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Waqa [root:
و ق ي ]
I waqahu
وقاه
to preserve (
ھsomething)
[LL, HW, LQ]; to take good of (
ھsomething)
[LQ, HW]; to be cautious of (something) [LL]; to safeguard,
shield, shelter, preserve, protect, keep (ھ
ه
someone from); to guard (ھ
ه
someone against); to protect, offer or afford protection (ھ
against); to prevent, obviate (ھ
a danger) [HW]; to preserve (a thing) against any harm or
injury or damage [R]
VIII ittaqa
اتقى to preserve or
guard oneself exceedingly or extraordinarily; to put a thing
between oneself and another to preserve or guard oneself
[LL]; to take as a shield [AM]
اتقى المطر
to seek shelter from rain
[HW]
وقى
waqy
protection; safeguard [HW]
وقاء
waqa, wiqa
protection; prevention [HW]
وقاية
wiqaya(tun)
a preservative [LL]
واق
waaqin
preserving; guarding; protecting; preventive; preservative;
guardian; protector [13:34, 13:37, 40:21]
The meanings of the root
wa-qaf-ya و ق ي
is demonstrated in 16:81, where garments are
mentioned as a means for protection from heat, and
coats of armour for protection in fighting.
Protection from soo-al-azab
is mentioned in 39:24
Protection from azab-al-jaheem
is mentioned in 44:56, 52:18
Protection from azab-as-samoom
is mentioned in 52:27
Protection from azab-an-naar
is mentioned in 2:201, 3:16
Protection from evil (soo’)
of the plots of people is mentioned in 40:45
Protection from evil (shar)
of a stern, distressful day is mentioned in 76:11
Protection from niggardliness or
being culpably and greedily desirous nafs is
mentioned in 59:9, 64:16 [also see 4:128, 33:19 for
niggardliness of nafs]
Protection from the possible harm
from the disbelievers is mentioned in 3:28
Protection from fitna
(affliction, tribulation) is mentioned in 8:25
Keeping form evil deeds is
mentioned in 40:9
Guarding against the Day when all
actions will encounter Absolute Justice and no person will
avail another, and neither intercession, nor any
compensation will be accepted. And no one will be helped
(except by their own actions) [2:48, also see 2:123, 2:281]
[also see 36:45]
The verses in which the object of
the verb form Ittiqa is An-naar [2:24, 3:131,
66:6]
The
verses in which the object of the verb form ittiqa is
Rabb (Allaha) [2:189, 2:194, 2:196, 2:203,
2:223, 2:231, 2:233, 2:278, 2:282, 3:50, 3:102, 3:123,
3:130, 3:200, 4:1, 4:9, 4:131, 5:2, 5:4, 5:7, 5:8, 5:11,
5:35, 5:57, 5:88, 5:96, 5:100, 5:108, 5:112, 6:72, 9:119,
33:70, 57:28, 58:9, 59:18, 8:29, 8:1, 11:78, 26:108, 26:110,
26:126, 26:131, 26:144, 26:150, 26:163, 26:179, 29:16,
30:31, 33:55, 43:63, 64:16, 65:10, 71:3] [3:198, 4:1, 22:1,
31:33, 39:10, 39:20, 39:73, 23:52]
Allah will protect Al-Muttaqeen
from Azab-al-jaheem [44:56, 52:18][ Allah is the
protector [40:7]; Al-Muttaqeen are the
protected][52:27]
The
phrase Ittaqoo-(A)llah cannot be rendered as ‘protect
or guard yourself from Allah’, since Allah is not to be
protected from but He is the Protector and the Guardian as
44:56, 52:18 indicate. The correct rendition may be as,
‘Take Allah as your Protector (or Guardian)’. Or it may be
‘Guard or protect yourself against the inevitable harmful
consequences of violating Allah’s Commands (by carefully
complying with His Guidance)’ .
Taqwa
or the protection (from the harmful consequences of
violating Allah’s Commands) may be achieved by:
Following the Right Guidance (i.e.
the Guidance given in the Quran) [47:17, 39:28]
Following Sirat-e-Mutaqeem,
as elucidated in the Quran [6:153]
Rendering Ibada to Allah
(i.e. compliance with the Commands of Allah in all walks of
life) [2:21]
[Also see, 2:63, 2:179, 2:183,
2:187, 2:237, 5:8, 6:51, 6:69, 7:164, 7:171]
The
phrase Ittaqoo-(A)llah may also be rendered as:
‘Take Allah as a Protector (or Guardian) against the harms
of this life and the hereafter [such harms as are mentioned
in 39:24, 44:56, 52:18, 52:27, 2:201, 3:16, 40:45, 76:11,
59:9, 64:16, 3:28, 8:25, 2:48, 2:123, 2:281, 2:24, 3:131,
66:6] by complying with His Guidance with full care and
attention [because the compliance results in taqwa
(2:21, 47:17, 39:28, 6:153)]’
Or
in short:
‘Take Allah as your Guardian against the harms of this life
and the hereafter by complying with His Guidance with full
care and attention’
The
phrase Ittaqoo-(A)llah is better NOT rendered as
‘fear Allah’, since, ittiqa does not mean ‘fear’.
