TRANSFORMATION G U I D E Taqwa
TRANSFORMATION G U I D E Taqwa
Introduction UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF TAQWA Taqwa is a fundamentalconceptin Islam,representing piety, mindfulness, and consciousness of Allah. Itinvolves being aware ofHis presence at alltimes,striving to fulfill Hiscommands, and avoiding actions that displeaseHim.
Allah usesthisword in its different forms and contextsin theQur’an. Here are a fewexamples: TAQWA INTHEQUR’AN
TO EXPLAIN THE MOST MINDFUL HEARTS “Thatisso. Andwhoever honorsthe symbols of Allah, itiscertainly out ofthe pietyofthe heart.”(22:32) ِه ٱلَّل َر ِئ ٰٓـ َعِّظْم َشَع ُي َك َوَمن ِل َٰذ وِب ُل ْقَوى ٱْلُق َت ن ِم َها َّن ِإ َف 1
TO EXPLAIN A GOAL FOR AN ACT OF WORSHIP "O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you— asitwasforthose before you—so perhaps youwill become mindful ˹ of Allah˺.”(2:183) َياُم َكَما َب َعَل ْيُكُم ٱلِّص ِت وا ُك ُن يَن َءاَم ِذ َها ٱَّل ُّي ٰٓـَأ َي ُقوَن َتَّت ُكْم َلَعَّلُكْم ِل ن َقْب يَن ِم ِذ َب َعَلى ٱَّل ِت ُك 2
TO GIVE A GUIDELINE ON WHAT TO DO IN DIFFICULT TIMES “Andwhoeveris mindful of Allah,Hewill make away outforthem,and provide forthem from sourcesthey could neverimagine. And whoever putstheirtrustin Allah,thenHe ˹alone˺ issufficientforthem. Certainly Allah achievesHis Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.” (65:2-3) ًجا ْجَعل َّلُه َمْخَر َي ِق ٱلَّلَه َّت َي َوَمن َفُهَو ِه َوَّكْل َعَلى ٱلَّل َت َي ُب َوَمن ِس َت ْح ُث اَل َي ْي ْن َح ِم َي ْرُزْقُه َو ا ًر َقْد ُكِّل َشْىٍء ِل َقْد َجَعَل ٱلَّلُه ْمِرِه َأ ُغ َبٰـِل َّن ٱلَّلَه ِإ ُه ُب َحْس 3
TO PRESENT A DESIRABLE INTENTION BEHIND AN ACT OF WORSHIP “Isthe onewho founded hisstructure upon mindfulness of Allah and (His) good pleasure better orthe onewho founded hisstructure on the brink of a cliff thatwas aboutto tumble,so thatittumbledwith him into the fire ofHell? And Allah does not guide the unjust people.” (9:109) ٍن َخْيٌر َٰو َوِرْض ِه َن ٱلَّل ْقَوٰى ِم َت ُه َعَلٰى َيٰـَن ُب ْن َّسَس َأ َفَمْن َأ ِه ِب َر َها ُرٍف َهاٍر َفٱ ْن ُه َعَلٰى َشَفا ُج َيٰـَن ُب ْن َّسَس َأ م َّمْن َأ يَن ى ٱْلَقْوَم ٱلَّظٰـِلِم ْهِد َم َوٱلَّلُه اَل َي َّن َناِر َجَه ى ِف 4
Just as ourstate of mind and heart changes,thus ourconsciousness of Allah جل جلاله)taqwa)can change. There are certain acts,words etc.that improve and increase ourconsciousness of Allah جل جلاله.However,certain acts(orlack thereof),words and otherscan also negatively affect ourconnection to Allah, and make uslessconsciousness ofHim جل جلاله. Our Taqwa is Subject to Change
A believerintentionallyworks on increasing his/hertaqwa, aware that hisstate ofthe mind and heartcan change,which can affect his/her connection to Allah جل جلاله. The Benefits of Increasing Taqwa Increasing taqwa brings numerous benefitsto the spiritual, emotional and psychological aspect of our being.
Taqwa is all about ourrelationshipwith Allah جل جلاله .Itis all aboutthe awareness of Himجل جلاله,His جل جلالهbeautiful names and attributes, andHisrole in our daily lives. By increasing ourtaqwa,we are putting Allah جل جلالهin the place that belongstoHim جل جلاله in ourlives,which makesit easierfor us to put everything else in the correct order and place it belongsto. IT STRENGTHENS OUR 1 RELATIONSHIP WITHALLAH
Taqwa helps usreach Ihsaan, which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمdescribes as: "Toworship Allah asif you seeHim, and if you cannot achieve thisstate of devotion then you mustconsiderthat He islooking at you. " (Sahih al-Bukhari 50)
ٱَّلَّلِذِذييَنَن َءَءاَمَمُنُنووا َوَوَتَتْطْطَمَمِئِئُّنُّن ُقُقُلُلووُبُبُهُهمم ِبِبِذِذْكْكِرِر ٱللَّلَّلِهِه َأاَل ِبِبِذِذْكْكِرِر ٱللَّلَّلِهِه َتَتْطْطَمَمِئِئُّنُّن ٱْلْلُقُقُلُلووُبُب “Thosewho believe andwhose heartsfind comfortin the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do heartsfind comfort. ”(13:28) IT GRANTS US PEACE OF MINDANDHEART 2
Our dhikris nottruly completewithout consciousness of Allah جل جلاله ,and awarenessthatHe islistening towhatwe are saying andwhatwe need from Him. Thus,consciousness of Allah is an important part of dhikr of Allah. On the other hand,this awareness brings peace to our heart and mind, aswe become more aware that Allah istruly in control of everything, and thatwe don't need to stress out andworry so much.
