Reaching Taqwa by Fasting

By: Widi Kusnadi, Journalist of MINA

The dawn of Ramadan is breaking through the horizon. The sun’s rays of light burst out, illuminating the world. This morning, all Muslims are happy, welcoming the presence of a noble guest, a special guest, Ramdhan Karim, Ramadhan Mubarak.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an obligation that must be fulfilled. Not for God who has created, but solely, its benefits and goodness return 100 percent to humans. Weak creatures, who need help, guidance and forgiveness from all mistakes and sins.

As His word, the purpose of fasting is to shape humans into pious persons. Of course, piety is not only during fasting, but also applies in the following months. Therefore, in Surah Al-Baqarah 183 it is stated with the sentence “la’allakum tattaqun” using the present continuous tense, meaning that it is carried out continuously, continuously.

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَۙ (البقرة : ١٨٣)

“O you who believe! Fasting has been made obligatory on you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may become pious.”

Taqwa is the most noble predicate for a servant. Taqwa is also the best provision of life needed by every human being in order to achieve a happy life.

وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ

“Be armed, indeed, the best provision is taqwa”, says the meaning of Surah al-Baqarah verse 197.

True happiness can only be achieved by piety. True happiness, when someone is near and pleased with the Creator. Because Allah is the source of happiness, the source of love, a place to complain and take refuge from all worries, difficulties, restlessness and restlessness.

When a friend of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam asked him for advice about the best provisions to be able to survive in this world and the hereafter, the Messenger of Allah said with the message, اِتَّقِ اللهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ “Fear Allah wherever you are.”

With the provision of piety, all the problems we face will be resolved. That is the promise of Allah in the second verse of Surah At-Thalaq: : وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا “Whoever fears Allah, He will surely provide for him a way out.”

With the provision of piety, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala will facilitate the sustenance of a servant. All the burdens of life and the difficulties faced, will get a solution from an unexpected way. Such is the mercy of Allah for his servants who are armed with taqwa.

The multidimensional crisis experienced by this nation, which makes all experts difficult and confused to overcome, actually the key can be solved through piety. How do you know? Allah Himself said, in Surah Al-A’raf verse 96:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (الاعراف:٩٦)

“If the inhabitants of the lands had believed and were pious, We would surely have bestowed upon them blessings from the heavens and the earth, but they denied it (Our signs), then We will punish them for their deeds.”

Umar bin Khattab’s friend once asked Ubai bin Ka’ab about piety. So Ubay asked back, “what is your attitude, if you walk in a place full of thistles and thorns?” So Umar replied, will always be careful and alert. That’s taqwa in this life.

Taqwa is an attitude of vigilance, caution that is full of sincerity in pursuing life, just like people who want to be safe to their destination in crossing a road full of thistles and thorns, a road full of obstacles.

Taqwa, according to some scholars, is carrying out Allah’s commands and staying away from all His prohibitions. Some other scholars say, piety is an attitude that is never absent in any of Allah’s commands and is never present in any of His prohibitions.

Others say, taqwa is protecting oneself from the torments of hell by carrying out Allah’s commands and staying away from all His prohibitions.

Ali bin Abi Talib explained, piety is fearing Allah, practicing the Qur’an, being grateful for every rizki that Allah has given and seriously preparing for the hereafter.

People who are pious realize and believe that they are always seen, heard, and witnessed by Allah, the All-Seeing, All-Hearing and All-Knowing, so that all their behavior, actions and thoughts are always in line with His commands.

By carrying out fasting worship as well as possible, getting used to carrying out the worship ordered by Allah, both obligatory and sunnah, and increasing interaction with the Qur’an, by reading it a lot and trying to understand it.

Hopefully, we can all achieve the true degree of piety as a form of our obedience and love for Allah, the Lord who maintains and creates humans and the universe. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)