1) Abortion: Islamic teachings on abortion.2) TAQWA IN ISLAM

2) TAQWA IN ISLAM

Any thing which is repeatedly recited is not usually pondered over deeply. If the Holy Quran is recited and pondered over it would make your nights sleepless. It can provide stimulus not only to the body but also to the mind and soul. Almighty Allah says-”O you who believe! If you fear Allah”- this word “God-fearing” is not an ordinary one. If somebody fears Allah he is known as Muttaqui (God-fearing). One who refrains from back biting and slander, people say he is God-fearing. But Taqwa, according to the language and definition of the Holy Quran, has a very broad and revolutionary meaning. It can reverse the systems of the whole world. Almighty Allah says if you become God fearing - it does not literally mean fear of God - it means fear of God in your beliefs and actions, aims and objectives, morals and behaviour, and in your dealing with fellow human beings. People will point towards you and they will look up to you. Thinking of you at times people will loose their sleep and at other times they will wake up from their slumber. “Look! there goes a Muslim” “Look! Muslims are so pious” will be their comments.

If you thus fear Allah, He will elevate you to a position of distinction. From wherever a God-fearing Muslim would pass by, one who obeys the orders of Allah and His Rasool, one who is a well-wisher of humanity, one who is compliant to the will of Allah, one who keeps his gaze down, one who controls his tongue, one whose heart is devoid of material gains, and one whose mind is pure from intrigues and conspiracies, then people will look at such a Muslim curiously. “Look! there goes an obedient servant of Allah.” When this becomes your means of recognition Almighty Allah will grant you a place of honour and distinction (I can not but translate the Arabic word Furqan as distinctive position because it has various meanings and its translation in any other language is not easy).

People will point towards you and they will look up to you. Thinking of you at times people will loose their sleep and at other times they will wake up from their slumber. “Look! there goes a Muslim” “Look! Muslims are so pious” will be their comments. A Muslim is someone who does not gaze at strange women (Na-mahram), he does not hinder a thoroughfare or hurt anyone. A Muslim moves about with a purpose and is dignified. He is a well-wisher and sympathizer of humanity. With such a description only a few, may be just a family who could be counted on fingers, if they reached an area, time is witness almost the whole area embraced Islam just by seeing those Muslims as if swept by a wave. This wave of Islam prevailed over material greed, desire for position and other evils prevalent in the society.

Almighty Allah has given human beings the power to impress and emulate. I can say as student of history, as one who knows human psychology and as a counselor, that in spite of dark deeds, infidelity and idol worship, intemperance, worship of wealth, barbarism and injustice, it is due to this factor of receiving impression - the inherent element for reform and adopting what is good - this world is not shattered and ruined. Let me open up my heart to you, to this huge assembly, and say that the desire in man to emulate impressions and improve is the real secret behind the existence of this world and it is for this reason the world is still vibrant. Almighty Allah who created this world knows that man still possesses this capacity. I am going to tell you something which no other person may say. I do not have any misconceptions about them but I fear that they may not say this after all they are humans. In the country you are living, you should live a life which mirrors the honour you have been accorded, that is, Furqan, position of distinction. Your distinctive position should be so impressive that it changes the belief, behaviour and morals, outlook, feelings, emotions, relations and dealings of the people around you. Such a large number of Muslims live in a country yet fail to carve out a definite impression is unbelievable. Almighty Allah says if you will fear Allah He will bestow upon you a distinctive position. Such an honour will be completely novel and will change the beliefs, morals and relationships of people.

If you “fear Allah” and live according to the teachings of Allah’s messenger, the outcome will be a “position of distinction” for you. People will consider you an object of emulation, and people will be attracted towards you. You will be a role model for people. The life of people will thereafter change for good. Materialism, moral dissipation, thirst for power and position, worship of authority and politics - all these social maladies will be lessened if not erased totally. It will be difficult for people to hold on to their mis-beliefs, their desires and their yearn for unfair gains. Seeing the Muslims with typical Islamic characteristics, people will be attracte towards Islam. Great national leaders, known politicians, reputed writers, eloquent orators, poetic speakers, will not be able to stick to their beliefs, their ideas, their leadership and their politics. Unfortunately this is not happening! Why? Please examine your own lives and see whether it is Islamically moulded. Therefore, to bring a change in the world, first of all your Faith must be correct, your dealings must be right, your goals and aims must be right. These should be different and distinct. People should notice that a Muslim removes any hindrance from wherever he passes by and he is always helpful. The difference in your material desires and your natural human weaknesses should be apparently lesser than the rest. “He is a Muslim” should be ascribed above all qualities to describe you. It is a historical fact that a handful of such Muslims wherever they reached have revolutionised and changed nations.

Just think of the Arabian peninsula, the cradle of Islam, and of Spain where countless masses accepted Islam. Think of Turkey, think of Algeria, Morocco and West Asia where Islam was accepted and Islam is still the way of life, with the exception of Spain where a systematic annihilation of Islam and the Arabic language was carried out under a conspiracy for which the Muslims are also to be blamed. If you consider the distances by land and passage of time, the differences of languages and ideas, you will realise that these are as wide apart as earth and sky, yet nations after nations embraced Islam, impressed by the character shown by Muslims, by their Dawah and Tabligh The behaviour and conduct of Muslims became an example for all. Compare that with the present day position of Muslims. I urge you to adopt the life of a true Muslim and start today to practise Islam in its totality and according to the orders of Almighty Allah- “If you fear Allah” and “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion” (Holy Quran- 5-3) and “O you who believe! Enter into Islam wholeheartedly and follow not the footsteps of Satan. He is you avowed enemy.” (Holy Quran- 2-208)

http://pakistanherald.com/Articles/What-is-Taqwa-2756

Compiled, edited  and  adapted by Khalid Latif