What did al-Ghazali say about taqwā?

"yet another guidance, without limit. So every time the servant grows in awe of his Lord he ascends to a further guidance; he is in increasing guidance so long as he is in increasing God-consciousness. And every time he loses a step of God-consciousness, he loses a share of guidance to match it. The more mindful he is, the more his guidance grows; and the more he is guided, the more his mindfulness grows. God Most High said: There has come to you from God a light and a clear Book, by which God guides whoever follows His good pleasure to the paths of peace, and brings them out of the darknesses into the light by His leave, and guides them to a straight path."

"If its strength increases, it also refrains from things possibly forbidden, even if not certainly so. This is called God-consciousness (taqwa), which entails avoiding what causes doubt in favor of what does not. It may lead a person to abandon permissible things for fear of impermissible ones, embodying truth in taqwa."

"Ka‘b al-Ahbar said, "By the One in whose hand is my soul, to weep out of fear of Allah until my tears run down my cheeks is more beloved to me than giving charity equal to a mountain of gold." ‘Abdullah ibn Umar said, "To shed a tear out of fear of Allah is more beloved to me than giving charity of a thousand dinars." It is narrated from Hanzalah that he said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he delivered a sermon that softened our hearts and made our eyes weep."

"even if it is as small as the head of a fly," is narrated by Al-Tabarani and Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman from Ibn Mas'ud with a weak chain. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When a believer’s heart shivers from fear of Allah, his sins fall away as leaves fall from a tree." The hadith, "No servant who weeps out of fear of Allah will enter the fire," is narrated by Tirmidhi in hasan sahih, and by al-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah from Abu Huraira."

"O Yahya? It is reported that his parents went searching for him and found him by the shores of the Jordan River. When they reunited with him, they wept at the sight of his devotion and fear of Allah. Yahya's food consisted of herbs and he would weep out of fear of Allah until his tears flowed abundantly. A narration recounts that Yahya had the most delightful food, eating with wild animals and preferring not to mix with people in their sustenance. And Allah the Exalted also said, and indeed messengers were denied before you, but they were patient over what they were denied and harmed until our victory came to them. And there is no changing the words of Allah and"

"we will surely be among the losers," as mentioned in the القُرْآن, and "O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, I seek help through Your mercy," and similar expressions. As for the remembrance of mindfulness, it is like the statement of the one who remembers: "اللّٰه is with me, اللّٰه is watching over me, اللّٰه is my witness." Such expressions are used to strengthen one's presence with اللّٰه, and they involve mindfulness for the benefit of the heart, maintaining proper etiquette with اللّٰه, guarding against heedlessness, and seeking refuge from Satan and the self."

"locusts, saying, Who is more blessed than you, O Yahya? His parents once searched for him and found him by Lake Jordan. They wept over his state of worship and fear of Allah the Almighty. It is said that Yahya's food was herbs, and he would weep out a fear of Allah so much that if tar were on his eyelids, it would be torn by his tears. Yahya had the purest food, eating only with the beasts, avoiding mingling with people in their livelihood."

"his parents, including their love for him and his filial piety towards them. As for Zakat, it signifies purity of character and freedom from imperfections and vices. Taqwa, or God-consciousness, refers to obedience to Allah by following His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Now, consider Yahya's kindness to his parents and his obedience to them, both in commands and prohibitions, and his avoidance of disobedience in word and deed."

"It is reported that his parents went searching for him and found him by the shores of the Jordan River. When they reunited with him, they wept at the sight of his devotion and fear of Allah. Yahya's food consisted of herbs, and he would weep out of fear of Allah until his tears flowed abundantly. A narration recounts that Yahya had the most delightful food, eating with wild animals and preferring not to mix with people in their sustenance."

"When repentance is mentioned alongside the performance of commanded actions, it refers to what they have described. When mentioned alone, it includes both aspects, similar to the term 'taqwa' (God-consciousness), which, when mentioned alone, implies doing what God has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden. When mentioned alongside the performance of commanded actions, it implies refraining from the prohibited."