. Q . 4.1.l FJਦ.J (cont.)

When He advised this one characteristic, and combined together his previous and later servants upon that characteristic and mentioned that characteristic only, you then know that it is the final goal beyond which there is none other and for which there is no other purpose. Allah has combined together every advice, direction, guidance, instruction, teaching and rectification in that one advice, as is becoming his wisdom and mercy. And you also know by that fact that this one characteristic of taqwa combines together all of the good of this life and the Hereafter, that is sufficient for all of the important matters that leads one to the highest ranks [in Paradise]. This foundation cannot be 1 Al-Mubaarakfoori, Tuhfah, vol. 6, p. 122. One may note an emphasis in the shareeah on the concept of "protection" and "guarding," that is, "guarding against shirk, evil, sins and so forth". Jaafar Sheikh Idris explained this concept by stating that the true nature of humans (thefitra) is one of obedience to Allah. This nature simply needs to be guarded and protected from straying and it will be led to Paradise. That is the reason for the emphasis on protection, guarding and taqwa. (Jaafar Sheikh Idris, Personal Interview, Fairfax, VA, @ Feb. 1996.) Hadith #18: "Fear Allah wherever you are."." increased upon. It is sufficient for the one who sees the light, is guided and acts upon that light. 1 Furthermore, in numerous places in the Quran, Allah has quoted different prophets and messengers as advising their people and telling them that they must have taqwa of Allah. These are the most sincere of all who give advice. Such was the example of Saalih, Lot, Moses and others. For example, Allah says about Noah, 01Ja:; ࠚt tP ֓;J 1::;i Ju /Ŧ ࠜࠝ ћ1 cP r;J ੔:./JS- / ;,. "The People of Noah belied the Messengers. When their brother Noah said to them, 'Will you not have taqwa of Allah?'" (al-Shuaraa 105-106). A lexical understanding of the word taqwa will help in having a complete picture of this very important concept. In the supplement to Lane's Lexicon, it defines ǪI in the following manner, He preserved, or guarded, himself exceedingly, or extraordinarily; he put a thing between him and another to preserve him, or guard him. In the conventional language of the law, He preserved, or guarded, himself exceedingly, or extraordinarily, from sin, of commission or of omission ... It may often be rendered, He was pious, or careful of his religious duties- ..ih J ࢾ Ǫl (He guarded himself against them in an extraordinary degree, and was cautious, or wary) ... 2 The essence, therefore, of taqwa is to put some kind of barrier or guard between oneself and what one fears, in order to protect oneself from what is feared. A form of this word was used, in its linguistic sense, in a hadith in Sahih Muslim. Al-Baraa was describing the Battle of Hunain in which many Muslims fled but the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not flee. At one point in the hadith, he said, "By Allah, if the fighting became hot, we would seek a barrier or protection (nattaqi) in the Prophet (peace be upon him). And the brave one among us was the one who was next to him, that is, next to the Prophet (peace be upon him)." That is, they would put the Prophet (peace be upon him) between themselves and the enemy in order to protect themselves from the enemy, due to the Prophet's courage and bravery. 1 Quoted in Ahmad Fareed, Al-Taqwa: Al-Ghaayah al-Manshuwudah wa al-Durrah al­ Mafqoodah (Riyadh: Dar al-Samee', 1993), p. 1 8. 2 Lane, vol. 2, p. 3059. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi As was noted above, the word taqwa is sometimes followed by the name of Allah (have taqwa of Allah). This is the case with this particular hadith and with numerous verses of the Quran (such as al-Maaidah 96 and al­ Hashr 18). Again, in this sense, it means one should fear or protect himself from Allah's anger and punishment. This can only be done by obeying Him and not disobeying Him. This is the minimum aspect of taqwa. 1 Furthermore, if someone puts some kind of distance between himself and disobeying Allah, then he has fulfilled what this concept of taqwa really implies. Abu al-Darda and al-Hasan both have stated that the people of taqwa even leave permissible deeds out of fear that there might be something harmful in them. These doubtful or permissible acts are that barrier that they have put between themselves and the acts of disobedience. Sometimes the word is followed by the place of Allah's punishment, such as Hell, or to the time of Allah's punishment, the Day of Resurrection. The meaning is once again the same: One must protect himself from the harm related to those times or places. Here are two examples from the Quran, / U /_ J ,,,._ /_ ,,,.