How Ramadan makes one God-conscious

“Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwa.” (Holy Quran, 49:13). Taqwa loosely translates as God-consciousness/God-fearing. The Quran mentions the word ‘Taqwa’ in 60 verses, while its derivatives are found in another 190 places in the holy book.

Taqwa is the bedrock of the Islamic faith and the most valuable fruit of fasting. Allah says: “O Mankind! worship your Lord who created you and those before you that you may attain taqwa.” (Quran 2:21)

Ramadan is the time when goodness, piety and virtues bloom. In the Quran (2:83), Allah states that the attainment of taqwa is the very purpose of fasting. “Oh you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may attain taqwa.”

Taqwa refers to a gamut of God-consciousness and God-fearing traits. It requires us to hold on to the rope of righteousness, uprightness and decency, be conscious of God’s presence at all times, and know the difference between right and wrong. It is about having Lord-consciousness in terms of knowing and obeying all His orders, including not only fearing Him, but also acting in all His directions.

God-fearing does not mean being scared of God, but fearing disobedience to Him and punishment on the Day of Judgment and the fear of forgetting Him and losing His blessings.