Originally published in January 2013.

Those familiar with the biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him)  are versant with the story of a young man named Arqam. Arqam played an instrumental role in the unfolding of the history of the Arabian Peninsula. Despite his key role in history, he is noted in the books of Prophetic biography to be a discreet person in Meccan society. In contemporary Western terms Arqam functioned as a:

1. self-less philanthropist furthering the cause of a brotherly society
2. non-profit organization working for the betterment of society

Upon a close read of the biography of the Prophet ﷺ  we learn that Arqam’s role in history was more than non-profits and philanthropists. Arqam’s decision functioned as an institution devoid of bureaucracy in impact and its effect was so profound that it moved the direction of history. The educational space in Arqam’s home communicated a qualitative education so profound and thorough that it affected personal, intellectual and historical change. It was so transformative an experience that the whole of the Arabian Peninsula was reshaped. A disruption of the old psychological order was brought about by transforming the attitude, thinking, and practices of the students of the Qur’an.

One of the fundamental verses that promoted such a transformation based on a wholesome understanding of community life was revealed in Madina and is found in the Chapter of the Qur’an entitled Ma’ida. It reads as follows:

“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.” (5:2)

Imam al-Qurtubi al-Maliki, commenting on this verse, said: “It is a command for all the creation to assist one another in (taqwa) righteousness and (birr) piety, which means they must help one another.” 

Imam al-Mawardi ash-Shafi said: “Allah (exalted is He) has called on people to help one another and married cooperation to righteousness and piety.” He further stated that“in righteousness there is Allah’s pleasure and in piety is the pleasure of the people and he who has gained Allah’s pleasure and that of people is happy and fully blessed.”

Imam Ibn Atiya al-Maliki said: “Piety is engaging that which is obligated and recommended of action whereas righteousness is restricted to performing obligations.”

The term piety in the sense found in the Qur’an, in this verse, transcends the basic command to righteousness or God-consciousness. This is so because piety enjoins doing more than what is commanded of goodness and staying away from what is ugly and prohibited (haram) – this is God-consciousness (taqwa). Rather, the commitment to piety is more than just personal spiritual development as it unfolds in doing what is obligated and staying away from the prohibited; it demands doing acts of goodness which are not obligated. Piety (birr) adds great value to society because it carries the human being to a standard of excellence that is not a matter of keeping to the do’s and don’ts of Islam. God-consciousness is a fundamental level of spiritual maturity, but piety is a call to grow beyond the basics of fearing for one’s well being and desiring what is best. For this reason the commitment to piety has a social component

The group studying at the home of Arqam did not secretly meet to plan a violent overthrow of the system, nor did they study a manifesto that would teach them a program to enshrine their newly founded party. The environment in this period of Islamic history was very hostile to women, the weak, the stranger, and the poor. The strong man governed and the sword was always near. It was far from the state of nature that honored the human being and far from the rule of law—rather, it was the law of barbarism and ignorance celebrated through poetry and occasional hospitality. Despite this social fact and environmental challenge the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  did not falter. It was in the abode of Arqam that the early Muslims found a safe house to imbibe the teachings of the Qur’an and the character necessary to transform society from the core. If it was power they were after, they had a chance to march into Mecca and conquer it after they achieved independence in Madina. If it was wealth they aimed at, they had the ability to plunder to their delight. What they were after was a life worth living.

Rather what they learned at Arqam’s home was an institution of education that taught that the poor, the rich, the stranger, the woman and the non-Muslim all had inherent rights that are God-given and that faith and reason are not to fall prey to superstition. The Arqam effect was so profound in impact that individuals who graduated from the institution were later key individuals who served to construct the society of Madina. Madina, as many of us know, was the first State in the world to be founded on a constitution. They became corner stones to society and its major benefactors. The lesson of the Qur’an they imbibed was that to build society is an obligation and to uphold justice and law is crucial to society’s survival. The education they received was a Qur’anic education and, further, a human education.

Fetullah Gulen states: “A system of education without a clearly defined target and purpose will only serve to confuse future generations. We have to be careful that our youth is taught the proper material in an effective manner to ensure that they are actually learning rather than simply becoming conduits of data.” ((http://en.fgulen.com/recent-articles/4296-what-generations-expect-from-education))  Arqam, as a youth, learned more than just the fundamentals for a successful career. He learned how to be a functional part of society, how to care for society, and how to build society.

