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Significance of Taqwa

All is well that ends well, is an old saying. It shows how important the end is: a blissful end is promised in the Holy Quran for the righteous.

What is righteousness and who are the righteous? Righteousness is a virtue, which is prized, both in religious and secular circles. When unfolded, the virtue covers all qualities of human life, such as love, patience, perseverance, caution, compassion, devotion and prudence.

These qualities of character make a person a true human being, honest and conscientious. The impact of the practice of these qualities by the two classes of people, religious and secular, is different because of the difference in their thinking towards life and its values.

For the religious minded, it is the mandate from Almighty Allah that strengthens and sustains their will to be righteous. For the secular set, it is the impelling self, of an individual or a group, that is, society—which dictates what to do and what not to do.

In the first case, the performance is uniform and constant, and the purpose altruistic. In the second case, the practice is sporadic and erratic, and the manner egoistic.

The import of virtue in the former case is lasting and far reaching, while in the latter case, it is only a passing show. Hence our experience that despite so much ‘good’ being done, much ‘goodness’ in real terms is not to be seen.

In Islamic society the emphasis is on mandatory righteousness with an altruistic purpose. Islam has one word to denote the excellence of virtuous character in theory and practice, which is Taqwa. It is the essence of the noble qualities mentioned above, superimposed by the love of Almighty God.

Literally, Taqwa means, from its trilateral root ‘waqa’, the instinct in human beings to guard against harmful, dangerous things. One who develops this inherent quality is called a Muttaqee (plural Muttaqeen). Taqwa is a cardinal virtue that enables one to take good care of oneself out of gratitude towards Almighty God for His gift of life as well as of faith.

He tries to tread on safe and solid ground, avoiding pitfalls, thorns and thickets and other snares. Because of this inborn virtue of abstaining from evil in obedience to the command of Almighty Allah and availing oneself of the good as a blessing from Him, the Holy Quran justly calls upon people at large to do good and refrain from evil. It is a common quality of some degree in all human beings.

Men of understanding are apt and more prone to follow the Divine Guidance, believing it to be their best safeguard.

Attainment of a higher quality of Taqwa is possible for those who accept and act upon the Divine Guidance. They are better qualified to make known the Message of the Holy Quran to others through their belief and practice.

The Holy Quran asks those who believe—the Muslims—to spread its message, saying that it is ‘guidance and mercy’ for those who believe in it (10:57).

There is another class of people who are best qualified to benefit from what the Holy Quran has to offer. They are the Muttaqeen, embodiment of sovereign virtues, ‘the righteous’ (2:2).

It is obvious that men with sterling qualities of character can avail themselves of Divine Guidance to the utmost. At the head of this class of people, their leader and master is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The seed of Taqwa is the fear of Almighty God, born out of love due to His greatness and not out of despair of the fearful, the dangerous One and His power to punish. A Muttaqee carries in his heart fear for the love of Almighty God. The twin sentiments stand for realisation of Almighty God and His attributes. The more one has of this quality, the more successful he is both here and in the Hereafter.

Taqwa stands guard against false steps and keeps one steadfast on the right path, come what may; it is the flower of one’s faith in the existence of Almighty Allah; His oneness; love and all other attributes of Almighty God; His nearness to oneself; His commands—as made known in the last of the revealed Books of God, the Holy Quran, and as taught by the last of His prophets.

Taqwa is the means to keep in mind the doctrines and disciplines of the faith. It strengthens the will to act upon them. It is the motive force to acquire Ilm (useful knowledge) and undertake ‘amal swaaleh’ (good deeds) for the love of Almighty God and to be among His loved ones.

One who possesses Taqwa, possesses the whole of the faith. His life and conduct are a practical lesson in faith for others. The Holy Quran assures such a person of freedom from ‘fear and grief’ and also of the ‘best end’ (7:128). It speaks highly of such persons (Muttaqeen) saying that Almighty God loves them; He is with them; and, finally, that the end is (best) for them.

The high praise and the promise of a safe end for Muttaqeen are no wonder, because of the fact that the persons concerned are the embodiment of virtue and a model of noble qualities. May He grant us the qualities to be one of them.

Khwaja Mohammed Zubair is former Khaleej Times staffer

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