What is taqwa duty to Allah.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Dear
Brother, assalamu alaikkum. The Holy Qur`an often mentions keeping our `duty to
Allah`. Is there a summary of what is our `duty to Allah`. Some basic
definitions may point to the five pillars, but I am keen on getting a more
detailed list. Jazakallah Khair.
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Answer:
What is taqwa duty
to Allah
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah
Ale-Imraan verse 102:
102 O ye who believe! ‘It-taku’ Allah as is its right, and die not
except in a state of Islam.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verse 1 (part):
1 O mankind! ‘Itt-taku’ your Guardian-Lord
Who created you.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah
Zumar verse 10:
10 Say: "O ye my servants who believe! ‘It-taku’ your Lord: good
is (the reward) for those who do good in this world. Spacious is Allah's earth! Those who
patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!"
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 59 Surah
Hashr verse 18:
18 O ye who believe! ‘It-taku’ Allah, and let every soul look to what
(provision) he has sent forth for the morrow.
Yea ‘It-taku’ Allah: for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.
To be extremely honest, there is just no term in the
English language which has the capacity to do justice to the vast and
comprehensive meaning of the Arabic and Quranic term of ‘taqwa’!
The Arabic and Quranic term ‘Taqwa’, because of the
shallowness of the English language is translated as Piety, Righteousness,
God-Consciousness, duty, or simply as the ‘Fear’ of Allah Subhanah; but the
true meaning is much much more comprehensive than all these terms put together!
The state of constant consciousness of standing in the
Presence of the Majestic and Supreme Lord on One Inevitable Day is what Allah Subhanah
calls ‘taqwa’ or piety in His Quran; and it is this state of ‘taqwa’ alone which
has the capacity to inspire one towards the
doing of deeds that would earn one the Eternal Pleasure and Good Will of their
Lord, and it is this same state of ‘taqwa’ which alone has the capacity to
inspire one to abstain from doing anything which would ignite or bring about the
Unbearable Wrath and Anger of the Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme.
Taqwa means to abstain from doing anything that would
bring about the Wrath and Displeasure of the Lord All-Mighty; and to do deeds
of righteousness which are commanded by Allah and His Messenger (saws). ‘Taqwa’ is to live every moment of ones life
with the solemn belief that One Inevitable Day every soul will be brought forth
in the Presence of the Majestic Lord to give a full accounting of every one of
his deeds. ‘Taqwa’ is to determine
before doing anything whether the Lord Most Merciful will be Pleased or
Dis-pleased with the deed; if one determines that the Lord will be pleased with
the deed, he must do it wholeheartedly; and if one determines that the deed
would bring about the displeasure and Wrath of Allah Subhanah, he must
immediately abstain from it. ‘Taqwa’ is
to live every moment of one’s life consciously striving to do deeds which would
earn him the Pleasure and Good Will of the Lord Most Merciful, and abstain from
doing deeds which would bring about His displeasure and Wrath.
If one studies the Glorious Quran, one would realize that
more often than not, wherever Allah Subhanah Promises His slaves the
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale
Imraan verse 133:
133 Be quick in the race for forgiveness from
your Lord and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens
and of the earth; prepared for the ‘Muttaqeen’.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah
Qaaf verses 31-33:
31 And the Garden will be brought nigh to
the ‘Muttaqeen’, no more a thing distant.
32 (A voice will say:) "This is what
was promised for you, for everyone who turned (to Allah) in sincere repentance
who kept (his law).
33 "Who feared (Allah) Most Gracious
unseen and brought a heart turned in devotion (to Him):
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 52 Surah
Tur verses 17-18:
17 As to the ‘Muttaqeen’ they will be in Gardens and in
Happiness
18 Enjoying the (Bliss) which their Lord
hath bestowed on them and their Lord shall deliver them from the Penalty of the
Fire.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 68 Surah
Qalam verse 34:
34 Verily for the ‘Muttaqeen’
are Gardens of Delight in the Presence of their Lord.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah
Nahl verse 31:
31 Gardens of Eternity which they will
enter: beneath them flow (pleasant) rivers: they will have therein all that
they wish: thus doth Allah reward the ‘Muttaqeen’
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah
Furqan verses 15-16:
15 Say: "Is that (fire) better or the
eternal Gardens promised to the ‘Muttaqeen’? For them that is a reward as well
as a goal (of attainment).
16 "For them there will be therein all
that they wish for: they will dwell (there) for aye: a promise to be prayed for
from thy Lord."
Thus, in conclusion, my dear and beloved brother in Islam
the absolute best way to bring about a reformation and develop ‘taqwa’ in our
hearts is to get close to the Remembrance of our Lord Who Created us; and the
best way to Remember our Lord is to read, understand, obey, follow and
completely submit ourselves to His Glorious Message which He Himself revealed
for our guidance, The One and Only Glorious and Noble Quran!
Allah is our witness brother, one who sincerely submits oneself
to the Glorious Message of their Lord will find that one’s whole life will
become a life spent in the worship and remembrance of their Lord; one’s
prayers, one’s fasts, one’s zakat, one’s Hajj, one’s work, one’s relationship
with fellow man, etc……. in fact, one’s every single deed will be aligned to
earn the Pleasure and Good Will of their Lord Most Gracious, Most Merciful
…..and it is this same ‘submission’ which will inspire one to stay away from
every single deed which would ignite or bring about the Wrath and Anger and
Punishments of the Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme. This constant state of consciousness of the
Remembrance of their Lord is what is known as ‘taqwa’ in the Glorious Quran.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister