02-177 Piety (taqwa) Defined, Not Ritual But Good Deeds

Main Index of Quran

1. There is no god but God [ la ilaha illallah ]
1b. One God, One Humanity, God doesn't Like Creating Divisions
2. One Root Religion [ al-Din ] for Mankind
3. Many Paths to God
4. Seek Commonality in Diversity and Help Each Other in Good Cause
5. Establish JUSTICE & Fairness in Humanity
6 Quran Confirms All Earlier Divine Scriptures & Messages
7 Three conditions of Salvation = faith in God + faith in Hereafter + good deeds
About God
- About God's Mercy, Benevolence, & Forgiveness
- All praise to God [alhamdulillah]
- Best Judge, Best Witness
- Best Provider, Sustenance giver
- Cherisher-Sustainer of everything [rabbil alamin]
- Creator [khalik], Originator [fatir], transformer [bariu]
- Disposer of all affairs, Best Planner, Best Schemer
- everything belongs to God
- Glimpses of God's involvements with reality
- God is beyond the reach of human conprehension
- God is eternal
- God is only Guardian, Protector, Helper, Savior
- God is the Law giver, criteria setter
- God is the only Lord [Malik], all else are servants
- God is the Origin and the End of everything, everything returns to Him
- God is the Truth, the Ultimate Reality
- God never sleep, die, rest, forget, err
- names of God, call God by any name
- Omnipotent, Omnipresent, omniscient
  - Omnipotent
  - Omnipresent
  - Omniscient
- Punisher
- Self-sufficient, limitless Glory, wantless
About Quran
- 1 Quran in Arabic-why
- 1 STRUCTURE Characteristics
  - sequence & timing of sura or chapters
- Abrogation doctrine rejected
- Allegories & Parables in Quran
- Amazing Facts & Claims about Quran
  - challenges of Quran
  - CONSISTENT Book
  - No Contradiction-inconsisetncy in Quran
  - Prophecies in Quran
  - Quran claims it is totally CONSISTENT
  - Quran is always Protected & Preserved
  - Who can Understand Quran
- CONVEY tilawat quran
- Early Mystical Verses
- Essence of all scriptures same
- Guidelines in interpreting Quran
  - No Contradiction-inconsisetncy in Quran
  - reject rediculous contradictory Hadith and Sharia
  - who can understand Quran
- Key Verses
- Mystic Letters in Quran
- Parables & metaphors in Quran
- People of Book knew about Quran
- Purpose of Quran
- Quran alleged as Magic or Concokted
- Quran gives validity to other Scriptures
- Quran is foretold in earlier scriptures
- Quran's appeal to use reason to accept Truth
- Revealed
- Stories in Quran
- What is Quran
  - detail, straight, complete, consistent, and perfect Messages
- who can Understand Quran
About Religion
- Different Ways [shirah, minhaj] to God
- Freedom of Religion in Islams
- Fundamentals of Religion, unity ordained
- Islam and Muslims, some key ideas
- No blind following [taqlid] in Islam
- No Excess, No Hardship in religion
- One Religion [Din]
- Piety among Non-Muslims
- Propagation of Faith
- Rituals of Religion
- The Straight Path [siratul mustakim]
- Truth and Falsehood
- Why One True Religion is distorted and become many?
