Question:
Assalamu‘alaikum SS Datuk Mufti. Among the wisdom of fast is for attaining taqwa. What is taqwa?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The following are the scholars’ definitions of taqwa:
- Sayidina Ali RA said: “Taqwa is the fear of Allah, worship and believes in the book revealed. Content with whatever little is given and prepare oneself for the hereafter.”
- Al-Nasr Abazi Rahimahullah: “Taqwa of a true servant of Him is protecting himself from anything else except Allah SWT.”
- Abu Bakar Muhammad al-Rauzabari Rahimahullah said: “Taqwa is avoiding anything that would prevent you from God.”
- Talaq bin Habib Rahimahullah said: “Taqwa is worship with obedience towards Allah SWT.”
- Abu Hafs Rahimahullah said: “Taqwa is only towards the permissible and not for others.”
- Taqwa is also explained to have several levels: For the public (awwam), it is being safe from shirk. For people of rare distinction (khawas), it is to save oneself from sin. For the Sufi of a high spiritual level (wali), they protect themselves from the act of tawasul (depending on his good deeds).
- Ibn Ataillah Rahimahullah said: “Taqwa is divided into two, actions and intentions. The actions are obeying the rules set by syarak and intentions are sincerity and good intentions.”
- Abu Husin al-Zanjani Rahimahullah said: “Whoever has property and taqwa, people will only say good things about him.”
- Al-Wasiti Rahimahullah said: “Taqwa is protecting oneself from other people noticing his taqwa.”
- Abdullah bin Mas’ud RA said: “Taqwa is always remembering Allah and never forgetting Him, submit to Him and never disobey Him, be grateful to Him and do not commit transgressions.”
According to the above definitions of taqwa, it can be concluded that the outcomes of taqwa in a person are him performing amar ma’ruf and nahi munkar while at the same time getting closer to Allah with sunnah worships. Taqwa is of the utmost importance when Allah SWT states that the most honorable among people are of those the most God-fearing (taqwa).