Taqwa in Islam: Meaning, Importance, and Blessings

Source: Khutbāt Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Isḥāq Zāhid
Compiled by: Tawheed.com


The subject of this article is Taqwa (God-consciousness). It begins by highlighting the tremendous importance of taqwa through the Qur’an and Sunnah. Then, it explains the reality and definition of taqwa, followed by a description of the qualities of the muttaqīn (pious people). Lastly, the article outlines in detail the great benefits and fruits of taqwa. This is not a typical Friday sermon, but rather a complete reformative and scholarly discourse intended to help readers truly understand and adopt taqwa in their practical lives.

❖ The Importance of Taqwa​

➊ Taqwa in the Sunnah Khutbah​

It is well known among scholars that the Prophet ﷺ used to recite three specific verses in the Khutbah al-Ḥājah. As narrated from ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه and others:


Sunan al-Nasa’i: 1404 – Authenticated by al-Albānī


Each of these verses begins with a command to observe taqwa, which is a clear indication of its paramount status in the sight of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.

◈ First Verse:​

﴿یٰٓاَیُّھَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ حَقَّ تُقٰتِہٖ وَلَا تَمُوْتُنَّ اِلَّا وَاَنْتُمْ مُّسْلِمُوْنَ﴾
(Āl-ʿImrān 3:102)
Translation:
O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.

◈ Second Verse:​

﴿یٰٓاَیُّھَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوْا رَبَّکُمُ…﴾
(al-Nisāʾ 4:1)
Translation:
O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul…

◈ Third Verse:​

﴿یٰٓاَیُّھَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَقُوْلُوْا قَوْلًا سَدِیْدًا﴾
(al-Aḥzāb 33:70–71)
Translation:
O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak words that are just. He will rectify your deeds and forgive your sins…


These verses demonstrate that taqwa is the foundation of faith, righteous deeds, and forgiveness.

➋ Taqwa: A Universal Command to All Nations​

﴿وَلَقَدْ وَصَّیْنَا الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْکِتٰبَ مِنْ قَبْلِکُمْ وَإِیَّاکُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ﴾
(al-Nisāʾ 4:131)
Translation:
We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and you (Muslims) to fear Allah.

➌ Central Theme of the Prophets’ دعوت (Call)​

The Qur’an summarizes the call of many Prophets, and in every case, taqwa was central.

• Prophet Nūḥ عليه السلام:
  ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَأَطِیْعُونِ﴾ (al-Shuʿarāʾ 26:105–109)
• Prophet Hūd عليه السلام:
  ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَأَطِیْعُونِ﴾ (al-Shuʿarāʾ 26:123–126)
• Prophets Ṣāliḥ, Lūṭ, Shuʿayb عليهم السلام:
  ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَأَطِیْعُونِ﴾ (al-Shuʿarāʾ 26:141–179)
• Prophet ʿĪsā عليه السلام:
  ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَأَطِیْعُونِ﴾ (al-Zukhruf 43:63)

These verses clearly establish that taqwa was the fundamental message of every Prophet.

❖ The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Taqwa​

➊ Qur’anic Mention of the Prophet ﷺ Enjoining Taqwa​

﴿أَرَأَیْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
(al-ʿAlaq 96:11–12)
Translation:
What if he (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ) is upon guidance or enjoins taqwa?

➋ His Final Warnings and Will – Taqwa​

❖ Irbāḍ ibn Sāriyah رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ once gave us a powerful sermon and said:


((أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللّٰهِ))
"I advise you to fear Allah."

Reference: Abu Dawud: 4607

➌ Farewell Pilgrimage: First Advice – Taqwa​

The Prophet ﷺ in Ḥajj al-Wadāʿ stated:


"اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ رَبَّكُمْ..."
"Fear Allah your Lord..."

Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 22161

➍ Advice to Companions Individually​

• Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated five golden principles, the first being:

(اتَّقِ الْمَحَارِمَ تَكُنْ أَعْبَدَ النَّاسِ)
“Avoid what is forbidden and you’ll become the best worshiper.”

Reference: Tirmidhī: 2305

• Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه was told:
  (اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ)
  “Fear Allah wherever you are.”
  
  Reference: Tirmidhī: 1987

➎ The Prophet’s ﷺ Personal Duʿāʾ for Taqwa​

(اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا...)
“O Allah! Grant my soul its taqwa…”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2722

❖ The Essence of Taqwa​

◈ Lexical Meaning​

Taqwa derives from the Arabic root وقاية meaning:

• Protection
• Prevention
• Shielding oneself from harm

Shariah Definition:
Taqwa is placing a protective barrier between oneself and the disobedience of Allah, driven by His fear.

