Taqwa and success

Taqwa means obedience to Allah Ta'ala. Obedience to Allah Ta'ala is achieved by implementing the commandments of Allah Ta'ala by following the Tareeqah and the principle of our beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). And in simple language, this is what is called following the Deen.

To follow the Deen which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) received from Allah Ta'ala, guarantees our well-being in Dunya and Aakhirah. It is a means of solving all our problems and of saving us from all types of difficulties. It is a means of us getting all our necessities in an unimaginable way. The Qur'an-e-Kareem and the Hadith of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) are replete with examples where Allah Ta'ala has always assisted those who have been sincere to Him in very difficult situations. If Allah wants something, what can stop it from happening! Allah Ta'ala can make the fire not burn. Allah Ta'ala can prevent water from drowning a person. Allah Ta'ala can make ferocious animals such as lions become tame and non-aggressive to those who have Taqwa. All this has already happened and can also happen today and this possibility will continue to exist forever. It is neither something of the past nor something archaic. Anyone who has this type of Taqwa will get this privilege.

Taqwa and the nobility

True nobility is found in Taqwa. The noblest person is the one who is more obedient and more deendaar. The more a person neglects the Deen, the more he disqualifies himself of being noble. Honour without Deen is an illusion, a mirage or a make-up. Many things shine but are not gold. Every type of honour is not honour. It may have a resemblance or an imitation. A king is a king even if he is dressed in simple clothes while a beggar will not become a king even if there is a crown shining on his head. Gold will remain gold even though it is covered with soil and dust. A donkey will remain a donkey even if it is covered with the sheath of a horse. Those who are devoted to Allah Ta'ala, it is they who are the uncrowned kings although their neglected appearance and their torn clothes make them go unnoticed in the eyes of the public.

Taqwa - the greatest Ibaadah

When we speak about Ibaadah, immediately what comes to mind is Salah, Roza (fasting) and Tilaawat. And when we say Ibaadat Guzaar or Parhezgaar or pious, then we immediately think of a person who observes Salah, Roza and Tilaawat in abundance. Without doubt, these practices have their value which we all know. One cannot say otherwise. However, there is another level of Ibaadah that surpasses this level of Ibaadah. In a Hadith, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"اتق المحارم تكن اعبد الناس"

"Refrain from the Mahaarim (forbidden acts in the Shari'ah); you will be the one who has more Ibaadaat among the people ..."

That is, not breaking the law of Allah Ta'ala and abstaining from sins qualifies a person as the greatest Ibaadah Guzaar because a person who does not break the command of Allah Ta'ala will execute the commandments and abstain from all forbidden things. No doubt he will be better than a person who does a lot of Ibaadaat but does not refrain from sin. A person who performs his Farz, Waajib and Sunnah and does not commit any sin, is much better than another who does a lot of Ibaadaat but continues to sin. It is better to refrain from sin to the dimension of an atom rather than to make a lot of Ibaadaat equal to a mountain. So the greatest Ibaadah is the abstention from sins. And this is the highest level of Taqwa.

How to acquire Taqwa?

According to a Hadith, a person tends to imitate his most intimate friend. That is why Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) advises us to see well before befriending anyone because a person gets the manners of those whom he befriends. Thus, befriending is a means of instilling good or bad manners in a person. So, if one befriends a good person, one will learn good manners and will develop good character. Likewise, befriending a person who has Taqwa will develop Taqwa. This has always been the most effective way to develop Taqwa. The person, whose company you choose, must be someone who has sufficient knowledge that enables him to practice his Deen properly and he must be someone whose behaviour is irreproachable. For this, he must be someone whose knowledge and behaviour is accepted and approved by the ‘Ulama. They should know him as a person who is serious in Deen. One should not make the mistake of chasing after someone who is accepted by the public but is frowned upon by the 'Ulama.

The favour of Allah Ta'ala on the Muttaqi

There are favours and privileges that a pious person receives from Allah Ta'ala which others are deprived of. This is because Allah Ta'ala is for the one who is for Allah Ta'ala. How can one become for Allah Ta'ala? A person becomes for Allah Ta'ala when he lives for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. He does only what Allah Ta'ala likes. He may love something very much and he feels attracted to it but he will never satisfy his desire if this displeases Allah Ta'ala. At this stage, Allah Ta'ala becomes his true beloved. Thus the person sacrifices himself, his wealth and everything for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. Concerning this type of people, Allah Ta'ala says:

"... وان سئلنى لاعطينه ولئن استعاذنى لاعيذنه ..."

"... If He asks Me, no doubt I will grant him and if he asks me for protection, no doubt I will protect him ..."

That is Allah Ta'ala grants him his request and grants him the protection that he asks for. People get well-being when their life, honour, wealth and family are protected. Thus a person gets this well-being by being obedient and sincere to Allah Ta'ala. What a person cannot acquire by tremendous effort, a very Deendaar person may acquire it easily in a miraculous way. These favours are seen in the lives of the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum), the Taabi'in, the Tabe Taabi'in, and the pious people in general. There is no epoch that lacks such examples.

Allah Ta'ala protected Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam) from a great fire in which his people had thrown him. Hazrat Yunus (Alaihis Salam) was protected in the abdomen of the fish. Hazrat Yusuf (Alaihis Salam) remained safe and sound in the well in which his brothers had thrown him. Allah Ta'ala had made a path for Hazrat Musa (Alaihis Salam) in the sea and He had drowned his enemy Pharaoh in the same sea. Hazrat Mariam (Alaihas Salam) was getting out-of-season fruits and yet she was locked in a place where, besides her mamou (maternal uncle), Hazrat Zakariyyaa (Alaihis Salam), no one had access. 

Hazrat Khubaib (Radiyallaahu Anhu) was imprisoned by the Mushrikeen of Makkah. They had chained him. But he was getting big bunches of grapes which he was partaking without anyone gaining access to him. Yet there were no grapes in Makkah. The Kuffaar had put Hazrat Abu Muslim al-Khawlaani (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh) in the fire but by the command of Allah Ta'ala, the fire did not cause him any harm. On the contrary, they saw him standing in the fire performing the Salah. Thus, everything is in the hands of Allah Ta'ala. Whoever becomes for Allah Ta'ala, then Allah Ta'ala makes that which is unfavourable favourable for him. All his problems are solved and everything goes well.

[English version of "Taqwa et le succès" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.9]