Taq’wa: the Recipe of Success

Taq’wa: the missing element                                                                         

For the ultimate fate of humans -both here and in the hereafter, nothing is more crucial than Taq’wa. In the scale of Divine Judgement, it is indeed the highest rewarding quality of a human. Taq’wa is commonly described as the fear of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. But such fear doesn’t express its deep meaning and implication. People fear tsunami, earthquake, cyclone, cancer, lethal bugs, man-eating beasts and other things; but such fear doesn’t generate any moral, ethical, cultural, spiritual or political revolution. Taq’wa works as the powerhouse of moral, spiritual, political and civilizational change. It is the moral force to submit to the Qur’anic Truth and to align with the Truth in ongoing warfare against the falsehood. An iota of disbelief in Truth and alliance with the falsehood instantly annihilate taqwa. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la has His Own definition about the people of taq’wa. The definition comes in the following verse: “And he who has brought the Truth (i.e. the prophet) and those believe in it are the people who possess taq’wa.–(Sura Zumar, verse 33).

Belief in the Qur’anic Truth must generate due practice of the Truth in both private and public life. But, such practice of belief seldom exists in the Muslim World. The Divine prescription that entails sharia, hudud, khilafa, shura, trans-ethnic unity and jihad in His Way only gets recited in the holy Qur’an. And how such recitation of Truth can generate taq’wa? When belief fails to build taq’wa, it builds hypocrisy. And a hypocrite can’t put Truth in practice; and nor can he align with the Islamic cause. Only because of taq’wa, the early Muslim could do miracles. They could build the finest civilisation on earth. Without taq’wa, one can’t join the march towards paradise. This is indeed the core problem of the Muslims, today; they could increase only in numbers, but not in taq’wa.

Even the Arab idolaters believed in Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. Many of them have the name “Abdullah” (meaning slave of Allah) even before the birth of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The implication of Taq’wa transcends far beyond mere belief in Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. It is the intense fear of inadvertent deviation from Qur’anic roadmap and aligning with the falsehood. It is the fear of unintentional noncompliance against His expressed Wish or Prescription. Such constant fear generates constant and intense submission to Him. The word “muslim” itself is indeed the state of such all-time full submissiveness to Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala. Since disobedience or noncompliance takes one to the hellfire, it is the constant urge of a believer to remain fully and perfectly obedient to Him. Thus, taq’wa generates an enormous incentive to fully integrate with the mission, vision and objective of Allah Sub’hana Ta’la.  As a result, the Muslims’ compliance with sharia, hudud, shura, khilafa and jihad in His Way becomes a natural outcome of the true faith.

The most crucial issue –

Finding the right path towards paradise is the most crucial issue for a human. The ultimate success -both here and in the hereafter, entirely depends on it. And the failure takes one only to the eternal hellfire. It is also true, no man or woman can find guidance on his or her own. It comes only through the Qur’anic guidance. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la doesn’t keep such an utmost crucial task under the discretion of anyone else; but under His Own Domain. Hence, “inna alai’nal huda” (guiding mankind is indeed My domain) is the Qur’anic pronouncement. The Almighty Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la delivers guidance by sending prophets and through revelations. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last prophet and the holy Qur’an is the final and the most comprehensive guidance. This is why, the holy Qur’an has been the all-time greatest blessing of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la for all men and women on earth; nothing can stand equal to it.

But Divine guidance is not a birth right or automatic entitlement for anyone. For it, adherence to the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is also crucial. In fact, only those who follow the prophet (peace be upon him), follow Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la – as revealed in the holy Qur’an. It is also crucial that for drawing the full benefit from the Divine guidance, one needs to be fully qualified for that. And the qualification doesn’t come from academic qualifications, but from taq’wa. It is the key to access this Divine Treasure. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la made it clear in the following verse: “This is the Book; there is no doubt therein. It is the guidance for the people who possess taq’wa.” –(Sura Baqara, verse 2).

Taqwa: the key for the paradise

Humans’ greatness, piety or religiosity wholly depend on taq’wa. In absence of taq’wa, no amount of good deed, effort or sacrifice is acceptable to Allah Sub’hana wqa Ta’al. The blood of the sacrificed animals, the wealth spent on charity, the hunger and the thirst endured in fasting and the bodies of the people killed in a war do not reach Him. But what reaches the Almighty Lord and makes a strong case for the forgiveness is Taqwa. It is the key for entering the paradise. In the hereafter, it is the only acceptable currency for making any transaction in the day of Judgement. Otherwise all the rituals, the charities and the supplication turn fake. Indeed, all worth and honour of a human rest on taq’wa. All forms of ibdah are aimed only to build taqwa. It builds strong linkage with Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala. So, the revelation comes: “Know that Allah is always with people of taqwa”–(Sura Taubah, verse 36). It is revealed: “The transgressors are friendly to each other; but Allah is the guardian of the people of Taq’wa”-(Sura Al-Jasia, verse 19). “On that Day (day of Judgment) the people of taq’wa will be assembled as the honoured delegation before the All-Merciful” (Sura Mariam, verse 85). Therefore, nothing could be wiser and nobler than investing all physical, intellectual or economic possession to increase taqwa. The early Muslims could set an unsurmountable example in such endeavour; in order to attain its highest level, most of them even sacrificed their life.

