What did al-Ghazali say about taqwā?
Taqwā runs through the Iḥyāʾ as the disposition of the heart that every other virtue depends on. Al-Ghazali's treatment is less about abstract definition and more about how taqwā actually reshapes behavior.
10 passages from 7 books in the library
Al-Ghazali described taqwā — God-consciousness — as obedience to Allah through following His commands and avoiding what He forbids, and especially avoiding whatever causes doubt. He tied it closely to fear of Allah: when a believer's heart shivers in that fear, he said, his sins fall away as leaves fall from a tree, and no one who weeps from fear of Allah enters the Fire. Its fruit, al-Ghazali taught, is true mindfulness in one's actions and thoughts and extreme caution, rooted in the prophetic counsel to fear Allah wherever you are.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 7 books by Ibn Kathir and Imam al-Ghazali — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"Taqwa, or God-consciousness, refers to obedience to Allah by following His commands and avoiding"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"This is called God-consciousness, taqwa, which entails avoiding what causes doubt in favor"
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"When a believer's heart shivers from fear of Allah, his sins fall away as leaves fall from a tree."
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"No one will enter the fire who wept out of the fear of Allah until the milk returns to the udder."
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"The hadith, There is no drop more beloved to Allah than a drop of tear from the fear of Allah,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"does not carry it out, it depends. If he refrains out of fear of Allah and regrets his intention,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"mindfulness have little benefit in the hereafter. Allah knows best. We ask Allah for the best"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"blessings be upon him, said, fear Allah wherever you are. Thus, the duty of God-consciousness"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"It is filled with the fear of Allah, encouragement for the afterlife, and deterrence from the"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The fruit of this certainty is true mindfulness in actions, thoughts, and an extreme caution"
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