All
praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon Muhammad , his family, his Companions and all those who
follow him till the Last Day.
O believers !
Indeed
the advice which Allah has given to His servants from the time of Adam
up until now, has been to have Taqwâ (fear) of Him, Glorified and
Exalted be He.
The Mighty the Majestic says,
“And
we have instructed those who were given the scripture before you and
yourselves to have Taqwâ (fear) of Allah. But if you disbelieve then to
Allah belongs whatever is in the Heavens and whatever is on the Earth.
And ever is Allah free of need and praiseworthy.” [1]
It is also the advice of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to his nation:
Abî Umâmah Suddî ibn ‘Ujlân al-Bâhilî reports: I
heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) giving a sermon in the farewell
Hajj, saying, “Fear your Lord, pray your five prayers, fast the month of
Ramadan, pay your Zakâh, and obey your leaders, in doing so, you will
enter your Lord‘s Paradise.”[2]
Whenever
the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent a leader of a raiding party on a
military expedition, he would advise him, to have a deep rooted Taqwâ
(fear) of Allah and he would also advise the rest of his military party
likewise.
The
Pious Predecessors (salaf) did not stop giving mutual advice for having
Taqwâ (fear) of Allah in their sermons, their letters and their
testaments after the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) passed away.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb wrote to his son ‘Abdullâh:
“To
proceed: Verily I advise you to have Taqwâ (fear) of Allah the Mighty
and Majestic, for whoever fears Him, Allah will protect him, and whoever
gives a loan to Him, Allah will reward him, and whoever thanks Him,
Allah will increase him.”
“I
advise you to have Taqwâ (fear) of Allah the Mighty, the Majestic.
There is no escape in meeting Him and there is no other to meet you
except Him when you reach the Hereafter, for verily Allah owns this
world and the Hereafter.”
One of the righteous, wrote to his believing brother:
“I
advise you with Taqwâ (fear) of Allah who knows your secrets and sees
your open actions, so remember Allah at every time of the night and day,
and fear Allah according to His nearness, and the power He has over
you. And know that He always sees you. And do not leave His Rule for
another rule, nor His Dominion, for another dominion, So glorify Him, by
fearing Him immensely.”
The meaning of Taqwâ is that the servant puts between himself and that which he fears, a guard that will protect him. [3]
The meaning of Taqwâ regarding Allah's servants is
“That the servant puts between him and that which he fears, i.e.
gaining the anger and the wrath of his Lord, a guard which will protect
him.” By obeying Him and abstaining from disobeying Him.
My noble brother, here are some sayings of our Pious Predecessors, in explaining the meaning of Taqwâ (fear) of Allah:
Ibn Abbâs said: “The ones who fear Allah, they are the ones who are wary of Allah and His Punishments.”
The Tâbi’î (successor) Talq ibn Habî b said: “If
an ordeal appears amongst you extinguish it with Taqwâ.” When asked
what is Taqwâ, he replied, “Taqwâ (piety) is that you act in obedience
to Allah, and hope in His mercy, upon a light from Him; and Taqwâ is
leaving acts of disobedience to Allah out of fear of Him, upon a light
from Him.” [4]
Ibn Mas’ûd said:
“Speaking
about the statement of Allah: “O you who believe, have Taqwâ (fear) of
Allah, as you should have of Him and do not die except as Muslims.” [5] ..
is that Allah is meant to be obeyed, and not disobeyed; remembered at
all times, and not forgotten; and to be thanked, and we are not to be
ungrateful to Him.”
So
strive O my noble brother, in fearing Allah, the Mighty and Majestic,
for He is entitled to be feared, revered and glorified in your heart.
______________________________________________________________________________________
FOOTNOTES:
[1]
Sûrah an-Nisâ’ (4): 131. Al-Hâfidh Ibn Kathîr said that “Allah
instructed you just as He instructed others before you to fear Him and
no one else.” Tafsîr Qur’ân al-‘Adhî (1/504).
[2] Reported by Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadîth no.73
[3]
Ibn Rajab - rahimahullâh - said: “The essence of Taqwâ is to make a
shield (which guards) against Allah's anger and punishment. That shield
is to obey His commandments and abstain from His prohibitions…”
(Jâmi’ul-’Ulûm wal Hikâm: 190/191).
[4]
Talq ibn Habîb was a famous Tâbi. He was known for his knowledge, piety
and his recitation of the Qur’ân. Related by Ibn Abî Shaybah in
Kitâbul-Imân (No.99) and it was declared Sahîh by Shakyh al-Albânî .
[5] Sûrah al-Imran (3): 102
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