Taqwa

“O believers! Fear Allah (observe taqwa) as He should be feared…” [Qur’an, 3: 102]

Taqwa or spiritual vigilance is the core of a righteous life conducted in total submission to Allah SWT. It is a comprehensive word with many meanings and must be interpreted in the context it is used. It often refers to the fear of Allah, the consciousness of Allah, moral alertness, self-awareness, and piety. Its root is Qawa, meaning preserve, shield, or protect. Thus, taqwa means shielding oneself against dismaying Allah SWT by refraining from His defiance and getting closer to Him by doing things that please Him. One who practices taqwa is called muttaqi (plural: muttaqeen). It has been used in the Qur’an 100 times along with 250 plus derivatives in different settings, all gravitating toward the central theme: “Be conscious of Allah SWT in every aspect of life.” None is burdened beyond one’s capacity. With compliance comes ease is the promise of Allah SWT: “…he who fears Allah, He will make his path easy. This is the command of Allah…” [Q, 65: 4, 5]       

Taqwa is a discipline that, once internalized, makes a person self-directed and shapes his behavioral patterns, like a motorist’s driving habit. There are three types of motorists when it comes to stopping, e.g., at a traffic sign in a secluded area. One will go straight through ignoring it because nobody is around. The other will go through as well because there is no traffic and no risk of any accidents. The third one will stop regardless and then proceed if safe. The first one has no respect for the law (nonbeliever). The second one is judgmental who takes the law in his hand and manipulates to suit (hypocrite). The third one is a strict law abiding citizen. To him, stop means stop, even when it is safe not to stop. He is a conscientious (muttaqi) driver. Driving, as taqwa, is a discipline; depending on how it is adopted, it determines the driving habit of a person.  

People tend to behave superbly when there is an awareness of being watched. With His unlimited Vigilance, Allah SWT is constantly watchful of every move, thought, action, and emotion of every person even before they originate in their base and materialize. They will be presented to him as his record for accounting: “We have fastened every man’s omen to his neck. On the Day of Judgement We shall produce for him his scroll …, (saying:) Read your scroll…’ [Q, 17:13, 14]

Fear falls generally in two categories. People are afraid of many things they fear might harm them physically. They are afraid of a tiger, snakes, lightning, and unfamiliar dark spaces. This type of fear is intimidating and people tend to distance away from its source. The other kind is intertwined with affection, emotions, loyalty, and reverence. Nobody wishes to annoy the one he loves, respects or sees as a beneficent, such as a parent, generous employer, or an inspirational figure. This type of fear is inspiring; it motivates a person to get even closer to the one he is afraid of by taking the right steps. The highest benefactor, of course, is Allah SWT. The fear not to displease Him is a magnetic force (taqwa) that pulls a faithful in the nearness of his Lord. 

Caliph Omer once asked Obayy ibn K’ab: What is taqwa? He replied: Have you never traveled through a narrow passage that had thorns on it? The Caliph said yes. Obayy then asked: What did you do? He replied: I rolled up my sleeves and struggled to pass through cautiously. Obayy said: That is taqwa for protecting yourself from sins (thorns) through the journey of this life. 

Against this backdrop, this world is a place of test to determine how we exercise our freedom of choice Allah SWT has granted: “He created death and life that He may test you to see which of you is best in deeds…” [Q, 67: 2] Two paths have been laid down in front of us to choose from: “…Have We not showed him the two highways?” [Q, 90: 10] Despite having provided man with all mental faculties, Allah SWT has not left him wandering in unchartered territories. He has provided him a highlighted roadmap showing him two highroads – good and evil. He has inspired his conscience with a sense of right and wrong: “And by the soul and by Him Who perfectly proportioned it; and inspired it with (the consciousness of) its evil and its piety.” [Q, 91: 7, 8] It is now up to him to make his call as to which way he should proceed by his free will and choice.

