over, the grief and severe sadness will change to laughter hysterically, and people will be at peace with the results as there is nothing that can be done, but accept God's judgment and justice at this point.
Grief will end eventually, but is very good in this world, because it means empathy and love is in the heart and it's not hardened.
