Falling unconscious after reciting لَبَّیْک اَللّٰہُمَّ لَبَّیْک

ʿAli Awsaṭ, famously known as Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, was the son of Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, and great-grandson of Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He was a personality defined by taqwā, righteousness and fear of Allah.    

There are two ways to fear Allah.

1.   The first type of fear is that experienced by sinners like us. This means to fear being punished or held to account by Allah due to our sins.

2.   As for awliyāˈ and Allah’s pious servants, they fear the hidden plan of Allah. They are close to Allah, yet they fear this closeness could be taken away from them at any time.

Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ feared Allah in the second way we have just described.

This can be evidenced by the following incident. The great imam once entered the state of iḥrām to perform ḥajj. As soon as he wore the clothing of iḥrām, his face immediately became pale. His fear of Allah overcame him to the extent he could not recite talbiyyah (لَبَّیْک اَللّٰہُمَّ لَبَّیْک).

When people asked why he could not recite talbiyyah, the imam explained, “I fear when I recite لَبَّیْک اَللّٰہُمَّ لَبَّیْک, لَا لَبَّيْك shall be declared in reply.” (The imam feared not being accepted in the court of Allah.) The people humbly said, “O our master, it is necessary to recite talbiyyah in the state of iḥrām!” Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then began reciting it in order to act upon this ruling of sharīʿah.

As soon as “لَبَّیْک اَللّٰہُمَّ لَبَّیْک” left his lips, the imam fell unconscious. This continued to happen throughout his ḥajj. Whenever he recited لَبَّیْک اَللّٰہُمَّ