In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب في التقوى
Chapter on Godfearing righteousness (taqwa).
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/42
Allah Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
O believers! Fear Allah in the way He deserves, and do not die except in a state of full submission to Him.
Surat Ali ‘Imran 3:102
And Allah said:
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
So fear Allah to the best of your ability, hear and obey, and spend in charity—that will be best for you. And whoever is saved from the selfishness of their own souls, it is they who are truly successful.
Surat al-Taghabun 64:16
And Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
O believers! Fear Allah and say what is right.
Surat al-Ahzab 33:70
And Allah said:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
Whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine.
Surat al-Talaq 65:2-3
And Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ
O believers! If you are mindful of Allah, He will grant you a decisive authority, absolve you of your sins, and forgive you. And Allah is the Lord of infinite bounty.
Surat al-Anfal 8:29
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, “Which people are the most noble?” The Prophet said:
أَكْرَمُهُمْ أَتْقَاهُمْ
The most noble to Allah are the most righteous.
They said, “That is not what we are asking about.” The Prophet said:
فَأَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ
The most noble of people was Joseph, the prophet of Allah, son of the prophet of Allah, son of the friend of Allah, Abraham.
They said, “That is not what we are asking about.” The Prophet said:
فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي
Are you asking about the Arabs?
They said, “Yes.” The Prophet said:
فَخِيَارُكُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُكُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا
The best of you in the time of ignorance is the best of you in Islam, if they have religious understanding.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3374, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَةٌ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مُسْتَخْلِفُكُمْ فِيهَا فَيَنْظُرُ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ فَاتَّقُوا الدُّنْيَا وَاتَّقُوا النِّسَاءَ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ فِتْنَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ فِي النِّسَاءِ
The world is sweet and green. Verily, Allah will make you successors in it to see how you will behave. Beware of the world and beware of women. Verily, the first trial of the children of Israel was with women.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2742, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى
O Allah, I ask You for guidance, righteousness, abstinence, and independence.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2721, Grade: Sahih
‘Adi ibn Hatim reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ رَأَى أَتْقَى لِلهِ مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ التَّقْوَى
Whoever has given an oath by his right hand, then he sees something more righteous to Allah than it, let him choose righteousness.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1651, Grade: Sahih
Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said during his farewell sermon:
اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَصَلُّوا خَمْسَكُمْ وَصُومُوا شَهْرَكُمْ وَأَدُّوا زَكَاةَ أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَطِيعُوا ذَا أَمْرِكُمْ تَدْخُلُوا جَنَّةَ رَبِّكُمْ
Fear Allah your Lord, pray your five prayers, fast your month of Ramadan, give charity from your wealth, and obey those in authority over you. You will enter the Paradise of your Lord.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 616, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
