10 Signs of Piety (Taqwa)

 

The sign of scrupulous piety (al-wara`) is considering ten things mandatory upon oneself:

• Guarding the tongue from backbiting due to the saying of the Most High: “Do not backbite one another.” [49:12]
• Shunning suspicion due to the saying of the Most High: “Avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin.” [49:12] And also due to the saying of the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, “Avoid suspicion, for airing suspicion is the most lying form of speech.” [Musnad Ahmad]
• Shunning mockery due to the saying of the Most High: “Let not a people ridicule another people; perhaps they may be better than them.” [49:11]
• Lowering gaze from forbidden things due to the saying of the Most High: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze.”[24:30]
• Truthfulness of the tongue due to the saying of the Most High: “And when you speak, be just.” [6:152]
• Recognizing the blessings of Allah the Most High upon oneself in order to avoid conceitedness due to the saying of the Most High: “Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful.”[49:17]
• Spending one’s wealth on good rather than bad things, due to the saying of the most High: “And those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly.” [25:67] Meaning, they do not spend on sinfulness and do not prevent obedience, “but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” [25:67]
• Not seeking haughtiness and pride for oneself, due to the saying of the Most High: “That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption.” [28:83]
• Maintaining with care the five prayers on time, with proper bowing and prostration, due to the saying of the Most High: “Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle [`asr] prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” [2:238]
• Steadfastness upon the way of Sunnah and Jama`ah, due to the saying of the Most High: “And, this is My Path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.” [6:153]

By Imam as-Samarqandi