Even if we make the right choice, we still need Allah’s help to stay the course with all its challenges, turns, and twists. So, we ask Him: “Direct us on the Straight Path.” [Q, 1: 5] We seek Allah’s support in following the path of those He favored and to keep us from the path of those who went astray and incurred His wrath. In answer to our du’a (prayer), Allah SWT has revealed the Qur’an as a code of conduct for us with the caveat that it will guide only those who desire to live a life of taqwa: “…it is guidance for the pious (muttaqi).” [Q, 2: 2] For others who are poised to resist any change that threatens their vile lifestyle, their hearts will get hardened still.

We worship Allah SWT in many different forms, such as daily prayers, fasting, and charity. The ultimate result of all forms of ibadah (worship) is to cultivate taqwa which, in turn, stimulates to perform various virtuous acts. As the Creator and Sustainer, Allah SWT calls upon mankind to worship Him so that they may attain taqwa: “O mankind, worship your Lord Who has created you as well those before you, that you may attain taqwa.” [Q, 2: 21] Attain taqwa so that you are saved from false beliefs and unrighteous conduct in this life and from the punishment in the next.

The attainment of taqwa is essential as it nurtures a person’s personality characteristics ingrained in his moral conscience. This includes his belief system, fiscal responsibility, devotional services, civic engagement, transactional activities, perseverance during hardship, and his resolve to stand up for the truth. The Qur’an provides a comprehensive profile of those who practice taqwa: “… true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away one’s property in love of Him to one’s kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishing Prayer (Salat) and dispensing the Purifying Alms (Zakat). True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and the time of battle between truth and falsehood. Such are the truthful ones; and such are the muttaqeen (who fear Allah).” [Q, 2: 177]

The Qur’an makes it clear that the observance of certain outward religious rites, the performance of a few formal religious acts out of conformism, and the manifestation of certain familiar forms of piety do not constitute righteousness which alone carries weight with Allah SWT. Taqwa must set in motion a complete overhaul of life and the way we conduct it as it should be conducted: “O believers! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and see that you do not die except in the state of submission to Allah.” [Q, 3: 102]  A believer must not die except in a state of taqwa. Since death is unpredictable, he must live by Islamic conduct every single day, as someday there will be no tomorrow. Nothing is outside the domain of taqwa, private or public, family or business, devotional or secular, peace or war. Everything must be governed by the principle of taqwa.

Man is obsessed with worldly possessions and suffers from moral diseases of greed, materialism, and unjust practices. Excessive adoration of money keeps man constantly absorbed in finding ways and means of amassing wealth. The existence of an interest in society further intensifies his yearning, breeding avarice, hatred, resentment, and jealousy. The attributes bred by the spread of interest are the exact opposite of those which develop as a result of spending on those in need as an act of taqwa: “Believers! Do not swallow interest…, and fear Allah so that you may attain true success. And have fear of the Fire which awaits those who deny the Truth.” [Q, 3: 130-31]

Contrary to a mentality of greed and selfishness fostered by devouring interest and exploiting the neediness of others, people of taqwa are inspired to be compassionate and generous. They rush to extend their hand to those who need support and share with them caringly whatever they have within their capacity. They control their anger when others enrage them and come forth with forgiveness, rather than the malice of vengeance: “And hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord and to a Paradise …, prepared for those who fear Allah (muttaqi). They spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others…” [Q, 3: 133-34]   

Islam’s instance for justice and fairness is so entrenched that it reverberates across the human spectrum by the universal standard. Different standards cannot be applied based on outward variations, race, color, or social class, for all are born equal as offspring of the same parents. Each other’s rights and obligations must be respected and delivered with equity and fear of accountability: “O men! Fear your Lord Who created you from a single being… Fear Allah in Whose name you plead for rights, and heed the tie of kinship. Surely, Allah is ever watchful over you.” [Q, 4: 1] The mutual rights of human beings and the principles on which a sound and stable family life can be built have been fully elaborated in Islamic teachings. The believers have been exhorted to fear Allah SWT and recognize all humans as equal to be treated justly and fairly.  

The faculty of speech is an extraordinary asset Allah SWT has granted uniquely to humans. It is solely responsible for the wealth of knowledge man has accumulated, the development of human civilization, and the ongoing progress we all enjoy: “The most Merciful has… created man and taught him speech.” [Q, 55: 1- 4] The speaking style gauges a person’s intellectual capability, his train of thoughts, perceptions, and values, and how he conducts himself in a conversational setting, even when others disagree with him. It is a narrow path for a Muslim to walk as he is required to be courteous and mindful of his duties and manners. He must abide by the principle of taqwa in all encounters and must talk truthfully: “Believers, fear Allah and speak the truth.” [Q, 33: 70] The substance of conversation is constantly under scrutiny as to how it is communicated: “Not a word does one utter, except that there is an (angel) Watching, Ready to record it.” [Q, 50: 18]

In numerous narrations of the Prophet SAW, he has advised Muslims to guard their tongue and has warned them against loose speech. Once he said: “…Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak goodness or remain silent.” [Muslim] One of the companions, Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir asked the Prophet SAW: “… How can one attain salvation?” He replied: “Hold back your tongue…” [Tirmidhi] This caution is enforced repeatedly in the Qur’an (e.g., Q, 23: 3) as well. 

While the tongue is an indispensable asset man has, it can also be lethal and destructive if used recklessly and untruthfully. Abusive language, backbiting, gossiping, rumors, conspiracies, and misinformation tactics have explosive effects on human relations, create misunderstandings, and tear the fabric of society. Islam admonishes its appropriate use for developing bonding and cohesiveness. Those who fear Allah SWT and follow the advice are promised ultimate success: “…Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has achieved a great triumph.” [Q, 33: 71]  

Man is inherently created superior to all other creations: “Indeed, We honored the children of Adam…, and exalted them above many of Our creatures.” [Q, 17: 70] However, often unrestrained obsession for worldly possessions suppresses moral conscience. Intellectual superiority with decomposed conscience unleashes tendencies of bigotry and delusion of supremacy against those who may appear different and potential targets of transgression. This is when racial, ethnic, and other forms of decimations, unjust practices, and warfare begin to take hold to disparage humanity and decimate society.      

Islam’s global view is: “O mankind! We have created you from one man and one woman…” [Q, 49: 13]   That is, you all are the offspring of a single pair of parents. The apparent diversity in shapes and colors, and variations in talents, thoughts, and approaches are designed for cooperation and moving forward together. These variations are not meant to categorize or characterize members of the same family derogatively by treating them differently. Nobody has everything, but everybody has something to contribute to the shared good. While man is created superior to all other creations, his superiority within his own kind can be earned only through noble conduct to be judged externally: “…the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the one who is most muttaqi…” [Q, 49: 13] This concept is so vital for the soul of the society that the Prophet SAW sealed his Final Address by stressing: “…All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety (taqwa)…”  

Islam aspires for its followers to excel in every noble act, big or small. The cumulative impact will be on the vigor and depth of taqwa in one’s consciousness of Allah SWT. When the passion of a person for virtue becomes so intense that it exceeds the limits of excellence, the person himself becomes a symbol of that virtue – Prophet Ibrahim was the icon of Tawheed. Furqan is another name for the Qur’an which means the “criterion” or “touchstone”, that separates two elements with opposing attributes, such as good and bad, true and false, real and fake, and virtue and evil.

The Qur’an separates the Truth from the falsehood, and so does the Furqan: “Most exalted is He Who sent down this Furqan on His servant, to be a warner (against falsehood) to all mankind.” [Q, 25: 1] Taqwa sharpens the vision of a person that microscopically isolates what pleases Allah SWT from what displeases Him. When taqwa gets absorbed in his conscience, he becomes an embodiment of taqwa and fulfills all his obligations with moral excellence. In that state, he begins to radiate the effects of the Furqan and evolves into a walking display of its persona: “Believers! If you fear Allah He will grant you a criterion (make you the Furqan)…” [Q, 8: 29]