11. Piety

11. Piety “Their flesh and blood do not reach God: it is your piety that reaches Him.” Al-Hajj 22:37 T he rites of sacrifice have been prescribed, not because God needs meat and blood, but purely as symbolic actions. The sacrifice of an animal is symbolic of the man who has sacrificed himself for the sake of God. This is, in fact, the sacrifice of one’s own self which takes the shape of the sacrifice of an animal. Such people are fortunate for whom the sacrifice of animals becomes synonymous with the sacrifice of their own selves. Taqwa means piety, which means leading a life of caution and restraint in this world. Umar Farooq, the second Caliph, once asked a companion of the Prophet what taqwa was. He replied, “O leader of the believers, have you ever crossed a path which has thorny shrubs on both sides?” But the companion, instead of replying, asked another question, “What did you do on such an occasion?” Umar Farooq replied, “I gathered my clothes close to me and moved ahead cautiously.” The companion said, “Now I know what is meant by taqwa.” The present world is a testing ground. Here, various kinds of thorns have been scattered for the purpose of testing