kh-sh-y

Description

The Arabic root خشي (kh-sh-y) conveys a profound sense of reverential fear, awe, and consciousness of God that combines respect, humility, and awareness of divine majesty. In the Quranic context, this term represents a higher spiritual state than ordinary fear, describing the proper attitude believers should maintain toward Allah—one that motivates righteous action and moral restraint out of genuine awareness of His greatness rather than mere terror. The Quran particularly emphasizes that true khashya (خشية) is the distinctive characteristic of scholars and those with deep knowledge, as they most fully comprehend God's attributes and thus experience this reverent fear most intensely.