Allah Says [meaning of which is]: “Allah loves those who are mindful of Him (Al-Muttaqeen)” [Qur’an 9:4].
The word Muttaqun comes from the word Taqwa. It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Taqwa is here” and he pointed to his chest three times” [Muslim]. In another narration, he is reported to have said, “Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts” and he pointed towards his chest with his fingers [Muslim].
It means that external actions will not make a person acquire Tawqa, rather, it can only be acquired by having a sense of greatness for Allah in the heart, having fear of Him, and being close to Him.
The root meaning of Taqwa is to avoid what one dislikes. It was reported that `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked Ubayy bin Ka`b about Taqwa. Ubayy said, “Have you ever walked on a path that has thorns on it” `Umar said, “Yes.” Ubayy said, “What did you do then?” He said, “I rolled up my sleeves and struggled.” Ubayy said, “That is Taqwa.”
So who are the Muttaqun? They are those who:
- Believe in the unseen
- Establish the ritual prayer
- Spend their wealth that Allah has given them (charity, etc.)
- Believe in what was sent down to Muhammad (pbuh) and to those prophets before him
- Are certain of the afterlife
- Fulfill their promises and contracts
- Mindful of Allah’s prohibitions
- Obey Allah in all that He has commanded
- Spend in the path of Allah
- Control their anger
- Forgive the people
- Those to whom when a sinful thought comes to their mind from the Shaytan, they remember Allah’s punishment and His warning, His abundant reward and His promise; so they repent and seek refuge in Allah and turn back to Him quickly. Then they remain steadfast and correct what they were doing.
Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Muttaqun are those believers who fear setting up partners with Allah (shirk) and act in obedience to Him.”
He is also reported to have said, “They are those who remain cognizant of Allah’s punishment by not abandoning that which they know to be from guidance and they hope in His Mercy by believing everything that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came with.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, “They are those who keep away from what Allah has prohibited for them and fulfill what Allah has commanded them.”
“Those mindful of God (Muttaqeen) will live securely among Gardens and rivers. Secure in the presence of an All-Powerful Sovereign” [Qur’an 54:54-55]
I am a Pakistani-American Muslim blogger. I hold a B.S. in Information Technology and a B.A. in Islamic Studies. I am also a follower and a student of the Hanbali school of Islamic law. Read more