Assalam o alaikum wr wb, May Allah (swt) be pleased with you and all the Muslim Ummah. Respected Shaykh I have a inner problem called “FEAR”. Iam 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 powerfull.Iam 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 iam also at right path still iam not able to communicate with a person and say him that he is wrong. I do not want to be a coward but a brave man like the great Sahabas , who feared only the almighty Allah not his creations.Is shaythan wisphering this to me, I know a hadith which says Shaythan puts the fear of creations of Allah into the people(I can’t quote the Hadith reference and exact words). Some people even pressure me for my name i have.People call me with both of my names some call me Latif 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 on all of and forgive all our sins Ameen. Wassalam.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we advise you to earnestly mention Allaah and perform Ruqyah (Quranic treatment), 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. For more benefit on Ruqyah, please refer to Fatwas 91915 and 88660.

You are permitted to consult a psychiatric doctor who is specialised in treating obsessive compulsive disorders, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said: ''O Slaves of Allaah, seek treatment. Indeed Allaah has not sent down a disease except that He sent down a cure for it.'' [At-Tirmithi]

For more benefit on how to treat obsessive compulsive disorders, please refer to Fatwas 90425 and 88124, and refer to Fatwa 89035, on how to treat the fright caused by the devil.

Furthermore, it should be noted that not all kinds of fear are considered to be a kind of Shirk (associating partners to Allaah), as there is natural fear upon which Allaah 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 disobedience, with their power and will. May Allaah 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 'Abdul-Lateef, which denotes being a slave of Allaah. Moreover, it is permissible for people to call you by your first or last name (Lateef or Thaaqib).

Allaah Knows best.