Lessons on citizenship are not enough to bring about a just social life. An understanding of Islam bent on attaining power to wield it like a sword will not bring about a just social order. A life devoted to spiritual practices and neglect of the material world is not enough to bring about a change in the madness of the world. A booming economic upturn is also not enough.

What is needed is a transformation of perspective, a cultivation of will, a suppression of ego, and a deep commitment to the teachings of the Qur’an. The students of the school of Arqam eventually moved on to graduate. When they graduated, they renewed society, for it was through the patient suffering in Mecca and the studious effort to understand the Qur’an. While the world was in chaos, they eventually developed the qualities necessary to build Madinan society and then return to build Mecca. Study of the Qur’an must be accompanied by a spirit searching for solutions for humanity’s spiritual and intellectual ailments as well as its social ills. Change is not only personal, but it is in light of social transformation. What do we need to change in ourselves to make society better? That question is the question we must ask when we read the Qur’an.

By Matthew Longacre

Whether it is in the masjid, on the street, or online, these incidents are too numerous to count. If you haven’t heard these stories, then you haven’t been listening. Every day, time and time again, a troubled Muslim reaches out and communicates to someone, in one way or another, that they are thinking about leaving Islam. They explain that they have been in a troubled state for a while. They say that they pray and they feel nothing; that when they sin, they no longer feel guilty. They talk about how tired they are of the rules and the restrictions and being boxed in.

Every time I hear this story, I feel a deep aching in my heart. I ache because I realize that, by this time in the conversation, it is often too late. I ache because, while this person is so far removed from their Lord that they feel Islam is the root of their problems, the real problem is that they have never truly been exposed to the beauty of their deen (religion) at all. I ache most of all, though, because this is our (the community’s) fault. By failing to properly teach and explain our deen to our youth, we have failed them and set them up for disappointment and failure.

Teaching Our Ummah—Where We Have Failed

This failure begins at the very core of what we teach young and new Muslims alike. When we begin to teach our children about our deen, we focus almost exclusively on the outward actions. We teach them that they must pray, that they must make wudu (ablution), that they must grow out their beard, that they must not eat pork or drink alcohol, that they must never date, and much more. When a new Muslim makes shahadah (the testimony of faith), the mission of the community seems to inundate the new brother or sister with a torrent of rules. I have even been present for a number of shahadat that are immediately followed with people either criticizing the new Muslim’s dress or trying to teach the person how to read and write in Arabic!

Eventually, if our new Muslim brother or sister hasn’t already been driven away from the masjid (mosque) by our torrents of dos and don’ts, they eventually ask about Iman (faith) and how it differs from Islam. This discussion is possibly the most critical point in the development of a Muslim’s deen, yet the same people who had so much to say about rules before have very little to say here. The majority of the time, we refer them to Hadith Jibril. While Hadith Jibril is certainly an excellent starting place and a primer for beginning to understand this distinction, it is a Hadith that requires a greater depth of understanding to truly appreciate. If Hadith Jibril were the end-all be-all, then Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (Glorified is He) would not have bothered with the grand elaboration on this conversation that occurs all throughout the Qur’an and Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him).

Beyond this, most Muslims can only readily cite one other passage concerning the relationship of Iman and Islam:

The bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts.” [Qur’an 49:14]

Thus, our ad-hoc shaykh reasons, Iman means “faith,” and faith will only come after you have Islam or “submit.” ((This is, in fact, a dangerously incorrect interpretation of this verse. Not only is the meaning of Iman far deeper than the English term “faith,” but this particular verse was revealed in response to a group of bedouins who declared shahadah once they saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was about to be victorious and saw gain in becoming Muslim. As such, this verse does not dismiss the likelihood of a person having Iman before Islam or having both simultaneously. This is a critical illustration of how interpreting verses without referring to scholars can lead to perilous consequences. [Ma’arif Ul-Qur’an, Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi] ))

Then the conversation is turned back to dos and don’ts, and an invaluable opportunity is lost.

