Question:
Assalaamu Alaykum. May Allah (swt) be pleased with you and all the Muslim Ummah. Respected Shaykh, I have a inner problem called “FEAR”. I am a strong man, yet get feared with the creation of Allah (swt), which is also a type of SHIRK fearing others apart from Allah (swt) who is the Mightiest and Most Powerful. I am very much scared about it. I hear sounds of people crying and yelling as though they are fighting and that makes me feel scared and some heaviness in my heart. Now the situation is so worsen that even a big noise makes me feel scared. Sometimes when I am also at right path still I am not able to communicate with a person and say to him that he is wrong. I do not want to be a coward but a brave man like the great Sahaabah (Companions), who feared only the Almighty Allah not His creations. Is Shaythaan wisphering this to me. I know a Hadeeth which says Shaythaan puts the fear of creations of Allah into the people (I can’t quote the Hadeeth reference and exact words). Some people even pressure me for the name I have. People call me with both of my names some call me Lateef and some call me Saquib. Do I have to change my name? What should I do? Please give me an Islamic authentic remedy for this disease. May Allah have mercy upon all of us and forgive all our sins. Ameen.
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, we advise you to earnestly mention Allah and perform Ruqyah, as the fear which you feel could be due to being possessed by the jinn and the like, especially that you mentioned that you hear the noise of people shouting and crying.
You are permitted to consult a psychiatric doctor who is specialised in treating obsessive compulsive disorders, as the Prophet said: ''O Salves of Allah, seek treatment. Indeed Allah has not sent down a disease except that He sent down a cure for it.'' [At-Tirmithi].
Furthermore, it should be noted that not all kinds of fear are considered to be a kind of Shirk (associating partners to Allah), as there is natural fear upon which Allah created mankind, like the fear of fire, a lion and the like. Fear could also be a disobedience but lesser than Shirk, like fearing other people to an extent that one neglects his religious obligations.
Also, fear could be a kind of Shirk, like a person fearing other people to afflict him with a disease, poverty, or a disobedience with their power and will. May Allah cure you from this fear and whispers and grant you peace of mind.
As regards changing your name, you are not obliged to change your name, especially that your name is 'Abdullateef which denotes being a Slave of Allah. Moreover, it is permissible for people to call you by your first or last name (Lateef or Saquib).
Allah Knows best.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb