Author: Umm Ayesha
Piety and Its Profound Effects (Part Three)
The Words of the Noble Sahaba and the Righteous Predecessors Regarding Piety:
The Sahaba of the Noble Prophet (PBUH) are, after him, among the most deserving and best of people. They were students of the Prophetic school and gathered around the light of Prophethood like moths around a lamp. Their certainty and faith had reached the highest level. Whatever they learned, they fully realized its truth and conveyed it with compassion and complete dedication.
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Seddiq (MABH) said in one of his sermons: «فَإِنِّي أُوصِيكُم بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ» “I advise you to fear Allah.”
Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (MABH) said in one of his sermons: «اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ؛ فَإِنَّ التَّقْوَى غَنَمٌ» “Fear Allah, for piety is a great gain.”
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “Piety is not to consider yourself superior to anyone.” [1]
Al-‘Allamah al-Qurtubi writes in his Tafsir al-Ahkam al-Qur’an that the Commander of the Faithful, Sayyiduna ‘Umar al-Faruq (MABH), asked Ubayy ibn Ka ‘b (MABH): “What is piety?”
Ubayy (MABH) replied: “O Amir al-Momineen! Have you ever passed through a thorny path?” He replied: “Yes.” Ubayy then asked: “What did you do while passing through it?” He replied: “I gathered my clothes so that the thorns would not tear them.” Ubayy said: “That is piety.” [2] (Meaning: walk past sins and evil acts with extreme caution so that you do not get caught by them.)
Sayyiduna ‘Ali (MABH) was also asked about piety. He replied: “Piety is the fear of the Glorious Allah, acting upon the Magnificent Qur’an, contentment with little, and preparation for the Day of Judgment.”
A certain Arab poet beautifully described piety:
Avoid both major and minor sins—that is true piety. In this world, walk as if you are passing through a thorny path, taking care to protect your clothes from being caught by thorns. Never consider any sin insignificant, for even mountains are formed of small stones. [3]
The Commentary(Tafseer) of Mufti Muhammad Shafi (MABH)
In his commentary on the verse: «يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ» Mufti Muhammad Shafi (MABH) writes: “It becomes clear from the end of this verse that piety, in essence, encompasses the entirety of Islam. True piety means to obey Allah Almighty and His Noble Messenger (PBUH) completely and to refrain entirely from disobedience. And this is the very definition of Islam.” [4]
A pious and God-conscious person does not neglect the remembrance of Allah Almighty or the commands of the Shariah in any aspect of life; rather, they avoid even the slightest doubts and ambiguities.
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas ‘ud (MABH) said regarding true piety: “Piety is to obey Allah and not disobey Him, to remember Him and not forget Him, to show gratitude and not be ungrateful.” [5]
Thus, pious and God-conscious people always live with caution and awareness. They stay away from negligence and disobedience. This trait causes their closeness to Allah and their eternal success.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (MABH) was asked about piety. He said: “Have you ever seen a thorny path?” They replied, “Yes.” He asked, “How did you traverse it?” They said, “Whenever we saw thorns, we avoided them or carefully stepped past them.” He replied: “That is piety.” [6]
Definition by Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz (MABH)
He said: “Piety is abandoning what Allah has forbidden and fulfilling what He has made obligatory. And if Allah grants someone more than this—such as performing recommended and voluntary acts—then that is goodness upon goodness.” [7]
The author of Secrets of the Success of Great Men writes: “Whoever holds fast to piety in their life, keeps Allah Almighty in mind at all times, follows His precious commandments, and avoids sins and evil deeds—Allah will support and assist such a person in this world. He will crown them with honor, remove hardships from their life, grant them peace and tranquility, and in the Hereafter, they will be happy and fortunate. This is because their righteous actions in this world will illuminate their path in the next world and will save them from the darkness of both realms.” [8]
Many people have attained closeness to Allah and have become beloved to Him through the path of piety. They have been protected from countless trials in this world. Piety serves as a sheltering canopy that saves a person from falling into destruction and moral decline. Whoever lives with piety, Allah will bless and expand their sustenance and wealth. They will experience peace of mind and a life full of blessings. [9]
The righteous predecessors and noble Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them all), under the guidance of the Noble Messenger (PBUH), attained high ranks of piety. Through this path, they achieved great victories, and the doors of success and happiness were opened to them.
Divine Piety
Divine piety includes beliefs, worship, manners, and all other righteous actions. When faith settles firmly in a person’s heart and takes deep root within, a special spiritual state—a gift from Allah—is granted to them, leading to goodness and protecting them from evil. Piety is the fear of Allah Almighty and obedience to His commands, which safeguards lives and unifies hearts. It causes the Muslim community to become united and cohesive.
In contrast, sins weaken the body, extinguish its energy, and drain vitality. Sins are the result of base desires, and these desires are driven by selfishness, arrogance, and exclusivity, leading to envy and hatred among the sinful. [10]
Continues…
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References:
1. Zahi, Kamal. The Path to Prosperity in Both Worlds, p. 60. Translated by: Abu Khalid Shuaib Ali Khwaja. Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad Jam Publications, 2nd Edition, 2019.
2. Al-Qurtubi. Al-Jami’ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, Vol. 1, p. 161.
3. Khabbab, Khalil al-Rahman. My Sister, You Are No Longer a Child, p. 78. Publisher: Maktabat al-Bushra, Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad Jam Publications, 1st Edition – Spring 2023.
4. Ma’arif al-Qur’an, Vol. 2, p. 128.
5. Al-Sabuni. Al-Tafsir al-Wadih al-Muyassar, p. 140. Al-Ufuq Printing and Publishing.
6. Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Al-Zuhd.
7. Zahi, Kamal. The Path to Prosperity in Both Worlds, p. 60. Translated by: Abu Khalid Shuaib Ali Khwaja. Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad Jam Publications, 2nd Edition, 2019.
8. Narouyi, Abdullatif. Secrets of the Success of Great Men, p. 155. Publisher: Sarvach, Ketabsara-ye Sadat, 2018 Edition.
9. Ibid., pp. 155–156.
10. Zahi, Kamal. The Path to Prosperity in Both Worlds, p. 61. Translated by: Abu Khalid Shuaib Ali Khwaja. Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad Jam Publications, 2nd Edition, 2019.