Islam, Iman and What We Ought to be Saying

When we have the chance to sit down with our children or a new Muslim and teach them these critical concepts, we need to be comprehensive, we need to use analogies and examples, and we cannot underestimate the value of reasoning and reflection. A conversation could go something like this:

In the Hadith Jibril, we see that Islam is described through a set of actions and Iman is described through a set of beliefs. This is why you will oftentimes see Islam translated as “submission” and Iman translated as “belief.” But these translations don’t do the terms justice.

For example, Anas bin Malik radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleases with him) relates that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]. The love described in this hadith is not a passive thing; it is in fact very active! In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) also almost always pairs a description of a believer or mu’min with an action. For example:

“But they who believe and do righteous deeds – those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.” [Qur’an 2:82]

“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah – Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them […]” [Qur’an 2:2-3]

Additionally, when you look at the description of Islam in Hadith Jibril, you see that the very first act is to “witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” the witnessing of which requires not just belief, but an unwavering conviction in two of the principles of Iman (Allah’s Oneness and Messengers).

So… what does this mean? It means that your Islam and your Iman are in a mutual symbiotic relationship. An example of this is if we were to place a tree sapling and a young boy into two separate, air-tight rooms. Both the tree and the boy require certain provisions to survive: for the tree, you need sunlight, soil, and water; for the boy, he needs food, water, and affection. However, even if we provide all these necessary things, the tree and the boy will not survive while separated. Eventually, the tree will run out of carbon dioxide and the boy will run out of oxygen. To solve this problem, both the boy and the tree need to be placed into the same room. With their outside resources and each other, they can both live, grow, and develop. Our Islam and our Iman are the same way. To develop our Islam or submission requires hard work, regimentation, and focus. To develop our Iman or our utter conviction, we need sincere reflection, humility, and gratitude.

However, if we try to survive with our Islam alone and don’t combine it with Iman, we are ultimately hypocrites. Each day, we bear witness to and worship a Lord we doubt exists and we take action for a wide variety of reasons that have nothing to do with pleasing Him. If we do this, we ultimately share the ranks of those who joined Islam for political gain, for convenience, or simply because they were told to. Conversely, if we try to survive with our Iman and no Islam, we are ultimately rejecting the very Salvation we believe we’ve been given. Essentially, we are saying that while we know Allah (swt) is our Master, and we know He has sent us a Message, and we know we will be judged by how we follow that Message, we shall not follow that Message and we shall ignore our Master.

Thus, while you can build your Islam through practice and regimentation, and you can build your Iman through reflection and gratitude, either one is stunted from the start without the other. For the system to truly work, your Islam must become the Iman of your limbs, and your Iman must become the Islam of your heart. For ultimately, the greatest form of submission is the submission of your heart, and the greatest conviction is the one that emanates through your actions. Therefore, regimentation and toil alone will not do; you must also reflect, become humble, and increase in gratitude.

Ihsan and Taqwa– The Sweetness

This journey is not without its perils. While we grow in our Islam, we will most certainly be tested:

“You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse […]” [Qur’an 3:186]

Indeed, people will witness your actions and your demeanor change, and they will not be happy. Your friends may abandon you because you no longer engage in the questionable acts they participate in or because they feel embarrassed to be around you. Your family may begin to accuse you of becoming “extreme.” Additionally, you will be tested by Allah (swt) through your possessions and by Shaytan through whisperings in your heart. This is because this life is meant as a test. The verse continues:

“[…] But if you are patient and fear Allah- indeed, that is of the matters (worthy) of determination.” [3:186]

This is where our deen truly becomes unlike any other. As we continue to carefully provide for our Islam and Iman with their necessary ingredients and as they continue to meld and grow together, our increasing level of submission and our growing conviction and faith begin to bear fruit.

These are the seeds of Taqwa growing deep within our souls. Taqwa is oftentimes described as “God-consciousness,” but it is much deeper than that. We are beings whose only true sustenance comes from Allah (swt)—the closer we are to Him, the more directly we experience Him, the more sustenance we receive and the more we feel at home. Taqwa is when we are gifted with feeling and experiencing the presence of our Lord. As we gain Taqwa, we begin to see the world for how it truly is—the blessings and Mercy of Allah become joys and splendors for us, and the sins of the world become like thorns which we see and avoid. In fact, one of the Companions of the Prophet described Taqwa as akin to walking through a path filled with thorns while trying to leave your clothing unscathed.

