Dear Muslims!
One day, our Prophet (saw) said to his Companions, "I know such a verse that if people embrace it, it will be enough for all of them." Then, he recited the following verse, "Whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out."[1]
Through these words of his, the Messenger of Allah (saw) teaches us that the way out of all kinds of problems and hardships, as well as to attain happiness in this world and in the Hereafter is taqwa.
Dear Believers!
Taqwa is the consciousness of keeping our Lord's pleasure alive. It is the desire to demand His love. It is the fear of losing His pleasure with us. It is the lifelong endeavor to live responsibly. Having taqwa is like the sensitivity we have in order not to let our body be harmed while we are walking on a thorny path. Just like we would pay attention to our body not getting any injury while walking on such a path, the name of our struggle to avoid sins and haram in our life is taqwa.
Dear Muslims!
The first level of taqwa is the kalimat al-tawhid, which is the essence of Islam. In other words, it is to say لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger." Muslims who have taqwa confirm it through their hearts and acknowledge it through their tongues. They have faith in Allah (swt), who has created us from nothing, and in the Prophet (saw), who taught us the religion. They love Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) more than anything and anybody else.
The second level of taqwa is obedience to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). As stated in the Holy Qur'an, the noblest one in the sight of Allah is the one who has the most taqwā (i.e., consciousness and fear of Allah, piety and righteousness).[2] Devotion and obedience can be ensured through embracing taqwa. A Muslim girding oneself with taqwa demonstrates the effort to fulfill all requirements of Islam, performs their prayers in awe and in the most proper manner, and spends from the sustenance bestowed upon them in the cause of Allah (swt). They uphold justice and keep their promises. They observe human rights and public rights. They act well towards their parents, relatives, neighbors, as well as those they know or they do not know in person. They pay attention to halal and properly earned income. They employ their hands, tongues, eyes, and hearts always in acts with which Allah (swt) will be pleased.
The top level of taqwa is to remove everything from our heart except Allah (swt). The Prophet Muhammad (saw) pointed his hand at his chest three times and said, "This is where taqwa is."[3] Muslims who have taqwa avoid ill feelings polluting their hearts, bad habits, and rude behaviors. They view committing great sins, which darken the heart, and insisting on small sins as a piece of glowing coal.
Dear Believers!
The Prophet Muhammad says, "Wealth elevates one in the sight of people, and taqwa in the sight of Allah."[4] So, let us embrace taqwa that will increase our value in sight of Allah (swt) and make our faces brighter in this world and in the Hereafter. Let us keep away from being rebellious against our Lord, engaging in affairs to invoke His wrath, and showing up before Him with darkened faces on the Day of Judgment. Let us not forget that Allah the Almighty (swt) views those having taqwa as His allies. He (swt) heralds that for the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.[5]
[1] Darimi, Riqaq, 16; Talaq, 65/2.
[2] Hujurat, 49/13.
[3] Muslim, Birr, 32.
[4] Tirmidhi, Tafsir al-Qur'an, 49.
[5] Yunus, 10/62-63.
General Directorate of Religious Services
One day, our Prophet (saw) said to his Companions, "I know such a verse that if people embrace it, it will be enough for all of them." Then, he recited the following verse, "Whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out."[1]
Through these words of his, the Messenger of Allah (saw) teaches us that the way out of all kinds of problems and hardships, as well as to attain happiness in this world and in the Hereafter is taqwa.
Dear Believers!
Taqwa is the consciousness of keeping our Lord's pleasure alive. It is the desire to demand His love. It is the fear of losing His pleasure with us. It is the lifelong endeavor to live responsibly. Having taqwa is like the sensitivity we have in order not to let our body be harmed while we are walking on a thorny path. Just like we would pay attention to our body not getting any injury while walking on such a path, the name of our struggle to avoid sins and haram in our life is taqwa.
Dear Muslims!
The first level of taqwa is the kalimat al-tawhid, which is the essence of Islam. In other words, it is to say لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger." Muslims who have taqwa confirm it through their hearts and acknowledge it through their tongues. They have faith in Allah (swt), who has created us from nothing, and in the Prophet (saw), who taught us the religion. They love Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) more than anything and anybody else.
The second level of taqwa is obedience to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). As stated in the Holy Qur'an, the noblest one in the sight of Allah is the one who has the most taqwā (i.e., consciousness and fear of Allah, piety and righteousness).[2] Devotion and obedience can be ensured through embracing taqwa. A Muslim girding oneself with taqwa demonstrates the effort to fulfill all requirements of Islam, performs their prayers in awe and in the most proper manner, and spends from the sustenance bestowed upon them in the cause of Allah (swt). They uphold justice and keep their promises. They observe human rights and public rights. They act well towards their parents, relatives, neighbors, as well as those they know or they do not know in person. They pay attention to halal and properly earned income. They employ their hands, tongues, eyes, and hearts always in acts with which Allah (swt) will be pleased.
The top level of taqwa is to remove everything from our heart except Allah (swt). The Prophet Muhammad (saw) pointed his hand at his chest three times and said, "This is where taqwa is."[3] Muslims who have taqwa avoid ill feelings polluting their hearts, bad habits, and rude behaviors. They view committing great sins, which darken the heart, and insisting on small sins as a piece of glowing coal.
Dear Believers!
The Prophet Muhammad says, "Wealth elevates one in the sight of people, and taqwa in the sight of Allah."[4] So, let us embrace taqwa that will increase our value in sight of Allah (swt) and make our faces brighter in this world and in the Hereafter. Let us keep away from being rebellious against our Lord, engaging in affairs to invoke His wrath, and showing up before Him with darkened faces on the Day of Judgment. Let us not forget that Allah the Almighty (swt) views those having taqwa as His allies. He (swt) heralds that for the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.[5]
[1] Darimi, Riqaq, 16; Talaq, 65/2.
[2] Hujurat, 49/13.
[3] Muslim, Birr, 32.
[4] Tirmidhi, Tafsir al-Qur'an, 49.
[5] Yunus, 10/62-63.
General Directorate of Religious Services