Surah As-Saffat — Verse 124

Word Meanings:

• Taqwa (تَتَّقُونَ): To be mindful of Allah, to fear Him, and to protect oneself from His displeasure by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

Explanation of the Verse:

This verse refers to the time when the Prophet Elias (Ilyās, peace be upon him) addressed his people, the Children of Israel, who had been sent to him as a messenger. He called out to them with a profound and heartfelt question: "Will you not fear Allah?" — meaning, will you not be mindful of Him and His rights over you? Will you not protect yourselves from His wrath by turning away from your sins?

This was not merely a rhetorical question; it was a call to awaken their consciences and redirect them back to the path of truth. The Prophet Elias was urging them to fulfill the very essence of taqwa: to obey Allah's commands — the foremost of which is the worship of Him alone — and to abstain from His prohibitions — the greatest of which is associating partners with Him (shirk).

His people had fallen into the grave error of worshipping an idol called *Ba'l*, abandoning the worship of Allah, the Best of creators, who had created them and their forefathers before them. So Elias (peace be upon him) stood among them, not with harshness or despair, but with sincere compassion, asking them a question that strikes at the heart of every rational being: "Do you not fear Allah?"

This gentle yet powerful approach is a timeless lesson for all of us. It reminds us that the first step toward reform — whether of oneself, one's family, or one's society — is to revive the sense of Allah's presence in the heart. When a person truly fears Allah and is mindful that He sees and hears everything, they will naturally incline toward good and turn away from evil.

Dear reader, let this question echo in your own heart today: *A-lā tattaqūn?* Will you not be mindful of Allah in your words, your actions, and your intentions? Will you not protect yourself from that which earns His anger? The door of repentance is always open, and Allah's mercy is vast. He does not ask you to be perfect, but He asks you to turn to Him sincerely. Let the fear of Allah be your guide, and His love be your motivation — for in that lies true success in this life and the next.