Taqwa and Its Metaphors

October 28, 2006 on 3:04 pm | In Islam
| By Ilm Seeker

Taqwa: To be aware of Allah. To obey him and do those things that earn His pleasure and mercy, and avoid disobeying him and doing those things that earn His punishment and wrath.

Ali ibn Abu Talib (رضي الله عنه), fourth khalifa of Islam and amazing companion of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), said: Taqwa is three things:

To fear Allah, the almighty.
To follow the revelation (i.e. the Qur'an and the Sunnah).
To prepare for the day of your departure (i.e. death).

What are some great metaphors for this beautiful concept?

The Thorny Bush: A companion once said, you ever walk through a rose-bush or thorny path? You know how you hold your clothes close so they don't snag and rip? That's taqwa.

The Minefield: Ever see a bomb disarmament team navigate a minefield? They go slowly, check and recheck everything with mine detectors. Even when they locate a mine, they carefully excavate it. At each step, they do their best to make sure they do nothing to trigger it. That's taqwa.

If you think of any more metaphors, post them in the comments inshallah!

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