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Khutbah: The Meaning of Taqwa

By Dr. Adi Hidayat - Comprehensive notes on the profound meaning of taqwa (God-consciousness) and its transformative benefits in solving life's problems and receiving divine blessings.

Introduction

Every Friday, from the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ until today, khutbahs begin with the reminder to increase taqwa (God-consciousness). This consistent emphasis throughout history raises a crucial question: What is the true essence of taqwa, and what are its practical benefits for our lives?

If taqwa were not fundamentally important, it would not be mentioned in every Friday sermon across every generation. Yet, many of us attend Friday prayers, listen to the reminder about taqwa, perform the two rak'ahs, and leave without truly understanding or implementing this crucial concept in our daily lives.

Key Question: Have we ever truly asked ourselves what is the essence of taqwa and what are its benefits for our lives? Or do we simply attend Friday prayers without allowing the concept of taqwa to penetrate our hearts and manifest in our actions?

The First Benefit: Solutions to Life's Problems

The Quran reveals that behind the message of taqwa lies several extraordinary benefits that Allah wants to instill in our hearts and manifest in our daily lives.

Surah At-Talāq (65:2-3)

Arabic: وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

Translation: "Whoever fears Allah — He will make for him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect."

Reference: Quran 65:2-3

Allah promises that whoever can increase their taqwa — regardless of age, wealth, or status — will be given solutions to every difficulty they face in life.

Notice how Allah uses the indefinite form "makhrajan" (a way out) rather than "al-makhraj" (the way out), indicating a general promise. Allah wants to convey: "O humanity, if you face difficulties in your family life, workplace, or social life, the solution is simple, not expensive, not complicated — increase your taqwa to Allah, and We will provide you with a way out."

Reflection: If you currently face problems in your home, workplace, or social life that seem unsolvable, perhaps it's not due to insufficient position, wealth, or resources — but rather a lack of taqwa before Allah.

The Second Benefit: Divine Provision (Three Levels)

The Quran explains that sustenance (rizq) operates through three distinct levels of provision. Allah has established different systems for different levels of believers, each with its own characteristics and benefits.

Level 1: For All Humanity

Allah has established a general system for all humans who seek sustenance in life, called "ikhtiar" (effort) in the form of work. This system applies universally to both believers and non-believers.

Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:22)

Arabic: وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ

Translation: "And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised."

Reference: Quran 51:22

Sustenance originates in the heavens, and we live on earth. Therefore, it must be brought down to earth for us to enjoy. Allah has created a system of life that applies to all humans — believers and non-believers alike. If they follow the system Allah has established, they can obtain sustenance in life.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:29)

Arabic: هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا

Translation: "It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth."

Reference: Quran 2:29

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:168)

Arabic: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا

Translation: "O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good."

Reference: Quran 2:168

Level 2: For Believers (Iman)

However, when Allah wants to provide sustenance to believers, He changes the wording from the standard form to a more special form. Notice how for general humanity, Allah says "seek and We will send it to you," but for believers, Allah modifies the language.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:172)

Arabic: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ

Translation: "O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you."

Reference: Quran 2:172

The scholars of tafsir explain that when Allah says "ya ayyuha alladhina amanu" (O you who have believed), this address is specifically directed to those who have faith in Allah. Notice the difference: for general humanity, Allah says "seek sustenance in lawful ways," but for believers, Allah removes the word "halal" and adds "ma razaqnakum" (what We have provided for you).

Why is "halal" removed? Because those who have faith in their hearts will naturally seek only what is lawful and never consider what is forbidden according to Islamic law. So if you claim to have faith and trust in Allah but still seek forbidden sustenance, forbidden actions, or forbidden speech, then there is something wrong with your faith.

Key Principle: If you seek sustenance with faith, Allah will bring it to you without you having to struggle to obtain it. The sustenance will come to you, not you going to it.

Level 3: For Communities with Iman + Taqwa (Highest Level)

The highest level occurs when a community possesses both iman (faith) and taqwa (God-consciousness). This is the level where Allah opens doors from both heaven and earth.

Surah Al-A'raf (7:96)

Arabic: وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Translation: "And if the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth."

Reference: Quran 7:96

Allah promises that if the inhabitants of a city believe and have taqwa, He will open all doors of blessing from the heavens and the earth. Since sustenance originates in the heavens and we live on earth, when both doors are opened, where else can we seek sustenance except from Allah? Allah will bring it to our surroundings for us to obtain.

Community Reflection: If in a community or nation there are many Muslims who claim to believe in Allah, many experts in economics, law, and politics, but blessings are not achieved, prosperity is not obtained, perhaps we are not lacking in experts but lacking in people who have faith and taqwa before Allah.

The Third Benefit: Correction of Actions

Surah At-Talāq (65:5)

Arabic: وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا

Translation: "And whoever fears Allah — He will remove from him his misdeeds and make great for him his reward."