Taq’wa doesn’t generate on its own. Mere faith in Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la and the obligatory rituals can’t help it grow on their own either. A range of conceptual, ritual and institutional inputs and throughputs need to work together to give birth taq’wa.  For that, the most basic and important ingredient comes from the Qur’anic knowledge. Without Qur’anic knowledge, all the rituals turn to be failed ibadah. So, for the first 11 years of prophet-hood, the sole emphasis was to build up Qur’anic knowledge. The Divine decree on five time prayer, fasting, haj and jihad came much later. Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la emphasized on this crucial point through the following revelation: “innama yakhsha’Allah’a min ibade’al ulama” (meaning: out of all humans, only the people of (Qur’anic) knowledge fear Allah). So, the holy Qur’an is not only the Book of the right path (siratul mustaqeem) to the paradise, but also the Book of knowledge that builds up taq’wa. It is the most crucial issue that needs to be deeply understood. Satan and his followers do not miss this point. Hence their worst enmity is against the spread of Qur’anic knowledge. So, immediately after coming to the power, the communist Soviet Russia closed all Qur’anic teaching schools in occupied Muslim lands of the Central Asia. For the same reason, the US-led coalition and their partners in the Muslim World impose strict restriction on the teaching of Qur’an. They consider it a great threat to their own power and security interest. Their hatred against Qur’an is so toxic that many of them –like the old people of jahelia, call this greatest Gift of the Almighty as the book of terrorism. During their colonial occupation, the British colonialists too, imposed very selective and restrictive study of Qur’an. Topics like sharia, hudud, khilafa, Muslim unity and Jihad were not the part of madrasah curriculum. This way, the occupying enemies allow the Muslims to grow up without proper Islam.

Without taq’wa, one can recite the holy Qur’n thousands of times, can also perform thousands of raka of nafl prayers, can keep month after month fasting, can go for haj again and again, but can’t adhere to the siratul mustaqeem. This is exactly the current scenario of the Muslim World. The siratul mustaqeem that takes people through the valleys of khilafa, sharia, hudud, shura, pan-Islamic Muslim unity and jihad fi sabilillah is unknown or detested by these so-called Muslims. So, they display dismal failure. More than a billion Muslim take part in five-time prayer, month long fasting and other rituals, of them a very few stay on this siratul mustaqeem. Instead, they take the route of nationalism, tribalism, secularism, despotism, kufr law and other established satanic deviation. Instead of submitting to the sovereignty to Allah Sub’hana Ta’la, they declare their own sovereignty thorough their self-made law and constitution.

Whereas, claiming sovereignty is totally incompatible with the Islamic faith. A Muslim can only be a khalifa (viceroy), not a sovereign ruler. It goes against taqwa and feeds kufr. Sovereignty offers an entitlement to frame laws and define the right and the wrong. This is the most restricted privilege belongs only to Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. The holy Qur’an is very explicit on this issue. Hence, here comes the stern warning: “In’il hukmu illa lilla (meaning: the right to legislation belongs to none; it is only to Allah)” (Sura Yousuf, verse 40). Even King David (peace be upon him) and King Suleiman (peace be upon him) were the king only by name; they were de facto the most obedient khalifa. About King David (peace be upon him), there comes the following Qur’anic revelation: “(We said), “O David, indeed we have made you khalifa upon the earth, so rule among the people according to the revealed truth (sharia), and do not follow your own desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah.” -(Sura Sa’d, verse26).

The war against the Almighty

King David (peace be upon him) is known in history for his great wisdom, sagacity and amazing ability to make justice. Even he was not given the right to frame law. So, the message is clear: even the prophets are not immune to deviation from the true path of justice if they follow their own intellect. So, the right to frame law is taken away even from the prophets. Therefore, how can a monarch, or a despot, or a parliament of common men and women dare claim to be the law-giver? It is indeed the ugliest treason against Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la; it tantamount to declare war against His Sovereignty. Both King David (peace be upon him) and King Suleiman (peace be upon him) established the rule of sharia that was revealed to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the rightly guided khalifas did the same. But now, the Muslims have taken the path of active rebellion. They claim the sovereignty; and are engaged in collective war against Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la by dismantling sharia. Not only they are deviated from siratul mustaqeem, but also have usurped the entitlement of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala.

Moreover, constant ibadah (slavery) to the rule of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala is indeed the prescribed curriculum to build taqwa. So, the revelation comes: “O mankind! Do slavery to your Lord, who created you and those before you, so that you may acquire taqwa.”–(Sura Baqarah, verse21). Islam mean full submission to all revealed rules and prescriptions of Allah Sub’haan Ta’la. Hence, Islam means full Islam (full submission); there is no scope of half or partial Islam. So Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la issues the command: “Ud’khulil silm’i ka’ffa”. It means: “Enter into full submission (to rule of Allah) with (your) entirety”.  Hence, there exist not scope in Islam that any domain of life –be it politics or policies, law or legislature, education or culture, commerce or economics, war or warfare should stay outside the Qur’anic guidance. Only such inclusive submission to the Almighty Lord gives birth to taqwa. Hence in an Islamic state, submission to the Qur’anic prescription must overwhelm everywhere. As a result, every man or woman becomes the moving showcase of Islam. Only then, the Muslims receive the promised blessing from Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’la. Otherwise, one meets failure -both here and in the hereafter.