What is the Arabic saying behind “Angst essen Seele auf”?

Question

In Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film Angst essen Seele auf (1974), Ali uses an Arabic saying, in broken German:

Angst essen Seele auf.
(Fear eat soul.)

I wonder if this is rooted in some actual Arabic saying. If yes, what is it (in the Arabic language)?

Answer 1

Well it's one of the common phrases that is used in Arabic language and it's translation is: الخوف يأكل الروح

Update,

In Latin letters, Al-kawf ya'kol Al-rooh. Or can be written in this way too, Al khawf ya'kol Al Rooh.