TAQWA: Fearing Allah

TAQWA: Fearing Allah


TAQWA:
Fearing Allah

Taqwa can be compared to walking through a narrow path with thorny bushes on
both sides and a person passing through it tries his level best to save his
clothes from being torn. The thorns are the sins and the clothes is one's
Eeman.

Linguistically Taqwa means forbearance, fear and abstinence, but in the
Islamic terminology, Taqwa has a distinct meaning. Taqwa is a high state of
heart, which keeps one conscious of Allah's presence and His Knowledge, and it
motivates him to perform righteous deeds and avoid those, which are forbidden.


The essence
of Taqwa is to make a shield (which guards) against Allah's anger and
punishment. That shield is to obey His commandments and abstain from His
punishment. [as explained by Ibn Rajab (rahimahullah) in Jami al-Uloom
wal-Hikam (190/191)]

Allah says: "O
you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, as you should have of Him and do not die
except as Muslims." [Soorah aal-Imraan (3): 102]

Ibn Mas'oud (radhiallahu
anhu) said speaking about this verse, Allah is meant to be obeyed, and not
disobeyed; remembered at all times, and not forgotten; and to be thanked; and
we are not to be ungrateful to Him."

Talq Ibn
Habeed (a tabi'e) said: "Taqwa (piety) is that you act in obedience to Allah,
and hope in His Mercy, upon a light from Him; and Taqwa is leaving acts of
disobedience to Allah out of fear of Him, upon a light from Him." [(Saheeh) by
Shaikh al-Albanee. Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in Kitaabul-Emaan (no: 99)]

Taqwa
alone is the criterion of greatness in the Sight of Allah

Allah says:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into
nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable
of you with Allah is that (believer) who has Taqwa
(God-consciousness, fearing Allah). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing,
All-Aware." [Soorah al-Hujurat (49): 13]

Allah has
erased all distinctions of racism, cast and color and made all human beings
equal. He has established a unique criterion for greatness and that is Taqwa.
Taqwa is the essence of the teachings of Allah's Messenger (sallalahu alaihe
wa-sallam).

Whenever
Allah's Messenger (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) sent his Sahabah on a military
expedition, he would advice them to have deep-rooted Taqwa of Allah and he
would also advise the rest of his military party likewise.

The Pious
Predecessors (salaf as-Saalih) continued this practice of giving mutual advice
of Taqwa after Allah's Messenger r passed away. Umar Ibn Khattab (radhiallahu
anhu) wrote to his son, Abdullah: "To proceed: 'Verily I advise you to have
taqwa (fear) of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, for whoever fears Him, Allah
will protect him, and whoever gives a loan to Him, Allah will reward him, and
whoever thanks Him, Allah will increase Him."



Some benefits of Taqwa

1.
Taqwa is a means by which a believer performs righteous deeds and Taqwa causes
the righteous deed to be accepted by Allah.

Allah says:
"O you who believe! Have Taqwa (fear) of Allah and always speak the
truth. He will direct you to do righteous and correct actions and will forgive
you your sins and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a
great achievement." [Soorah al-Ahzaab (33): 70]

and:
"Verily Allah accepts only from those who are the muttaqoon (those who
posses Taqwa)." [Soorah al-Maaidah (19): 71-72]



2.
Taqwa makes one deserving of Allah's Pleasure and Love. Allah says:
"Verily, the most honorable of you in the Sight of Allah is that (believer)
who has Taqwa." [Soorah al-Hujurat (49): 13]

and:
"Whoever fulfills his pledge and has Taqwa of Allah much, then indeed, Allah
loves those who are muttaqoon (those who posses Taqwa)." [Soorah
Aal-Imraan (3): 76]



3. Taqwa causes sins to be forgiven and increases rewards. Allah says:
"And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. He will remit his sins
from him, and will enlarge his rewards." [Soorah at-Talaaq (65): 5]



4. Taqwa keeps one steadfast on the Straight Path and protects him from
deviation.

Allah says:
"O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah. He will give you a Furqaan
(criterion to judge between right and wrong)." [Soorah al-Anfaal (: 29]


Imaam Ibn al-Katheer
(rahimahulla) said in his Tafseer, 'Ibn Abbas, as-Sudde, Ikrimah, adh-Dahhak,
Qataadah and Muqaatil, Ibn Huyyan, all said about 'Furqaan' that it means a
way out (from difficulty).