Reference: Quran 65:5

Allah promises that whoever increases their taqwa will have their bad deeds corrected and their good deeds multiplied. This includes criminal behavior, mutual harm, slander, murder, and other negative actions.

Surah Al-Anfal (8:29)

Arabic: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا

Translation: "O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion [to judge between right and wrong]."

Reference: Quran 8:29

Whoever wants to increase their taqwa will have their bad characteristics removed from their lives. If you claim to increase your taqwa but still have bad behavior toward your spouse, parents, children, neighbors, or colleagues, then there is something wrong with how you are increasing your taqwa before Allah.

The Fourth Benefit: Happiness and Joy

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:189)

Arabic: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

Translation: "And fear Allah that you may be successful."

Reference: Quran 2:189

Increase your taqwa, and Allah will make your life happy. If you are not happy at home, not happy at work, even though you try to be a person of taqwa every day, then there is something wrong with your taqwa before Allah.

The Fifth Benefit: Additional Knowledge

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:282)

Arabic: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ

Translation: "And fear Allah, and Allah will teach you."

Reference: Quran 2:282

Increase your taqwa, and Allah will teach you additional knowledge. If millions of Muslims believe in Allah but are still far behind others in education, still experiencing backwardness, then check — perhaps you claim to increase your taqwa but there is something wrong in how you increase your taqwa before Allah.

The Two Dimensions of Taqwa

The Quran mentions the word "taqwa" 115 times with all its derivatives. Scholars generally classify these into two main dimensions that encompass the complete understanding of taqwa.

1. Spiritual Dimension - Relationship with Allah

This dimension relates to our relationship with Allah through ritual worship (ibadah). For example, in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:2-3), Allah mentions taqwa and connects it with the spiritual dimension of faith.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:2)

Arabic: ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

Translation: "This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah˺"

Reference: Quran 2:2

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:3)

Arabic: الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Translation: "who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them"

Reference: Quran 2:3

When Allah mentions prayer in the plural form (الصَّلَوٰةَ) compared with the singular form (الصَّلَاةَ), it indicates not just the five daily prayers but unlimited prayers including sunnah prayers. The five daily prayers are the standard obligation, but if you want to increase your taqwa before Allah, don't limit yourself to only the obligatory prayers — perform the sunnah and extra prayers as well.

Self-Reflection: How many of the thousands of rak'ahs and prostrations you have performed do you actually understand what you are reciting? How many of your prayers do you understand the meaning of what you are saying?

2. Social Dimension - Relationship with Creation

Surah Al-Imran (3:133-134)

Arabic: وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Translation: "And hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those mindful ˹of Allah˺. ˹They are˺ those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good-doers."

Reference: Quran 3:133-134

The scholars of tafsir explain that this verse clearly shows the social dimension of taqwa. There are those who are diligent in prayer, fasting, and reciting the Quran, but their tongues are diligent in slandering others, their attitudes are diligent in harming others.

We know from hadith and Quranic verses that believers should love each other, support each other, and help each other. But what happens today? You pray, you fast, you read the Quran, but why do you hate each other? Why do you slander each other? Why do you separate from each other? Why do you destroy each other?

Sahih Muslim 2581 - Warning About the "Muflis"

Context: This hadith warns about a person called "muflis" (the bankrupt one) — someone who is diligent in prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage, but also diligent in cursing others, harming others, and shedding blood. Their worship is mixed with all kinds of evil, and they are thrown into hell.

Arabic: إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ

Translation: "The bankrupt one of my Ummah will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and Zakat, but he will come having abused this one, slandered that one, unlawfully consumed the wealth of this one, shed the blood of that one, and beaten this one. So his good deeds will be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand), and if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then their sins would be entered in his account and he would be thrown into the Hell-Fire."

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2581 - Abu Hurairah (RA)

Conclusion

Let us make this Friday a Friday of reflection. We must change, we must return to understanding taqwa as the Quran wants us to understand it. We must bring the dimension of taqwa into our lives as the Prophet taught.

Let us start from wherever we are, let us show the world that Muslims are united. We must send a signal to the world that Muslims can rise from all backwardness and achieve excellence through proper taqwa.

Call to Action: Let us show the world that we possess true taqwa, that we have genuine taqwa, that we worship Allah properly and build the best social life with those around us. Let us demonstrate and ask Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala that with our efforts on this best day, this blessed Friday, may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala bless us all.

References

Source: Dr. Adi Hidayat Khutbah

Quran References: Surah At-Talāq (65:2-3, 65:5), Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:22), Surah Al-Baqarah (2:29, 2:168, 2:172, 2:189, 2:282), Surah Al-A'raf (7:96), Surah Al-Anfal (8:29), Surah Al-Imran (3:133-134)

Hadith Reference: Sahih Muslim 2581 - Abu Hurairah (RA)

Video Reference: Khutbah Jumat | Ustadz Adi Hidayat LC, MA. | Takwa Sebenar Benarnya Takwa (November 10, 2017)