TAQWA (author unknown)
Dear Muslims: Assalamu 'Alaikum My talk to you today is about an important subject which
influences our daily lives' activities, behaviors, manners
and characters. The title of the subject is Taqwa. Since
there is no English meaning for the word Taqwa, I will use
the Arabic word for Taqwa as such that I will explain its
meaning directly from the Qur'an. The word Taqwa has been mentioned in the Qur'an 251
times in many surahs. This large number of verses related
to Taqwa is an indication of the importance of the subject
and the dimension that the concept of Taqwa is involved. To appreciate the significance of the concept of taqwa, I will
summarize some of the verses in the Qur'an. The first verse
to be quoted from the Qur'an summarizes the meaning of
taqwa. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow): "Alif. Lam. Mim. This is the book wherein there is no
doubt; a guidance unto those who ward off (evil): who
believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of
that we have bestowed upon them: and who believe in that
which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which
was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter."
(2 : 1-4) Some more meanings for the word taqwa are to be
mentioned here. Allah says in the Qur'an in Surah
Al-'Imran (The family of Imran): "And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord,
and for a paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth
prepared for those who ward off (evil); those who spend (of
that which Allah has given them) in ease and in adversity,
those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward
mankind; Allah loves the good; and those who, when they
do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and
implore forgiveness for their sins - who forgives sins save
Allah only? And will not knowingly repeat (the wrong)
they did." (3 : 133-135) Some more meanings for the word taqwa may be mentioned
here directly from Qur'an. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah
( The Cow): "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East
and the West; but righteous is he who believes in Allah and
the last Day and the angels and the Scriptures and the
Prophets; and gives his wealth for the love of Him, to
kinsfolk and to the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer
and those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observes
proper worship and pays the poor-due. And those who keep
their treaty when they make one, and the patient in
tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they
who are sincere. Such are the God-fearing." (2 : 177) >From the above three different verses, one may be able to
conclude the following meanings for the word Taqwa: 1.Belief in: Allah; the Unseen; the Revelation to
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); the Revelations before
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); the Day of Judgment;
the Angels, and the prophets of Allah to mankind. 2.Performance of regular prayers. 3.Paying Zakat. 4.Spending money in the way of Allah while at ease or
in adversity for the love of Allah; and giving money to
the kinsfolk, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarers,
those who ask, and those in slavery to be set free. 5.Controlling one's wrath. 6.Forgiveness to others. 7.Fulfilling one's own commitments. 8.If one commits a mistake, he/she should ask
forgiveness from Allah. 9.A person should not knowingly repeat the wrong
deeds of he/she did before. 10.To have patience in tribulation, in adversity or at time
of stress. One may ask for the types of rewards that the muttaqeen
will receive from Allah Almighty. Since taqwa includes
beliefs, practices and good deeds in one's own life, the
rewards from Allah are plenty. Among the many worldly
and heavenly rewards are the following. 1.Love of Allah to the muttaqeen. In this regard Allah
says in Surah Al-'Imran: "Nay, but (the chosen of Allah is) he who fulfils his
pledge and wards off (evil); for lo! Allah loves those
who ward off (evil)." (3 : 76) 2.Allah is with the muttaqeen. In this regard Allah says
in Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow): ". . . observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah
is with those who ward off (evil)."(2 : 194) You may also read (9:37) and (9:124). 3.Allah is the supporter, the Friend and the Helper to
the muttaqeen. In Surah Al-Jathiyah (The
Crouching) Allah says: ". . . and Allah is the Friend of those who ward off
(evil)." (45 : 19) 4.Leaders are to be among the muttaqeen. In this
regard, Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan: ". . . and make us patterns for (all) those who ward
off (evil)." (25 : 74) 5.The muttaqeen during the Day of Judgment will
continue to be friends to one another, while others will
be foes to one another. In this regard, Allah says in
Surah Az-Zukhruff (about al-muttaqeen: "Friends on the Day will be foes one to another, save
those who kept their duty (to Allah)." (43 : 67) 6.In the Day of Judgment, the muttaqeen are not to
fear or grieve. In this regard, Allah says in Surah
Az-Zukhruff about al-muttaqeen: "O my worshippers! For you there is no fear this
Day, nor is it you who grieve." (43 : 68) 7.The muttaqeen will go to paradise with all the good
life they are to enjoy there. There are many verses in
the Qur'an about this reward. Allah says in Surah
Al-Hijr: "Lo! Those who ward off (evil) are among gardens
and water springs (And it is said unto them): Enter
them in peace, secure." (15 : 45-46) You may also read (51:15); (52:17); (54:54); (68:34);
(77:41); (78:31). We have seen from the above presentation that we should
heed Allah, fear Him, love Him, seek refuge in Him, praise
Him and call upon Him. We should request Him to guide us,
to make us good worshippers, to keep us on the straight
path, and to make us of the muttaqeen. If we live as
muttaqeen, we will, indeed, be among the best creatures of
Allah, and among the best worshippers of Allah. Dear Muslims: I request you kindly to look into the concept of taqwa, and
to practice the total meaning of taqwa in your private life as
well as in your public life. If you do so, you will be loved by
Allah; you will enter paradise and you will have the best of
what is in paradise. Ameen. Let us ask Almighty Allah forgiveness.
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