ُّمُّمَضَضٰـٰـَعَعَفَفًةًة َوَوٱَّتَّتُقُقووا ٱللَّلَّلَهَه َلَلَعَعَّلَّلُكُكْمْم ُتُتْفْفِلِلُحُحووَنَن َيَيٰٓـٰٓـَأَأُّيُّيَهَهاا ٱَّلَّلِذِذييَنَن َءَءاَمَمُنُنووا اَلاَل َتَتْأْأُكُكُلُلووا ٱللِّرِّرَبَبٰٓوٰٓوا َأَأْضْضَعَعٰـٰـًفًفاا “O believers!Do notconsume interest, multiplying it many times over. And bemindful of Allah, so you may prosper. ”(3:130) IT GUIDES OUR ACTIONS TO 3 WHAT PLEASES ALLAHجل جلاله.
Being aware that Allah constantly sees us, hears us, and thatHe جل جلالهis with usin every moment of ourlives, will affectthewaywe act,think, speak, etc., aswewill do our bestto avoid thingsHe doesn'twant usto do, and make us do more ofthingsHe wants usto do.
AbuHurairah narrated thatthe Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمwas asked aboutwhich people are admitted into Paradise the most,so he said: "Taqwa of Allah, and good character." (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 2004) Increasing our Taqwawill help usstay focused on the ultimate goalwe have forthis life and theHereafter:Jannah Al-Firdaous and seeing Allah جل جلاله. 4 IT IS A PATHTO JANNAH
Taqwa YOUR TTRRAANNSSFFOORRMMAATTIIOONN STEP BY STEP
S E T T I N G Y O U R My intentions now When Ireach my old age, I wantto be… Iwantto spend my last minute in thisworld by doing this… Before embarking on thisjourney of Taqwa transformation,set a sincere intention to seek closenessto Allah and make a commitmentto implementing the guidance provided in this guide. Intention
If your answeriscurrently notrelated to Allah,remember that every (halal) intention can become yourtool oftaqwa! Intention For example, if your goal isto become a CEO of a certain company - ask yourself,whatisthe purpose ofthis goal, whatfeeling orstate of your beingwill it bring to you? Instead ofconnecting yourintention to a certain role orjob,rathertie itto the state of your being andwhat type of person youwantto become. For example, being a CEO of a company can help you develop a habit of being a hardworking, honest, innovative person thatwantsto help other people. Yourintention can be exactly that- becoming a hard workingworshiper of Allahجل جلاله,that uses every opportunity to getclosertoHim and getHis pleasure.
Mention 3 things youwere thinking abouttoday,that affected you and your mood and your behaviortoday. Try to connectthose thoughtswith being aware of Allah, or one ofHis attributes. If you have these thoughtstomorrow,try to convertthem into Taqwa related thoughts. CUL T IVAT IN G AN D PRACT ICIN G Begin by developing self-awareness,recognizing your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Understand the impactthey have on yourrelationshipwith Allah and others. Mindfulness and Reflection You can do this on a daily basisstarting today, bywriting the notes in your phone, or by dedicating a newnotebook forthis purpose.
From 1to 5, howwould you rate your overall mindfulness of Allah in salah today? 1 2 3 4 5 What helped you mostto gain some focus on the Salah? Mention a fewexamples ofthoughtsthat distracted you from being presentin the Salah today. S TREN G T H ENIN G Y O UR Salah isthe pillar of Islam and serves as a direct means of communicationwith Allah,which meansthatit directly affects our awareness of Allah and helps usstay connectedwithHimجل جلاله. Salah Strive to improve yourconcentration during prayer, ensuring that your heart and mind are fully engaged. Minimize distractions and create a peaceful environment. Practice khushu' by understanding the meanings ofthe versesrecited in prayer.
your khushu' Tips on improving Track 2 types ofthoughts:thosewhich help you focusthe mostin the Salah, aswell as those that distract you in Salah. Assoon as you notice that your mind is wandering in Salah,take a breath and remind yourself aboutthingsthat help you focus on your Salah. No matter how many times you have to remind yourself, itisstill fine. Focusin Salah issomething thatis practiced and doesn’tcome overnight.