Mujaahid
added: 'A way out from difficulty both in this world and in the Hereafter.' In
a narration from Ibn Abbas, he said: "It means, 'Salvation' and in another
narration from him 'being helped.' Muhammad Ishaaq said that it means: 'A
criterion to judge between truth and falsehood.' This explanation from Ibn
Ishaaq is the most general of what has proceeded and it is a necessary
consequence of it. Since whoever has Taqwa of Allah by obeying His commands
and abandoning what He has prohibited, will be given the ability to recognize
truth from falsehood.

This will be
the cause for his salvation, his being helped; and the cause for his worldly
affairs being made easier and his happiness on the Day of Judgment. It will be
the cause for his sins to be expiated by Allah, and his being granted
forgiveness and Allah shielding him from the people. It will likewise be the
cause of him being the recipient of a great reward from Allah, as He the Most
High says: "O you who believe! Have Taqwa (fear) of Allah and
believe in His Messenger; and He will provide you with a light by which you
will walk." [Soorah al-Hdeed (57): 28]



How to achieve Taqwa?

Allah says:
"O mankind! Worship your Lord, Who created you and those who were before
you so that you may become al-Muttaqoon." [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 21]



Thus, Taqwa is the fruit of Eebadah (worship) and and can only be achieved by
performing acts of Eebadah. Therefore we often find Allah mentioning Taqwa
with Eebadah, he said regarding the fasts of Ramadaan: "O you who believe!
Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that
you may become muttaqoon (those who posses Taqwa)." [Soorah al-Baqarah
(2): 183]



Who is the most
righteous?

Allah says:
"And whosoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of
the heart." [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 32]



Thus, Taqwa inhabits the heart and it is only within the capability of Allah
to know what the hearts conceal. Therefore, judging people's righteousness and
spirituality is beyond the ability of the slave, Allah pointed out to this
fact when he said: "There is among people, he whose speech will dazzle you
in this life and he will claim that Allah is witness (to the sincerity of)
what is in his heart, yet he will be among the most vicious enemies (of
mankind)." [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 204]

It is
mentioned in the Qur'aan that Allah chooses His Awliya (singular 'wali' ling.
meaning Friend) from His slaves based upon their righteousness.

Allah
mentioned the characteristics of His Walee saying: "Verily, Awliya of Allah
are those who are not overcome by fear of grief; they are those who believe
and have Taqwa." [Soorah Yoonus (10): 62-63]

and:
"Verily, His close friends (Awliya) are only those with Taqwa but most of them
do not realize it." [Soorah al-Anfaal (: 34] Thus, a Walee of Allah is
he, who has Eeman, Taqwa and fear of Allah.



Unfortunately, many Muslims have exaggerated in this matter and specified some
individuals to be 'Awliya of Allah', while assuming piety and righteousness
for them. This practice is incorrect because the characteristics, which Allah
mentions about His Awliya (Eeman and Taqwa) are matters of the heart and
knowing them is beyond the capability of the slaves. Also, because these
characteristics are present in every believer in varying degree, therefore, to
specify some individuals to these qualities is unjust.

This practice
of elevating people to specific ranks of piety and giving them certain status
is a practice imported from Christianity and Hinduism. It was the practice of
the Christians that they would elevate some individuals to great ranks for
whom they assumed spirituality. And this was the main cause, which destroyed
their religion.
It is also
seen that tombs are built at the graves of these so-called 'Awliya of Allah'
and prayers are directed to them, either believing them to be intercessors or
benefactors. This practice is in complete contradiction to the teachings of
Islam. Islam teaches worship of One True Lord and fearing Him alone.