About Religion - Most People Do Not Know the True Religion
About Society and Principles of Governance
- A society should uphold rights of all God's khalifa [people]
- Being God's Representatives [Khalifa], people collectively are sovereign
- Checks and Balances
- Consultation and Broad Decision Making Process
- Establish Just Societies [see Justice under Main Index]
  - Moderation and Balance
- Moderation and Balance
- Pluralism in Islam: Attitude towards Non-Muslims
- Principles of Governance - An Essay
- Secret Counsel, Scheme, Intelligence
- Uphold Trust, Fulfill Obligations and Commitments
All Originate from God and All ultimately Return to God
Blind Following [taqlid], conjecture, & extremes CONDEMNED
Causers - who can cause
- God does not impose faith on a mind, man's free will decides
- God's Will - the Cause of all causes
- human Free Will & Responsibility
- human will works within God's Will
- Intercession between God and human
- Satan cannot cause
Causes and the State of FAILURE (al-Khusranu)
- Abuse of Power and Possessions, Priests, etc
- Apostasy-rejecting after believing
  - Articles and Opinions
- Arrogance, ego, false pride and obstinacy
- ASTRAYED, mind SEALED, Doomed
- Believing but doing wrong things RUINS
- Betraying Trust
- Blind following others-not using reason
- breaking Covenant with God
- Breaking promise, agreement, oath etc
- Changing God's Messages_Divide Religion
- Collective Failings
- Conspiracy to harm others
- conspiracy, cynicism, fear-mongering against good work
- corruption_mischief_transgression
- cutting Relations_tuqattiu arhama
- DERAIL or Hinder others from right path
- DIVIDE, breakig up unity, sects, dissension
- DOOMED-Grace withdrawn-losers
- emersed in Evil
- Enemies of God
- evil doing_plot_scheme [munkar_makr_yamkurun]
- EXCESS, extravagance & WASTE
- FEAR due to lack of faith in God
- following Satan
- Forgetting Death-Judgmnt Day
- God does not like these
  - what God does Not like-love
- God let go Astray-mind sealed-deaf-blind etc
- God will not forgive those
- Grading Sins
- heinous characteristics
- Hell goers
- Hiding wrong, excuses, pretexts
- Homosexuality
- Hopelessness_Despair
- hypocrisy-half-heartedness [Munafiq]
- Ignoring SIGNS [MURIDUN]
- inventing lies about God -most wicked
- Killing-Violence-Aggression etc
  - Killing
    - AA-when killing is allowed
  - Violence and Aggression
- Leading others to Astray
- life Wasted [musrifin]
- Losers (big)_Both worlds Lost for those
- Lying-cheating
- Magic-Superstition-Foretelling
- mindset dictate actions
- Mischief on Earth
- miser-niggardly-Anti Charity
- Not learning, not using faculty of Reason, mind etc
- Not trusting God, not relying on God
- Not using REASON lead to ruin, hell
- obsessed with this life-desire-forget God
- Oppression-aggression-Injustice
- Others Influence but one's own choice
- Prayerless or wrong prayer leads to failure
- Rebellious-Angry
- Redicule God & man of god, Prophets
- Rejection of God and Truth [kafir]
  - Causes of Rejection
  - Consequence of Rejection
  - God never requite except extreme rejecters [intensive form]
  - Not Believing-Rejecting lead to evilness
  - rejecting due to lac of knowledge
  - Rejections of Messages
- Rejection of Hereafter
- Riba & other abuse of Resources
- Satan, worshipping and taking satan as protector
- sexuaL PROMISCUITY
- Shirk_assigning Parterns with God
- SLANDER-derision-suspicion etc
- state of FAILURE
- Thinking God does not know everything
- those that are lost
- transgressors [TAAGIN]
- Ungrateful-deny God's favors
- Unjust-wrong doing-[zalim-ga'win]
  - do not EXCESS - MODERATION
  - Economic Injustice and Misconduct
  - failing Commitments
  - following Wrong Leaders or wrong company
  - God Does Not love-like etc
  - hard & arrogant
  - Injustice & Aggression
    - Fear & Aggression
  - Intoxication & Gambling
  - Lying Hypocrisy Distorting
  - Mocking faith & prayer
  - rebellion-insolence [YABGU]
  - Social Misconduct and Crimes
  - Temptations of Life
  - what God does NOT like-love
  - wrongfully Punishing people
- unrepentend or repentence not accepted
- wasted life-vain pursuits
- What God does Not love [la-uhibbul ]
- who Hinder others from faith-righteousness
- whom God does not forgive
- whom God does not guide
- wrong attitude-Trials-Tests-punishments of Life
  - Opinion & Article
- wrong doers plot against themselves
- Wrong ideas about God
Causes and the State of SUCCESS-Salvation (al-Falahu)
- 1 ALLEGIANC to God_covenant with God
- 1 Closeness to God [mukarrabun]
- 1 FAITH_and_Deeds [Amanoo-Amilussalihati]
- 1 Glorify-Praise-Invoke God
