The heart's trembling at the remembrance of God (wajal)

In his commentary on Al-Anfal 2, Rida discusses the qualities by which God described believers, the first of which is the trembling of hearts when He is mentioned. ¹

Rida cites al-Raghib's view that trembling (wajal) is the perception of fear, and that it is more specific than fear and alarm. He says that trembling may accompany righteous action, as in Surat al-Mu'minun, and that its meaning in the verse of al-Anfal is alarm and a feeling of fear that overtakes the heart. ¹

Rida notes that trembling may come from an unknown outcome, and may also come from reverence and awe. He cites two reports from Umm al-Darda' and 'A'isha that the trembling in the heart is like the burning of a palm frond, and Umm al-Darda' says in the report that supplication is answered at this trembling. ^{1 2}

Rida holds that whoever restricts the remembrance of God in the verse to threat has overlooked the meaning of awe and fear, and that there is no contradiction between the verse of al-Anfal and the verse of al-Ra'd about the calm of hearts through the remembrance of God, because promise and threat, the attributes of perfection, and the signs of God in the self and the horizons bring tranquillity to hearts through faith and trust. ²