Ramadan in UAE: Piety combines all kinds of 
righteousness and goodness

Dubai - The Quranic verses urge for piety, link success to it and show the status of the pious — the men of Taqwa.

In this blessed month of Ramadan, which is also called the month of piety, it is desirable to have a clear understanding of the value of piety in the light of the Holy Quran and Ahadith.

Piety is a virtue that combines all kinds of righteousness and goodness; hence, the Quran has given it great care and attention. It is enough to say that piety and its derivatives are mentioned in the Quran more than 240 times.

The Quranic verses urge for piety, link success to it and show the status of the pious — the men of Taqwa.

Piety is good, its raiment is the best, and its provision is the most beneficial. It is enough honour for it that Allah Almighty has ordained it upon His slaves by saying (Say (O Muhammad): “O My slaves who believe (in the Oneness of Allah), be afraid of your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him) (Sura Az-Zumar 39:10).

In another verse he has said, (And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!) (Sura Al-Baqarah 2:197).

In a third verse, the Glorified and Exalted has said: (and the raiment of righteousness, that is better.) (Sura Al-A’râf 7:26)

It is the recommendation of Allah for us and for those who were before us (And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah, and keep your duty to Him.) (Sura An-Nisa’ 4:131)

By piety, man can distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil and the harmful and the beneficial. By it, sins are forgiven, as Allah Almighty has said, (O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allah, He will grant you Furqan (a criterion to judge between right and wrong), or (Makhraj, i.e. a way for you to get out from every difficulty), and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you; and Allah is the Owner of the Great Bounty.

The pious gain the light. The light accompanies the pious, the light of the eyes; as the light of the hearts fades away and the hearts turn blind, as Allah Almighty has said: (Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind) (Sura Al-Hajj 22:46)

But the pious are kept safe by their righteousness from the blindness of the heart; by the light of piety they become successful in their deeds in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.

The Quranic call orders for piety in order to get such light to enlighten the hearts along with the light of the eyes. Allah Almighty has said, (O you who believe (in Musa (Moses) (that is Jews and Isa (Jesus) (that is Christians))! Fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger (Muhammad), He will give you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight). And He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Sura Al-Hadîd 57:28)

The pious are the best people: For Allah, precedence or superiority is neither by prestige, sovereignty nor wealth.

This is the Divine justice in cancelling all means of differentiation between human beings but only the means of piety, which can be achieved by anyone whenever they abandon lustrous desires and hastening to performing acts of obedience, as shown in the words of Allah Almighty: (Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (i.e. he is one of the Muttaqûn (the pious).) (Sura Al-Hujurât 49:13)

“That (believer) who has At-Taqwa” not that of the best ancestries and lineages amongst you, not the richest, not the most prestigious nor the most powerful, nay: it is but just the most pious among you.

They gain the company and protection of Allah Almighty. It is enough honor for the pious to gain the company of Allah, by guarding, caring for, and leading them to be right in their words and deeds. Allah Almighty has said, (Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinun (good-doers). (Sura An-Nahl 16:128)