This is the sweetness of our religion: because of our sacrifice and because of our devotion, we begin to feel absolute peace and tranquility through our submission to Allah (swt). Not only do we feel joy and felicity as a result of our prayers, we begin to crave worship and no longer feel toil or burden from it. The joy is infectious, and it emanates from our very being. Unless your heart is covered in darkness from sin or a seal from pure arrogance, simply being around a person who has strong Taqwa is a transformative and joyful experience. This is Ihsan (excellence), and it is beautifully summarized in Hadith Jibril.

Today we will move on to a new section: the things we should aspire to. In our journey, what we have tried to do is change the way we think about Allah and our relationship with Him. We started with things that we need to know, and moved on to the things that we have to do. Once we achieve those, we need a goal to aspire to so that we do not become complacent.

Live for Allah

“I want to be of those who are close to Allah“. Imagine being like Ibn Taymiyyah, who stated, “What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey.”

We need to have high aspirations, and we need to have the desire to be someone special to Allah. Once Allah becomes our main concern, we caninsha’Allah be in the same mindset as Ibn Taymiyyah. What can people do to us when we carry paradise in our hearts?

One of the Names of Allah that should inspire us is Al-Wali, The Ally. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Allah is the ally [Wali] of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into the light…” (Qur’an, 2:257)

What do you feel when you read this verse? Many of us have read this verse again and again, and some of us have contemplated over the meaning of being a wali of Allah. Whenever we think of someone being a wali of Allah, we think of great devoted scholars, courageous fighters, people truly close to Allah… but not us. “We could never be His awliya… could we?”

Allah tells us in this verse that He is the Wali of those who believe. As believers, we are already part of that group, insha’Allah. But to truly earn the status of Allah’s Wali, to be at that elevated level, we have to aspire towards it.

What does Al-Wali mean?

Al-Wali has different translations; the ‘ally’, ‘protector’, ‘guardian’ or ‘patron’. In Arab countries, schools usually request the permission of “wali amr” (the Wali of the affairs) of a child for anything concerning him or her, meaning the child’s guardian. What are the characteristics of a child’s guardian?

It must be a person who a) is close to the child, and b) takes care of the child.

If Allah is your Wali, then He is close to you and takes care of you.

Allah took care of the affairs of the Prophet Yusuf `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him). When Yusuf (as) was alone in the well, Allah made specific travelers thirsty at that particular time so that they could rescue him and take him on their journey with them. Later, the people who bought Yusuf (as) as a slave turned out to be a couple who were infertile. At every step of the way, Allah was with Yusuf (as). No doubt, he faced hardships, but Allah is always protecting.

So, there are going to be problems even if you are a Wali of Allah, but at the end of the day, He is still taking care of you. At the end of Yusuf’s (as) story, he proclaims, “Creator of the heavens and earth, You are myWali in this world and in the Hereafter.” (Quran, 12:101).

Truly, it is an impoverished person who does not have Allah as their Wali, the person who takes his Wali as the dunya.

What happens if you are a Wali of Allah?

1. You have no fear in this dunya, no sadness in akhirah.

“Unquestionably, [for] the awliya of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve”. (Qur’an, 10:62)

2. He will put light in your life.

“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into the light.” (Qur’an, 2:257)

3. Allah will give you victory

Allah says in a hadith qudsi: “Whoever takes a Wali of Mine as an enemy, I will wage war on him…” (Bukhari)

Would’nt you want to be one of these people? Be ambitious. Why couldn’t it be you?

So how can I be a Wali?

“Unquestionably, [for] the awliya of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. Those who believed and had taqwa of Allah” (Qur’an, 10:62)

Striving for taqwa gives us the status of a Wali inshaAllah.

So how do we get Taqwa?