******
In
19:85-86, the word Al-Muttaqeen has been used in
contrast to Al-Mujrimeen. So Al-Muttaqeen are
never Al-Mujrimeen (i.e. the criminals or, more
specifically, the exploiters or those who wrongfully devour
the fruits of other’s labour). The word Al-mujrimeen
has also been used vs. Al-Muslimeen (i.e. those who
submit to the Commands of Allah) [68:35]. Hence, Al-Muttaqeen
are those who submit to the commands of Allah.
In
19:97, the word Al-Muttaqeen has been used vs.
Qauman luddan (i.e. those people who are contentious,
vehemently opposed, adversaries perverted to the Truth or
deaf to the Truth).
In
38:28, the word Al-Muttaqeen has been used vs. Al-Fujjar
(which means here those who disintegrate or lose cohesion
with Allah’s Guidance). So Al-Muttaqeen are those who
do not lose cohesion but cohere or adhere to or stick to
Allah’s Guidance.
In
91:8, the word taqwa has been used vs. fujoor.
Fujoor here means disintegration and decay while
taqwa signifies preservation (of nafs against
disintegration and decay)
In
13:35, the word Al-kafireen has been used vs. those
with ittiqa.
In
5:2, the word taqwa has been used vs. udwan
(i.e. transgressing or exceeding beyond the Divine Limits).
So taqwa is keeping within the Divine Limits.
In
26:90-91, the word Al-Muttaqeen is used vs. Al-Ghaveen
[i.e. who deviate from the right way by withdrawing from the
Revelations of Allah (7:175)]. So Al-Muttaqeen are
those who do not withdraw but hold fast to the Revelations
of Allah.
******
Some of the characteristics of
Muttaqeen/muttaqoon mentioned in the Quran are given
below:
-Those who believe in Al-ghaib, establish salat,
and keep open for the welfare for others what Allah has
bestowed upon them [2:3]. Those who believe in Allah’s
Revelations and Al-Akhira [2:4]
-Those who keep their wealth open for mankind in favourable
as well as in adverse circumstances. They divert and
sublimate their anger and potentially virulent emotions to
creative energy, and become a source of tranquillity and
comfort to people. They pardon people gracefully. Those who
quickly correct any wrong or indecency that has occurred
from them, they remember Allah, and protect themselves from
trailing behind in dignity. They refrain from wilfully
persisting in error. [3:133-135]
-Those who stand in awe of their Lord even in privacy, and
fear the approaching Hour of accountability [21:48-49]
-Those who are the doers of the good; who rarely fall asleep
at night (without reflection); who heartily seek to be
guarded against their imperfections. Those in whose wealth
is the Divine Right of the requester and the deprived
[51:15-19]
-Those who keep on guard and when a visitation from
Shaitan comes, they become mindful [7:201]
-Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and struggle in
the way of Allah with their lives and their wealth [9:44]
-Those who give away their wealth [92:17-18]
-Those who have conviction in
Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the
Prophets, and give their wealth that they loves in reverence
of Him, to:
Family and relatives
Orphans
Widows
Those left helpless in the society
Those whose hard-earned income fails to meet their basic
needs
Those whose running businesses have stalled
The ones who have lost their jobs
Whose life has stalled for any reason
The disabled
The needy wayfarer, son of the street, the homeless, the one
who travels to you for assistance
Those who ask for help, and
Those whose necks are burdened with any kind of bondage,
oppression, crushing debts and extreme hardship of labor.
(‘Yatim’, ‘Miskin’, ‘Ibnis Sabeel’,
‘Fir-Riqab’ carry all the meanings given above).
-They (the truly righteous) strive
to establish the Divine System, and set up the Just Economic
Order. They are true to their promises whenever they make a
promise. They remain steadfast in physical or emotional
distress and in times of peril.
-Those who are in the pure and desirable state when
malaika come to take their lives [16:31-32]
******
In 2:2, 3:138 and 5:46, it has
been stated that the Quran is huda(n)-lil-muttaqeen.
This means that the Quran is guidance to the mode of life of
those who preserve themselves from the perils [of this life
and the Hereafter]. It may also be rendered as that Quran is
the Guidance for those who wish to be preserved (and remain
so) from the harms or perils of this life and the hereafter.
As can be seen in 47:17, hidayat results in Taqwa
(and NOT the vice versa). The verse 39:28 also makes clear
that the purpose of the Quran is taqwa (of those who
would follow it). So, the Quran is hidayat for
becoming muttaqeen and also for remaining so. The
similar rendition may also apply in 21:48, 24:34, 69:48. A
paradisiacal life in this world and the hereafter is for
those who become muttaqeen (by following Allah’s
Guidance) [3:133, 19:63, 26:90, 43:35, 50:31, 68:34, ]
....
References:
Al-Qur'an
LL: Lane’s Lexicon by E. W. Lane
LA: Lisan-ul-Arab by Ibn-e-Manzoor
M: Mufradat fi Gharib-ul-Quran by Raghib
K: Kamoos-ul-Muheet by
Muhammad
bin Yaqoob Al-Feroz Abadi
LQ: Lughat-ul-Quran by G.A. Parvez
AM: Dictionary of the Quran by Abdul
Mannan
HW: Hans-Wehrs dictionary of modern
Arabic
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