◈ Comprehensive Definition​

Taqwa means:

• Guarding all body parts from sin.
• Avoiding outward and inward disobedience.
• Fearing Allah in public and private.

Poetic Expression:


“Avoid all sins, big or small—this is taqwa.
Tread as if walking on a path of thorns—watch every step.”

◈ Taqwa and Human Limbs​

Imām al-Ghazālī رحمه الله said:
He who fears Allah must guard:

• His eyes, ears, tongue, heart, and stomach.

◈ The Sahabah's Understanding​

ʿAlī رضي الله عنه said:


"Taqwa is:
❖ Fear of the Majestic One,
❖ Acting upon revelation,
❖ Preparing for death,
❖ Contentment with little."


Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه explained:


“Taqwa is to obey Allah and never disobey Him, remember Him and never forget Him, thank Him and never be ungrateful.”

◈ Taqwa in Secrecy – The True Test​

Qur'anic Testimony:
﴿الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ﴾
Those who fear their Lord in the unseen… (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:49)

◈ The Warning for Secret Sins​

The Prophet ﷺ warned:


“Some people will come with good deeds like mountains, but Allah will turn them to dust because they used to commit sins in private.”

Reference: Ibn Mājah: 4245

❖ Characteristics of the Muttaqīn (from the Qur’an)​

➊ The Qur’an is a Guidance for the Muttaqīn​

﴿هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (al-Baqarah 2:2)

➋ Five Core Traits of the Muttaqīn:​

Faith in the unseen
Establishing prayer
Spending from Allah's provisions
Belief in previous scriptures
Certainty in the Hereafter
(al-Baqarah 2:3–4)


Result:
﴿وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾ – “They are the successful.” (2:5)

➌ Comprehensive Definition of Righteousness​

Surah al-Baqarah 2:177 outlines further traits:

• True faith
• Charity despite love for wealth
• Fulfillment of promises
• Patience in trials

➍ Traits from Sūrah Āl-ʿImrān (3:133–136)​

• Spend in ease and hardship
• Control anger
• Forgive others
• Repent after sin
• Avoid persistent sinning

❖ Benefits & Rewards of Taqwa​

➊ Deliverance and Unexpected Provision​

﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا﴾ (al-Ṭalāq 65:2–3)

➋ Ease in Affairs​

﴿يَجْعَلْ لَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا﴾ (65:4)

➌ Forgiveness and Great Reward​

﴿يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ﴾ (65:5)

➍ Discernment between Right and Wrong​

﴿يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا﴾ (al-Anfāl 8:29)

➎ Allah's Love​

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (al-Tawbah 9:7)

➏ Allah’s Company and Help​

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا﴾ (al-Naḥl 16:128)

➐ Acceptance of Deeds​

﴿إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (al-Māʾidah 5:27)

➑ Good News in Both Worlds​

﴿لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَىٰ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ﴾ (Yūnus 10:64)

➒ Salvation from Allah’s Punishment​

﴿وَأَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ﴾ (al-Naml 27:53)

➓ Deserving of Divine Mercy​

﴿فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ﴾ (al-Aʿrāf 7:156)

❖ Rewards for the Muttaqīn in the Hereafter​

➊ Hereafter Reserved for the Pious​

﴿وَالْآخِرَةُ... لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (al-Zukhruf 43:35)

➋ Paradise Exclusively for the Muttaqīn​

﴿الْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:83)

➌ Salvation from Hell​

﴿ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا﴾ (Maryam 19:72)

➍ Safety and Eternal Bliss​

﴿إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي مَقَامٍ أَمِينٍ﴾ (al-Dukhān 44:51)

➎ Entry into Jannah in Groups​

﴿وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا...﴾ (al-Zumar 39:73)

➏ Two Gardens for the God-Fearing​

﴿وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ﴾ (al-Raḥmān 55:46)

➐ Only Muttaqīn Inherit Paradise​

﴿نُورِثُ... مَنْ كَانَ تَقِيًّا﴾ (Maryam 19:63)

❖ Conclusion​

It is clear as day that success in both worlds lies in taqwa. He who adheres to Allah’s commands, avoids prohibitions, and fears Allah inwardly and outwardly is the true muttaqī.
May Allah grant us sincere taqwa, adorn us with the traits of the muttaqīn, and make us worthy heirs of Jannah.


Āmīn Yā Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn.