Part of Concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah (series completed)
· Lesson 555 of 1251
Summary of Sunni concepts | Concept (553) | Piety
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
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Taqwa (God-consciousness).
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Taqwa is an action of the heart.
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It is a unique Islamic term.
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Perhaps it has no
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equivalent in other languages or
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other legal traditions.
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It is derived from the concept of protection.
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Its fundamental meaning
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is for a person to place
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between themselves and the wrath of Allah
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and His punishment, a shield.
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Yet, despite this,
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it carries within it meanings
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and lofty, profound concepts.
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It is a sensitivity
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of the conscience and a transparency
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of feeling,
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a constant awe,
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and perpetual vigilance,
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and a wariness of the thorns of the path—
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the path of life, which
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is beset by the thorns
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of desires and lusts,
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and the thorns of false hope
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in those who possess no power to answer,
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and false fear
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of those who possess no power to cause harm
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or bring benefit,
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along with other such thorns
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of life and its trials.
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For this reason, the expressions of the salaf varied
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in defining
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taqwa and describing it.
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Among the most famous things said about it
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is that it is fearing the Majestic,
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acting according to the Revelation,
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being content with little,
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and preparing
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for the day of departure.
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This is narrated from Ali Ibn Abi Talib,
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may Allah be pleased with him.
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Talq Ibn Habib said:
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"Taqwa is
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to act in obedience to Allah
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upon a light from Allah,
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hoping for the reward of Allah;
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and to abandon disobedience to Allah
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upon a light from Allah,
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fearing the punishment of Allah."
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Umar Ibn al-Khattab,
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may Allah be pleased with him,
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asked Ubayy Ibn Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him,
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about what taqwa is.
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Ubayy replied,
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"O Commander of the Believers,
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have you ever traveled a path
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that had thorns?"
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He said, "Yes."
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He asked, "What did you do?"
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Umar said,
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"I tucked up my garment,
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watched where I placed my feet,
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and stepped forward carefully,
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or held back,
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for fear of being pricked by a thorn."
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Ubayy Ibn Ka'b said,
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"That is taqwa."
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Ibn al-Mu'tazz adopted this meaning
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and composed these lines:
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"Forsake sins, both the small
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and the great; that is taqwa.
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Act like one walking
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upon a thorny path, wary of
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what he sees.
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Do not belittle small sins,
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for mountains are made of pebbles."
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O Allah, grant us
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Your taqwa and help us
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to work for Your pleasure.
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A summary of the concepts of
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the Ahl al-Sunnah.