What does At-taqwa mean?

Islam > Glossary > At-taqwa

Discover the meaning of the term At-taqwa (تقوى) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition At-taqwa

At-taqwa according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

In language: the state of one who shields himself, that is, who takes his protection. Among the People of Truth: guarding oneself, through obedience to Allah, from His punishment; it is the soul's keeping itself from what earns it punishment, in doing or leaving.

At-taqwa according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

In obedience, it is taken to mean sincerity; in disobedience, abandonment and caution. It has been said: that the servant guard against all that is not Allah, the Most High. It has been said: upholding the etiquettes of the Law. It has been said: keeping far from all that distances you from Allah, the Most High. It has been said: leaving the soul's desires and standing apart from the forbidden. It has been said: to see nothing in yourself besides Allah. It has been said: to hold neither yourself nor anyone else better than another. It has been said: leaving all that is below Allah; and following, in their view, is his who guards against following whim. It has been said: taking the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a model in word and deed.

At-taqwa according to Dustur al-'Ulama (Al-Ahmadnagari)

In language: the state of one who shields himself, that is, who takes his protection. In usage: guarding oneself, through obedience to Allah, the Most High, from His punishment. It has been said: taqwa is protection, that is, guarding only against the forbidden things.

At-taqwa according to Maqalid al-'Ulum (As-Suyuti)

Placing the soul beyond the reach of Allah's wrath, the Most High; guarding oneself, by obedience to Allah, from His punishment.

At-taqwa according to At-Tawqif (Al-Munawi)

Avoiding the ugly out of fear of Allah, the Most High; its root is protection.

At-taqwa according to At-Ta'rifat al-Fiqhiyya (Al-Barkati)

It is guarding oneself, through obedience to Allah, from His punishment; sincerity may be meant by it, thus said as-Sayyid.

At-taqwa In the Quran

ٱلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌۭ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٌۭ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ يَعْلَمْهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ [Surah البقرة : 197]

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحِلُّوا۟ شَعَـٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلْهَدْىَ وَلَا ٱلْقَلَـٰٓئِدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِّينَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًۭا مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَٰنًۭا ۚ وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَٱصْطَادُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُوا۟ ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ [Surah المائدة : 2]

يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًۭا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًۭا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ [Surah الأعراف : 26]

لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌۭ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ [Surah التوبة : 108]

لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَـٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ [Surah الحج : 37]

إِذْ جَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَكَانُوٓا۟ أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَهَا ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًۭا [Surah الفتح : 26]

This term appears in 9 verses of the Quran.