Some scholars have defined taqwa as when Allah finds you where He has ordered you to be, and does not find you where He has forbidden. The following hadith qudsi sheds more light:

“Whosoever acts with enmity towards a closer servant of Mine (Wali), I will indeed declare war against him. Nothing endears My servant to Me than doing of what I have made obligatory upon him to do. And My servant continues to draw nearer to Me with the supererogatory (nawafil) so that I shall love him. When I love him, I shall be his hearing with which he shall hear, his sight with which he shall see, his hands with which he shall hold, and his feet with which he shall walk. And if he asks (something) of Me, I shall surely give it to him, and if he takes refuge in Me, I shall certainly grant him it.” (Bukhari)

Another thing to be inspired by: Jannah

Sometimes we forget about Jannah, Paradise. But Paradise is a reality.

I’m supposed to travel to Granada tomorrow insh’Allah (if Allah wills). Everyone has been telling me how amazing and beautiful it is. A part of me is really excited to explore it and its history, but another part of me is just looking forward to having a break. I’ve been preparing: I will take two books, one spiritual and one political. I’ve made sure I’ve tied up all the ends here. Just as Granada is a reality for me and something to look forward to, Jannah should be just the same for us since we have its description.

Imagine this: you’ve just crossed the sirat (bridge over hell) and made it to the other side. You are waiting for the doors of Jannah to open. Finally they open to the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) and you are in awe. Truly this place is as the Prophet ﷺ described which “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the mind of no man has conceived”, [Bukhari]. What is the ground made of? It smells a little like saffron, subhan’Allah! What are those trees with huge fruits? Is that a river of honey? Dip your finger in it, that can’t be honey! You’ve never had anything like it in your life. You try it again and it tastes even better. How is that possible? Ok, enough honey. Where is my house? As you are being escorted to your home, you see it’s not just a house. It’s a mansion! Not even Bill Gates had it this good, and you are told you earned it because you donated $10 for that masjid¹. If only you had donated more! Well this mansion is enough. You’re eager to start exploring.

You enter from the front door with a texture that feels pearly. Are the doors made of pearls? Subhan’Allah! You walk in and there’s someone there. Is that your spouse from the dunya? But they look different. They’re so beautiful, you’re mesmerized. You take their hand and walk out and you see that person who wronged you in the dunya. Even though you forgave on earth, whenever you saw them, you’d still get a bit frustrated. But for some reason it’s ok now. It’s all good. Actually- you’re happy to see them. In fact, you can’t stop smiling.

This place is awesome. You feel so light and airy. You feel as though nothing bad has ever happened to you in your life. You have peace.

It can’t get better than this, right?

Yes it can. As you walk outside your mansion, you see people rushing to go some place. They’re crowding around someone. Is that RasulAllah ﷺ?! Without realizing, tears stream down your face, it IS Rasul’Allah! And he is more beautiful than any of the descriptions you’ve read. You embrace him. He smiles at you, and then you invite him to dinner at your house. You walk away, still in awe that you’ve just seen the final Messenger of God, and… Is that Abu Bakr (ra)? With `Umar (ra)! And over there is Fatima (ra), sitting with her mother Khadija (ra)! And there’s Mariam (as)! You overhear a conversation and it’s someone asking Salaah ad-Deen how it felt to liberate Jerusalem. And you recognize an accent, it’s Malcolm X!²

Finally, it’s the pinnacle of Jannah. Being with Allah. You actually get to see Allah. The highest, greatest most amazing pleasure that surpasses everything we’ve just talked about. Seeing your Lord, Most High.

I want that! What should I aspire to?

We were all created differently for a reason. Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror known in Arabic as Muhammad al-Fateh, was inspired by something. He heard the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ “Verily you shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will he be, and what a wonderful army will that army be!” [Ahmad] and he wanted to be that person. He had the opportunity and the skill. He persisted and Allah gave him success. We don’t all have to be Sultan Mehmet II, but we should all desire to be something special to Allah.

So read the Qur’an and find something inspirational. I knew someone who was inspired by the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ names the categories of people who are protected under the shade of Allah on Judgment day. The category that they were inspired by was “the person whose left hand doesn’t know what his right hand has given (in charity)”. So they decided to apply that hadith. They would give money every Friday atsalaat al-jumu`ah, without looking at how much they were giving. Whatever was in their wallet, they would give. The person said, “SubhanAllah. Never did I give money but that it came back to me!”

There is so much to look forward to and so much to have hope for. We should not be satisfied with a basic level of faith and doing extra only once in a while. Rather we should say, “this is who I want to be!” and live every day wanting to become the Wali of Allah.

