not a sin), but there is risk of falling into sin. Taqwā is to walk with a lowered head, and this is also a sunnah. The Mufti of Dawat-e-Islami, Mufti Muḥammad Fārūq ʿAṭṭāri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, was very passionate about protecting his gaze. He owned a motorcycle but sold it because he could not keep his eyes lowered whilst riding it, and he felt the danger of looking at something impermissible may arise.

سُبْحٰنَ اللہ! This is taqwā! May Allah also grant us this bounty! 

Having taqwā is easy

Some of you may listen to this and think it is difficult to become pious. It can be difficult, but it is also easy. Sayyidunā Sufyān Thawri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explains, “There is nothing easier than having taqwā. Simply abandon that which causes your heart misgiving.”^[1] In other words, if you are uncertain about the permissibility of an action, then abandon it, even if there is no risk of falling into sin by performing it. Do not carry out that action until you have sought guidance from scholars.

An excellent quality of the pious

Imam Shaʿrāni رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه once said, “It is from the character of the pious servants of Allah that they do not perform an action until they find a direct command about it from the Quran, sunnah or sharīʿah.”^[2]

If only we too could adopt this beautiful habit! We should not perform any actions until we receive the go-ahead from sharīʿah. Even better would be to keep Dar al-Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah’s number with you and contact them immediately whenever you have a query or doubt. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـهِ The IT department of Dawat-e-Islami has launched a Dar al-Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah mobile application. This contains many fatwas and an ocean of Islamic knowledge. Kindly install this app, take benefit from it and