Different Levels of Taqwa
University and seminary scholar Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa Mohaqeq Damad in a recent Quran interpretation session talked about Taqwa. Excerpts from his speech at the session are as follows:
The outcome of the Bi’tha (appointment) of prophets is realization of Tawheed (monotheism) and monotheistic knowledge in the world and the manifestation of his knowledge is in human beings’ praying to God. That is why great figures of Irfan (mysticism) say the Holy Quran is descending word (the word of God that has descended) and praying is ascending word. God says in verse 10 of Surah Fatir: “To Him ascend good words, and the righteous deed He raises.”
According to the teachings of the Quran, the men of God reach such a status and such a relation with God that they pray to God and mention their personal requests. They ask God for healing or for giving them children.
Two men of God were born after their parents prayed to have children. The first is Hazrat Maryam (SA) whose mother had a special status before God. Another is Hazrat Yahya (SA), who is a cousin of Jesus (AS). He was born after his father prayed to have a child.
His father, Zakariya (Zechariah), also prayed for his child to be a pious person. It has been said in Hadiths that one of the prayers that are never rejected is a father’s praying for his children.
Imam Sadiq (AS) has quoted the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as saying that the prayers of four groups of people are never returned. That is, their prayers arrives directly at the Arsh of God (the divine throne). The first is the parents’ prayer for children. Prophet Zakariya (SA) prayed his son to have three attributes: “… and said, "My Lord, my bones have become feeble and my hair has turned white with age. Yet I have never been deprived in receiving from You the answer to my prayers.” (Surah Maryam, Verse 4)
And God accepted his prayer: “We answered his prayers with the glad news of the birth of a son by the name of John and told him, ‘We have never given such a name to anyone else.’” (Surah Maryam, Verse 7)
The good news was so overwhelming that Zakariya asked God for signs to be sure it is from God. God told him the sign is that he would not be able to talk to anyone but God for three days. After the three days, Zakariya’s wife, who was old and infertile, became pregnant.
One of the attributes of Yahya (AS) mentioned in the Quran is Taqwa: “We gave him compassion and purity. He was a pious human being.” (Surah Maryam, Verse 13)
The Taqwa that God mentions here for Yahya (SA) is different from that of ordinary people like you and me.
According to Mulla Hadi Sabzevari, just as Tawbah (repentance) has different levels, Taqwa has different levels, too. Ordinary people’s Taqwa is avoiding what is Haram and this is the first level of Taqwa. The second level, which is for noble believers, is avoiding even Halal (allowed) things that are not necessary. The third and highest level is avoiding everything that impedes their path to reaching God. Yahya’s (AS) Taqwa is at this level.