  - awe feeling of God [Yakhshaon]
- 10 uphold TRUST & agreements, fulfill obligations
- 11 only best deeds taken, bad deeds wiped out fr whom
- 11Truthfulness, pursue truth
- 1Consciousness-fear of God [Mutakkin]
- 2 wrongs wiped out, only best deeds taken
- 3 Compassion - SEE Main Index
- 4 Justice & Fairness - SEE Main Index
- 5 Avioding great sins avail God's forgiveness
- 6 Righteous Characters defined
- 7 good to fellow men, love them
- Asking God's forgiveness & help
- Break not that is to remain Joint
- Change Innerself [nafs] for better
- Charity, Prayer, Fasting, & Hajj - see Main Index
- Compliance with God's laws_true to the covenants
- Consultation_how righteous dispose affairs
- Death and Hereafter, keep in mind
- enjoin Good-forbid wrong [maruf-munkar]
- Exult not in gain_despair not in pain [loss]
- Forsaking domain of Evil_migrate for God's cause
- God Loves [yuhibbul]or likes these
- Good to Parents and relatives
- guard CHASTITY
- Humility-humbleness
- Moderation_Modesty_No Extremes
- Modesty_clothing_etiquette
- No fear-No Grief for Pious people
- Not to be judgmental, be generous
- Not to transgress
- Obey God-follow messanger
- Overcome Fear leads to Success
- Patience-Persev-Steadfast [Sabr]
- Peace-Harmony-balance
  - Establishing Peace among people
  - One God-One Humanity-community[ummatan]
- Piety, not rituals that is important
- Pious-Righteous
  - closer to God [mukarrabun]
  - near to God [mukarrabun,sabiqun,mimanah]
  - Piety among non-Muslims
  - Ranks of Piety
- propagating religion- see religion
- Pursuit of TRUTH
- receive God's grace
- REPENT-atone-amend-expiate
- Saving Oneself from Lust-Greed
- Seeking Best meaning of Word
- seeking help-refuge in God
- Stay away major sin, minor will be forgiven
- staying away frm slander-derision-suspicion etc
- Thankful to God
- TRUST God & remain HOPEFUL
- Truth-Justice and Balance
- what brings NEAR TO GOD
- work fr Social Order & Harmony
- [1] SUBMISSION to God, SEE Main Index
- [1] Worship God [Ibadat]-Serve God
- [Zikr-Alla] REMEMBRANCE of God
Charity, Prayer, Fasting & Pilgrimage ( Hajj )
- Charity
- Fasting
  - Opinions and writings
- Pilgrimage [Hajj]
- Prayer
Communication, speaking, expressing, greeting
COMPASSION, Generosity & forgiveness
Creation & Physical Universe
- Balance, Precision, in creation
- Basic Characteristics of Physical Universe
  - created opposites & pairs [zaws] in everything
  - DIVERSITY in creation
- Created with Truth and Purpose
- Creation
- everything recorded in God's Books
- God is the Creator-Sustainer of everything
- God is the Origin and end of everything
- Physical Universe
- Primary creation, created out of nothing
- Purpose of Creation
- set terms
- subjected many things to serve humans
- Time, relativity of time
- Twin Worlds of REALITY, Spiritual & Physical
Day of Destruction, Judgment, Hereafter
- 1 Day of Destruction [yaum-al-Qiamat]
- 2 Day of Resurrection [yaum-al-Qiamat]
- 3 Day of Judgment (doj) [Yaumuddin]
- 4 Heaven, Hell, Hereafter [akhirat]
  - Changing state of existence in hereafter
  - conversations in Hereafter
- The HOUR [sayati]
Dealings with People
- dealings with wrongdoers
Divine Messages or Signs [ayat] to Mankind
- Divine Messages in Books-Revelations [Wahy]
- Divine Signs [ayat] inscribed in Reality
- Message to mankind
- Miracles and Portents
- Purpose of Divine Messages [ayat-wahy]
- Reason paramount, miracle downplayed, in accepting Truth
- TRUTH-falsehood
- Unseen Kitab of Divine Records
Do not be judgmental, God alone is the Judge
Faith & Deeds are important, Brands & Labels are Not
Family, Relatives, friends [kurba]
- Children
- Good to Parents and relatives
Followers of Earlier Scriptures [ Ahlal Kitab ]
- Christians
- Dealings with non-Muslims
- Jews
- Piety among non-Muslims
- Quran addresses Israelites [Jews]
- Quran validates Messages of earlier scriptures that are not corrupted
Food-Clothing-Modesty-manners
- clothing & modesty
  - Modesty-etiquette
- Custom-ETIQUETTE- traditions
- Food and drink
God installs checks and balances in human affairs, facilitates functionality through ranks
God Reserves the Right to Forgive Everybody
God's Judgment and Justice
- Detail Records kept
- God alone is the Judge, do not judge
- God does no injustice, one gets that one earns
- God gives respite or punishes instantly as He Wills
- God is the Best Judge and Best Witness
- God judge by best deeds for whom
- Good deed rewarded more than it earns
- Intercession between God and human
- Judgment in Hereafter - SEE Main Index for Day of Destruction, Day of Judgment .......
