Taqwa is usually understood as piety or righteousness. When we understand the word in a deeper context, taqwa simply means to take protection. It is a shield that protects us from all evils. Quran holds secrets to those who are willing to spend time with it. It can cleanse your heart from jealousy, malice, hatred, ill feelings and envy if you choose to look at it as a source of soul cleanser. It will help your heart and mind heal, even when you feel the world beneath your feet is cracking in pieces. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

“O you who believe! Be steadfast for Allah (as) witnesses in justice, and let not prevent you hatred (of) a people [upon] that not you do justice. Be just it (is) nearer to [the] piety. And consciously revere Allah; indeed, Allah (is) All-Aware of what you do.” (Surah Al-Ma`idah 5:8)

Taqwa serves as a divine guard against trials of this world as well as the difficulties of the hereafter. Taqwa means a lot more than just piousness: it is the combination of our beliefs, self-awareness, and attitudes. It is a reminder to stay on the path of uprightness, decency and knowing the difference between right and wrong. Allah says:

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“Fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend in charity, for it is better for yourselves. Whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul, it is those who will be successful.” (Surah At-Taghabun 64:16)

Taqwa, the fear of Allah, keeps a believer awake. God-fearing means saving, guarding or preserving a thing from that which harms on injures it. In a religious sense it means guarding against evil or being saved from sin, and in the terminology of Shariah, connotes keeping aloof from all that is injurious to the human souls. With taqwa, we can achieve Allah’s love. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“O you who believe[d]! Be steadfast and [be] patient and [be] constant and consciously revere Allah so that you may (be) successful.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:200)

Taqwa is that shield that comes between a person and what may harm his spirituality. Taqwa means consciousness, awe or fear of Allah, which inspires a person to be on guard against wrong action and eager for actions that please Allah and stay away from those actions which displease and anger him.

Here is some Importance of Taqwa in Islam and its Benefits:

1. Taqwa is faith in everything that the Prophet ﷺ taught us
2. Taqwa practice righteousness, Allah takes care of them
3. Taqwa keep feels Allah in their heart at every breath
4. Taqwa  behave toward people in a gracious manner
5. Taqwa ascribe spiritual accomplishments to Allah
6. Taqwa alert to whatever may divert you from Allah
7. Taqwa provoke fear of Allah is just rhetoric for us
8. Taqwa is what Allah has commanded him to do
9. Taqwa encourages goodness and forbids evil
10. Taqwa means a lot more than just piousness
11. Taqwa practising towards worship of Allah
12. Taqwa to distinguish truth from falsehood
13. Taqwa renew the fountains of your iman
14. Taqwa never consider yourself higher
15. Taqwa is the long for Allah’s pleasure
16. Taqwa alert to the carnal pleasures 
17. Taqwa is satisfaction in all affairs
18. Taqwa is the result of all worship
19. Taqwa strive for the pleasure of Allah
20. Taqwa is out of love and fear of Allah
21. Taqwa keeps away to lying and deceit
22. Taqwa is the fruit of doing good actions
23. Taqwa is to obtain the blessings of Allah
24. Taqwa practising towards worship of Allah 
25. Taqwa  activate derive the pleasure of Allah
26. Taqwa means to cleanse or purify the heart
27. Taqwa means to purify the soul of the Muslims
28. Taqwa serves as a divine guard against the trials
29. Taqwa finding fulfilment and happiness in this world
30. Taqwa support and helps to prevail over their opponents
31. Taqwa is the essence of the teachings of Allah’s Messenger
32. Taqwa is the source of winning the love and blessings of Allah

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

“Whoever fears Allah, then Allah will make for him a way out from a place he does not expect.” (Surah At-Talaq 65:2-3)

Taqwa is a quality Muslimahs should strive to attain. It is a common misconception that only Muslims have this quality, which is not true, instead, if a non-Muslim is doing good deeds, they also have this feature in their personality. It is about having God-consciousness in terms of knowing and obeying all His orders including not only fearing Him but also acting on all His directions. Allah says:

وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

“And not (is) the life (of) the world except a play and amusement; but the home (of) the Hereafter (is) best for those who (are) God-conscious. Then, will you not reason?” (Surah Al-An`am 6:32)

Taqwa is the state of hyper-vigilance against falling into sin in negligence. It is the idea that a believer is always on guard and is perpetually alert of not committing any action that would earn the displeasure of the Almighty. The common meaning of the term “Taqwa” known to us all is “piety or the fear of Allah Almighty”.

Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:

• “Allah only accepts from the people of taqwa/” (Quran 5:27)
• “Then We will save the ones who had taqwa.” (Quran 19:72)
• “Truly, Allah is with the people who have taqwa.” (Quran 2:194)
• “And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out.” (Quran 65:2)
• “And He will provide for him from sources he could never imagine.” (Quran 65:3)
• “And whoever fears Allah, He will make for his ease in his matter.” (Quran 65:4)
• “O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (furqan).” (Quran 8:29)
• “Nay, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, then Allah loves those who are Al-Muttaqun.” (Al-‘Imran 3:76)
• “It is these who are upon guidance from their Lord and it is those who are successful.” (Quran 2:5)

The Holy Quran repeatedly asks us to observe Taqwa, to abide by the decisions of the Holy Prophet, to act up to the injunctions of the Shariah, to refrain from prohibited acts, and to attain glory. A Muslim surrenders before Allah and does what he is ordered to do and refrain from what he is told to keep away from.

Here are some steps to increase your taqwa and spirituality:

• Make continuous Dua’a to Allaah: Make sincere Dua to Allaah and ask Him to keep you away from whatever it is that you’re doing. Allah is the creator, sustainer, and nourisher of the universe. Whatever a person requires and desires of sustenance can be found in His vast treasures.
• Stay Away from Major and Minor Sins: Making mistakes and committing sins is a part of human nature and no one will be free of it. All of us fall short, commit sins, and make mistakes. It is essential, to turn to Allah and repent to Him. Make sincere taubah and try your best to stay away from the sin that you are committing.
• Read the Quran with meaning: The problem that most of us have is that we don’t understand the Quran. It is better for us and more pleasing to Allah if we understand whatever we read and then implement it in our lives.
• Fear of Allah: Fear of Allah, is the only force that can restrain man from evil and wickedness. It is this fear of Allah that keeps the heart of a believer awake and enables him to distinguish right from wrong.
• Healthy Mind Filter thoughts: If you do find yourself in these stories, learn how to reframe your mental filters to more positive thoughts and ideas.
• Check Yourself Daily: You have to challenge yourself every day, to get the most out of you and become better, faster and smarter. It will make life much more interesting.
• Stay away from bad company: We should stay away from people who do bad things and don’t fear Allah. Stay away from those who helped you to sin. There are so many cases in which people have gone back to sin because they resumed relationships with their former companions. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

“O you who believe[d]! Consciously revere Allah (as is His) right (that) He (should) be revered and (do) not die except [while you] (as) those-who-submit/Muslims.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:102)

Justice and Taqwa are two principles that emerge as necessary corollaries from the doctrines of Oneness of Allah, which according to the holy Quran and the tradition, is the basic article of faith, whereas the discipline and the dos and the don’ts of the canon law are merely its outward expression or means to the attainment of divinely ordained ends of man in its collection as well as individual existence. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

“O you who believe! If you consciously revere Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove from you your evil deeds and forgive you. And Allah (is) the Possessor of bounty, the Great.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:29)

Taqwa is far more than just fears and includes striving for perfection of individuality, so one should take help from modesty and humbleness by not considering oneself better than the rest of people. May Allah make us of the most fearful of him and the pious and may he bring us closer to him and guide us to the straight path. May he save us from the torment of the grave and the fire of hell. Ameen