Its Definition

Taqwa means to abandon religious prohibitions and observe religious injunctions. It is defined by Shari’ah as, “A person’s protection from what will harm him in the Hereafter.”

Its Scope

Abandoning the prohibitions and observing the injunctions implies an inner and outer reality. Thus, its application falls under four types:

1. Abandoning the outer prohibitions (like leaving prayers or smoking weed)
2. Abandoning the inner prohibitions (like envy or despairing His mercy)
3. Observing the outer injunctions (like prayer and being good to one’s neighbors)
4. Observing the inner injunctions (like the love of God and fearing Him)

Gaining Balance

Based on what was mentioned previously, it could be said of a person who observes religious acts, but harbors arrogance in his heart, that his taqwa is unbalanced. The same could also apply to a person who has no malice in his heart towards others, but fails to observe certain ritual acts.

It is also possible that a person’s heart is balanced, but his outer worship is not. For example, he attends rally after rally, meeting after meeting and class after class, but fails to observe the dawn prayer regularly. This common disease is a sign of an imbalance in a person’s taqwa. The same could also apply to a person who observes the ritual acts of worship, but fails to take part in his share of community work. Ponder this, because its possibilities are mind boggling.

The Causes of Taqwa are 10:

1.  Fear of worldly punishment
2.  Fear of punishment in the Hereafter
3.  Hope for rewards in this life
4.  Hope for rewards in the Hereafter
5.  Fear of being audited in the Hereafter
6.  Realization that God sees you
7.  Being thankful for His blessings with obedience
8.  Knowledge
9.  Extolling His magnificence
10.  Sincerely loving Him

We ask Allah to make us from the people of taqwa.

5 Stations of Taqwa (God-consciousness)

Ibn Juzay al-Maliki a great classical scholar, wrote, “The degrees of taqwa are five:

1. Being cautious of falling into disbelief. This is the station of submission to God (الإسلام).

2. Being cautious of falling into sin and evil. This is the station of repentance (التوبة).

3. Being cautious of doubtful things. This is the station of carefulness (الورع).

4. Being cautious of the permissible. This is the station of indifference (الزهد). Ibn al-Qayyim said, “There are some people who will observe the obligations and avoid the prohibited. However, Shaytan will busy them with the permissible acts until the fail to make use of their extra time.”

5. Being cautious of letting anything enter the heart save Allah. This is the station of witness (المشاهدة).”

Taqwa in Practice:

Once ‘Umar radi Allahu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) asked a companion, “describe for me taqwa.” The companion responded, “If you were to walk through a thorny pathway with a flowing robe, how would you walk?” ‘Umar answered, “I would gather my garments, squeezing them tight, and walk carefully.” The companion responded, “That is taqwa.”

How to Gain Taqwa?

If you were born a Muslim, or accepted Islam, then you already possess taqwa. This is great news and should serve as a spring board to preserve and develop your existing relationship with Allah! There are some pretty clear ways to do this. However, knowledge and practice are two very different entities:

1. Make a sincere intention to improve your taqwa.

2. Ask Allah to increase your tawqa. It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) used to supplicate:

اللهم إني أسئلك الهدى والتقى والعفاف والغنى

“Allahum Inni asalukal huda wa ttuqa wal ‘afaaf wal ghinaa.“

“Oh Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, virtue and sufficiency.”

3. To increase your worship. Allah says, “Worship Allah…you will obtain taqwa.”

4. Observe the sunnah whenever possible. The Prophet ﷺ said, “I am the most God fearing person.” Thus, following him is a guarantee, if one’s intention is right, that one is on the ways of taqwa. Imam Malik said, “The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever got on board was safe. Who didn’t, drowned.”

At the end of the day, these steps are like tools hanging in our garages. If we use them, we will build something. If we neglect them, making excuses, being lazy or having bad feelings about our Lord, then we have none to blame but ourselves. Start by observing the obligatory acts, increase the number of sunnah, charity and civic engagement. All of those, if done for Allah alone, are Red Bulls for taqwa without the withdrawal!

Taqwa is a quality whose virtues are astounding. Imam al-Faruzabadi mentioned 22 virtues of taqwa mentioned in the Qur’an! Look for them here in the future, God willing.