Taqwa

“In Islam you cannot criticize personal features. You can’t criticize someone for being a black one, a white one, a red one, a yellow one, a tall one, a small one, a fat one, a thin one; you can’t criticize that. All of the sons of Adam, in the sight of Islam, are respectable personalities; originally everyone has a respectable personality. Islam does not deal with people on the basis of their colours, their nationalities; all these distinctions are nothing in Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab except through ‘taqwa’ (mindfulness of God)” – you cannot give more respect to a person for being an Arab or being a Turk or being English or being Pakistani or being Ceylonese. Then which thing gives us a high position in the sight of God Almighty?

He does not look at you eyes’ colour, at your face’s colour, but God looks at whether His servant has ‘taqwa’. ‘Taqwa’ means to be more obedient and respectful to our Lord. That person acquires rank in the sight of God.

Therefore, the things which give value and honour to the sons of Adam in the Divine Presence are good manners and good character.”

 

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani, the 40^th Shaykh in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain.