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"And Allah warns you about Himself [that is, His punishment]" (ali-Imraan 28). Hence, the person must do what he can to avoid and protect himself from earning the anger of Allah. He does this by being sincere to Allah, by performing what Allah has ordered and remaining away from what Allah has prohibited. This is, in essence, taqwa. This portion of the hadith may be understood in different ways. However, they are all somewhat compatible and may all be meant by these words. One implication is that a person should "fear Allah" when he is with others as well as when he is all alone. Allah knows everything that everyone does as well as what anyone even considers in their hearts. Under all circumstances, one must be on his best behavior and avoid what may displease Allah, for Allah is watchful of all things. Allah has stated, Hadith #18: "Fear Allah wherever you are ... " "Fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and [do not cut off the ties of] the womb. Surely, Allah is ever an All-Watcher over you" (al­ Nisaa 1 ). The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to supplicate to Allah, "I ask of You to give me fear of You in matters that are not seen as well as those that are witnessed."1 If a person realizes that Allah sees him at all times and knows what he does in secret, he will then avoid committing sins even when he is in complete privacy. This is a sign of complete Imaan in his heart. However, constantly failing to obey Allah when one is alone is a sign of a diseased heart, like the heart of the hypocrites.2 Allah says about them, -g 0}:;.Ūl /1 ǝ ;j .&1 :r 0;.;..: ".; '9j ifu1 :r 0 / k ,. \ii ,,,. ,,,. ,,.. ,; LJ , ࠛ : .. Y:: h\ :lb; J-...1\ : , ; . ,.; } 0ࢾ . 'J 'Y'""' ࢿࣀ.fl. ,,.. / ,,.. ,,,. "They may hide [their crimes] from men, but they cannot hide them from Allah-- for He is with them [by His knowledge] when they plot by night in words that He does not approve. And Allah ever encompasses what they do" (al-Nisaa 108). A second implication is that one must "fear Allah" while in a state of blessings or trial. A third implication-- which is the only meaning given to this expression by Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi in his commentary to Sunan al­ Tirmidhiis that one must "fear Allah" while one is alone or while one is among any group of people, whether they be pious or impious. The person must tend to himself and cannot use others as an excuse for disobeying Allah. 3 The Concept of Taqwa The words translated here as, "Fear Allah," are ..Iii .;:;1. That is, one should have "taqwa of Allah." Taqwa is one of the most important concepts found in the Quran and sunnah. Indeed, al-Mubaarakfoori calls it the 1 Recorded by al-Nasaai and ibn Hibbaan. According to Shuaib al-Arnaoot, it is sahih. See Shuaib al-Arnaoot's footnotes to ibn Rajah, Jaami, vol. I , p. 407. Although the word used by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in that hadith is khashya (which is closer to a direct meaning of fear), such fear is one of the components of taqwa and the two words are many times close in significance. 2 Sultaan, p. 162. 3 Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, Aaridhat al-Ahwadhi bi-Sharh sahih al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Daar al­ Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, n.d.), vol. 8, pp. 154-155. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi foundation of the religion. 1 In numerous hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised Muslims to have taqwa. Whenever he sent an army out, he would advise them to have taqwa of Allah. Indeed, this has been the command of Allah for all of the messengers. Allah says, if ќ\ l))t .:JI I /·:.:,,,j "" ,,,. U",,,. 21 rJJ/;\ J /0,j r ੗:j "To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. We have advised the people of the Scripture before you and you also (0 Muslims] to have taqwa of Allah [fear Allah and keep your duty to Him]" (al-Nisaa 13 1). Commenting on this verse, al-Ghazzaali wrote, Does not Allah have more knowledge than anyone concerning what is best for the human? Is He not their most sincere adviser and the more merciful and compassionate than anyone? If there were any characteristic that is better for a human, more comprehensive in its goodness, greater in its reward, more important for worship, weightier in its measure, more important in its substance, more rescuing in the long-run than this characteristic of taqwa, then Allah would have ordered His servants to have that other characteristic. Allah has advised His most dear servants to have this characteristic out of His Perfect Wisdom and Encompassing Mercy.