God's Messengers & Warner sent to every civilization (umma) and to every age (ajalin) before Muhammad
God's Prophets or Messengers and their people
- Chronology of Prophets in the Quran
- Different endowments to different Prophets
- Difficult struggles of Prophets
- God and Prophet mentioned together
- God delivered Prophets
- Group of Prophets mentioned together
- Messengers [Nabi], Apostle [Rasul]
- Mission and Responsibilities of Prophets
- No distinction among Prophets, All bear the same Message
- Prophets and their stories mentioned in the Quran
  - Abel and Cain
  - Abraham
    - Honors, titles, & Mission of Abraham
  - Adam
  - David and Solomon
    - Solomon
  - Hud to the people of Ad
  - Jesus, Mary, & Christians
  - Job or Ayub
  - Jonah [Yunus]
  - Lot & Sodom and Gomorrah
  - Moses, Pharaoh & Jews
  - Muhammad [Md]
  - Noah
  - Other Prophets
  - Salih to the people Thamud
  - Shuayb to the people of Madyan
  - The family of Imran
- Prophets are all mortal human beings
- Prophets are devout, most obedient servants of God
- Prophets are FALLIBLE human beings
- Prophets as Mercy to mankind
- Prophets desired guidance for their people
- Prophets did not ask any reward from their people
- Prophets never asked any reward or compensation from their people
- Prophets sent in the native languages of their people
- Prophets sent to every nation [umma] but some areas might not be covered
- Prophets' characteristics & dispositions
- stories of non-Prophets in Quran
- The Same Message to all Prophets
Human Rights in Islam
- INHERENT Universal Human Rights
- right to Property and economic parity
- rights of family, kindred [kurba], needy, inheritance
- social justice-collective right vs individual rights
- to defend rights and fight injustice & oppression
human to God relationship
- Intercession between God and human
Humans and Humanity
- All human beings are Fallible with weaknesses
- Diversity is God's Will, unity should be humanity's goal
- God defeats, replaces or controls one group with another
- Human to Human relationship
- Internationalism in Islam
- One God, one humanity
- Position of a human being in Creation
- Soul and human nature
Humility-humbleness
Jihad, Peaceful Struggle or War
- conduct in victory
- honor Treaty-agreements-oaths
- Jihad-peaceful struggle
- Jihad-war
- Purpose, struggle still justice & rights prevail
- Reconciliation-make peace
Knowledge (ilm), REASON (aql) & Wisdom (hikmah)
- applying Reason [aql] paramount, Miracles downplayed
- Articles & Opinions
- Articles, Opinions
- God-given knowledge, wisdom to Prophets
- knowledge [ilm]
- knowledge, wisdom and piety are synonymous in Islam
- little knowledge is given to humans
- No Blind following[Taqlid] in Islam
- Not accept wrong traditions, superstitions, etc
- Not using REASON and intellect lead to ruin
- Pen and writing
- pursuit of Knowledge, Wisdom paramount in Islam
- Quran's appeal to use reason to accept Truth
- using Mind is paramount in Islam
- Wisdom [hekmah]
lessons of the PAST
- Collective Punishment
- God vindicates restores believers
- lessons Lost
- patterns in history
- weak party defeat strong, small force defeat big ones
Life and death, Trials and Tribulations
- Death
- Life
- Life and Hereafter compared
- Trials & tribulations of life
Man and Woman
- Divorce
- Gender Equality
- Marriage
- Often Quran use male gender to mean both men & women
- Sexuality
- Women
Moderation advocated in Islam, no extremism
No blind following [taqlid] in Islam
Piety (taqwa, al-birra) Defined
Piety among followers of other brands of religion
Piety Reaches God, Not Rituals
Prophecies in Quran
Prophets sent to every civilization [Umma] & to every era [ajalin] before Muhammad
Quran is Preserved & Protected Forever
Rewards and Punishments
- God gives Respite in this life
- Punishment
- Reward
- Reward vs Punishment
Satan, Angels, Jinn, Hur, Magic
- Angels
- Hur
- Jinn
- Magic & Sorcery
- Satan
Tolerance and Pluralism in Islam
Universalism in Islam
Wealth, Sustenance, Inheritance, other financial matters
- Business, Trade & Usuary [Riba]
- Guidelines for some property matters
- Huge wealth and arrogance lead to ruin
- Inheritance
- Managers-workers relationship
- Social Justice and fair distribution of wealth
- Spending guidelines
- Sustenance [rizq]
  - Abuse of God given sustenance
  - Use of God given sustenance
- Zakat [obligatory charity] - SEE Causes of Success, then charity

02-177 Piety (taqwa) Defined, Not Ritual But Good Deeds

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02-177 Piety (taqwa) Defined, Not Ritual But Good Deeds

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