Some Virtues of Taqwa

Based on a lecture by Shaykh Waleed Basyouni

Some Virtues of Taqwa

Allah azza wa jal has enjoined taqwa on everyone and taqwa was the order of His Prophets:

وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ

And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah. (4:131)

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

The people of Nuh belied the Messengers. When their brother Nuh said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? (26:105-106)

Those who enjoin Taqwa will have no fear or grief:

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

No doubt! Verily, the close friends of Allah, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed, and used to fear Allah much. (10:62-63)

Allah instructs the believers to help one another in Taqwa:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ

Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety. (5:2)

Have Taqwa so Allah will give you the knowledge you need:

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ

So have fear of Allah; and Allah will teach you. (2:282)

If you have taqwa, Allah will give you the ability to distinguish between good and evil:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا

O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion to judge between right and wrong. (8:29)

Allah loves those who have taqwa:

بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَىٰ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

Yes, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, then Allah loves those who are pious. (3:76)

Allah will bless the lives of those who have taqwa:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ

And if the people of the towns had believed and had piety, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth. (7:96)

No one can harm you if you have taqwa:

وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا

But if you remain patient and fear (Allah), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. (3:12)

Taqwa is the condition for acceptance of deeds:

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are pious. (5:27)

Only the one with taqwa will survive:

وَإِن مِّنكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا ۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَّقْضِيًّا

ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّنَذَرُ الظَّالِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيًّا

There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell): this is with your Lord; a Decree which must be accomplished. Then We shall save those who used to fear Allah and were dutiful to Him. And We shall leave the wrongdoers therein (humbled) to their knees. (19:71-72)

وَنَجَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allah. (41:18)

Taqwa will increase your reward:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will expiate from him his sins, and will enlarge his reward. (65:5)

Those who have Taqwa will be above everyone on the Day of Judgment:

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۘ

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who believe. But those who obey Allah’s Orders and keep away from what He has forbidden, will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. (2:212)

Jannah will be inherited by those who have taqwa:

تِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي نُورِثُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا مَن كَانَ تَقِيًّا

Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who had fear (of Allah). (19:63)

Friends will be leave eachother except those who have taqwa:

الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ

Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except for those who feared Allah. (43:67)

Those who have taqwa will be taken to Jannah together:

وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا

And those who kept their duty to their Lord (Al-Muttaqun ) will be led to Paradise in groups. (39:73)

Allah will always give those with taqwa an exit and ease during times of hardship:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. (65:2-3)

We can see from these ayaat that taqwa opens the doors to all good: protection, provisions, love from Allah and complete success in this life and the next.

-Shaykh Waleed Basyouni