The Garment of Taqwa

THE GARMENT OF TAQWA

One of the distinguishing characteristics of believers is "taqwa." Derived from the word "wiqayah," which means to protect, guard, avoid, respect, be devout, obey, fear, and be cautious, its verb form is "ittiqa." A person who possesses taqwa and practices ittiqa is referred to as "muttaqi."

The Qur'an is interwoven with the concept of taqwa and its derivative terms from beginning to end, emphasizing its significance as the most crucial attribute of believers. This concept is reiterated in various forms 285 times throughout the holy text.

The meaning of "fearing Allah," often cited as the definition of the word taqwa in sources, does not fully reflect the intended meaning of the concept. Although the word taqwa etymologically contains the notion of fear, it signifies not a fear of something terrifying but rather the fear of hurting one's beloved, expressing a sense of respect and responsibility towards the Creator. In this context, phrases such as "Allah-consciousness" and "sensitivity to one's responsibility towards Allah" are more fitting in capturing the essence of taqwa.

Indeed, the fear embedded within the concepts of taqwa and ittiqa originates from the deep veneration felt for Allah. It is this sensitivity that leads believers to abstain from sins and encourages them to do good and seek righteousness (Diyanet İslam Ansiklopedisi, vol. 39, p. 484).

The Three Degrees of Taqwa

In his tafsir, Ebussuud Efendi (rahmatullahi alayh) explains the meaning and degrees of taqwa as follows:

"Taqwa, derived from the root ‘wiqayah,’ means to protect and guard oneself extensively. In Islamic tradition, taqwa is defined as vigorously avoiding things that are detrimental to one’s life in the hereafter. As stated in the hadith, the following verse encompasses various aspects of taqwa:

'Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, kindness, giving to relatives, and forbids immorality, wickedness, and oppression. He admonishes you, so that you may take heed.' (An-Nahl, 90)

There are three degrees of taqwa:

• The first is protection from eternal punishment by avoiding kufr (disbelief). 
• The second is abstaining from all sins, including minor ones, according to some scholars. This is the taqwa defined in Shariah.
• The final degree is purifying one's heart from anything other than Allah and directing one's entire existence toward the Almighty.”

Fakhruddin ar-Razi (rahmatullahi alayh), one of the great mufassirs in the history of Islam, explains in his tafsir that the word taqwa initially means khashyah (fear arising from veneration and respect). He further elaborates that the concept of taqwa in the Qur'an is used in the meanings of faith, repentance, obedience, abandonment of sin, and sincerity. Finally, he provides evidence from the verses and hadith that the station of taqwa is the most honorable station:

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.” (An-Nahl, 128)

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Al-Hujurat, 13)

“Whoever desires to be the most honorable among people, let them be mindful of Allah. Whoever wishes to be the strongest among people, let them rely on Allah. Whoever desires to be the wealthiest among people, let them trust in what is in Allah's omnipotent hand more than what is in their own." (Razi, Mafatihu’l-Ghayb, II, 23)

Vigilance on a Thorny Path

Caliph Umar bin Khattab (radiyallahu anh) once asked Ubay bin Ka'b (radiyallahu anh) about the meaning of taqwa. Ubay asked him in response:

"O Umar, have you ever walked on a thorny path?" To which Umar replied:

"Yes, I have." Ubay then asked, "And how did you manage?"

Umar answered, "I gathered my clothes and exerted all my attention to avoid the thorns from harming me." Upon hearing this, Ubay bin Ka'b (radiyallahu anh) said:

"That is taqwa." (Ibn al-Kathir, Tafsiru'l-Qur'ani'l-Azim, I, 164)

Ali bin Abi Talib (radiyallahu anh) once said, "Taqwa is to cease persisting in sins and not to be deceived by one's acts of worship (into having a favorable notion of oneself)."

Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh) defined taqwa as "not preferring anyone other than Allah to Allah and knowing that all affairs are in the hands of Allah." (Mafatihu'l-Ghayb, II, 23)

Umar bin Abdulaziz (rahmatullahi alayh) described taqwa as "abandoning what Allah has forbidden and fulfilling what He has made obligatory," while Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah (rahmatullahi alayh) emphasized that taqwa includes avoiding everything that distances a person from Allah.

Maymun bin Mahran (rahmatullahi alayh) said, "A person cannot achieve taqwa unless they hold themselves accountable more rigorously than a stingy partner or an oppressive ruler."

According to pious people of wisdom, "A person can only reach the peak of taqwa when their inner thoughts can be placed on a plate and paraded in the marketplace without feeling any shame before those who look at it." (Ebussuud, Irshad, I, 89-90)

In summary, to protect ourselves from prohibitions and fulfill the commandments, we must don the garment of taqwa (Al-A'raf, 26), which is the most virtuous attire. It is clear that there is no other way but to follow the Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), who said, "The most pious among you is me" (Bukhari, Iman, 13), and to seek refuge in Allah the Most Merciful with his supplications:

"O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and contentment of the heart." (Muslim, Dhikr, 72)

"O Allah! Grant my soul its piety and purify it. You are the Best to purify it. You are its Guardian and Protector." (Muslim, Dhikr, 73)

Abdülkadir Alioğlu