Ali 'Imran 3:102

<h2>Meaning of `Taqwa of Allah</h2><p>Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud commented on the Ayah,</p><p>اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ</p><p>(Have Taqwa of Allah as is His due,)</p><p>"That He is obeyed and not defied, remembered and not forgotten and appreciated and not unappreciated." This has an authentic chain of narration to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud. Al-Hakim collected this Hadith in his Mustadrak, from Ibn Mas`ud, who related it to the Prophet . Al-Hakim said, "It is authentic according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and they did not record it." This is what he said, but it appears that it is only a statement of `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, and Allah knows best. It was also reported that Anas said, "The servant will not have Taqwa of Allah as is His due until he keeps his tongue idle." Allah's statement,</p><p>وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ</p><p>(and die not except as (true) Muslims) 3:102, means, preserve your Islam while you are well and safe, so that you die as a Muslim. The Most Generous Allah has made it His decision that whatever state one lives in, that is what he dies upon and is resurrected upon. We seek refuge from dying on other …

O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not save as those who have surrendered (unto Him)

O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.

O you who believe! Revere God with due reverence, and do not die except as Muslims.