Whenwasthe lasttime you recited theQur’an? Do you understand the Qur’an in Arabic?If not, do you regularly read the translation oftheQur’an? Do you understandwhat you recite in your Salah from the Qur’an?If yes, howdeeply connected you feelwith the words you are reciting? T H E P O W ER O F T H E Recognize the transformative effect of engagingwith theQur’an. Understand thatitis a source of guidance,wisdom, and solace. Embrace theQur'an as a divine gift & a blueprintfor a righteouslife. Qur'an Make a commitmentto regularly recite theQur'an. Set aside dedicated time each day forrecitation, even if it'sjust a fewverses. Aim to complete the recitation of the entireQur'an atleast once during the year.
Read regularly the translation oftheQur’an, or even memorize the translation ofcertain surahsthat you recite every day (for example,surah Al-Fatiha, AlIkhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Naas). Take your understanding to the nextlevel by comparing differenttranslations oftheQur’an. Use the differencesin translation to make an even deeper understanding and connectionwith the Qur’an. 1 2 IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THEQUR’ANINARABIC:
Think ofthose translations & whatthat meansto you, 3 & howitcan help you in remembering Allah more. 4 5 IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THEQUR’ANINARABIC: Connect every meaning oftheQur’anwith Allah جل جلاله, let every verse remind you ofHim and your connectionwithHim and need ofHim جل جلاله. Think about howtheQur’an istalking to you. You are the onewhom Allah جل جلالهwantsto guide through this Book. Who isthe Lord thatisspeaking to you andwhat doesHewantfrom you?
Don’trush in yourrecitation! Take itslowly, give yourselftime and space to pronounce every letter andword in Arabic. Be aware thatthose exactwords came out ofthe mouth ofthe Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمand that heصلى الله عليه وسلمisthe first onewho recited them among the human beings. IF YOU CANUNDERSTAND THEQUR’ANINARABIC: When you see different behaviors, and different people in your daily life, letthem remind you ofthe Qur’an and the Lordwho revealed thosewords. Let theworld around you become yourQur’an reminder. 1 2
M AINTAININ G A Guard yourtongue: Recognize the power ofspeech and the impactitcan have on ourselves and others. Control yourtongue by avoiding backbiting, gossip, and harmful speech. Instead,speakwords of kindness, encouragement, and benefit. Strive to perform good deeds and avoid sinful behaviors. Engage in acts ofcharity, kindness, and service to others. Refrain from engaging in dishonesty,cheating, or any action that goes againstthe teachings of Islam. Cultivate virtuessuch as patience, gratitude, humility, and forgiveness. Embrace these qualities as a reflection of yourtaqwa. Seek opportunitiesto improve your character and contribute positively to society. Righteous Lifestyle
Two scenesfrom this weekwhere I needed taqwa in my behavior in relationwith other people. 1: 2: Explain your behavior and if you practiced taqwa in those examples.Mention what you could do better nexttime. 1: 2: M AINTAININ G A Righteous Lifestyle
INC O RP O RAT IN G Remember, no one can be mindful of Allah جل جلالهunless Allahجل جلالهhelps him/her on that path and givesthem strength and patience of being aware ofHimجل جلاله. Ask Allahجل جلالهto make you among thosewho are conscious ofHim, andwho are aware of Himجل جلالهin theway that pleasesHimجل جلاله. Here are some du’asfrom theQur’an and Sunnah. Du'as
َرَرَّبَّبَنَناا َهَهْبْب َلَلَنَناا ِمِمْنْن َأَأْزْزَٰوَٰوِجِجَنَناا َوَوُذُذِّرِّرَّيَّيٰـٰـِتِتَنَناا ُقُقَّرَّرَةَة َأَأْعْعُيُيٍنٍن َوَوٱْجْجَعَعْلْلَنَناا ِلِلْلْلُمُمَّتَّتِقِقييَنَن ِإَماًما “Our Lord, grant usin ourspouses and our offspring(s) a comfortto the eyes, and make us a good example ofthe oneswhowere mindful(ofGod).”(25:74)
"O Allah! Grant me the sense of piety (taqwa) and purify my soul as You are the Bestto purify it. You are its Guardian and its Protecting Friend. O Allah! Iseek refuge in You from knowledgewhich is not beneficial, and from a heartwhich does notfear (You), and from desirewhich is notsatisfied, and from prayerwhich is not answered." (Riyad as-Salihin 1479) ِمْن ِعْلٍم اَل َيْنَفُع َوِمْن َقْلٍب اَل َيْخَشُع، َوِمْن َنْفٍس َزَّكاَها، َأْنَت َوِلُّيَها َوَمْواَلَها، َالَّلُهَّم ِإِّني َأُعوُذ ِبَك َالَّلُهَّم آِت َنْفِسي َتْقَواَها، َوَزِّكَها َأْنَت َخْيُر َمْن اَل َتْشَبُع، َوِمْن َدْعَوٍة اَل ُيْسَتَجاُب َلَها
“O Allah. O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety,chastity and contentment.” (Sahih Muslim, 2721a) َالَّلُهَّم ِإِّني ََأْسَأُلَك اْلُهَدى َوالُّتَقى َواْلَعَفاَف َواْلِغَنى