Bismillah Rahman Raheem. Tariqa is an Arabic word that means a way. Tariqa is terminology applied by all over the world to mean shortest Straight way of Islam to reach Allah ( God) Subhanahu Wataala, Most Gracious the Exalted is He. Islam is an Arabic word that means Submission to Allah (God).
So Tariqa simply means shortest straight way for Submission to Allah ( God). This Straight way, is mentioned in mandatory prayers as the way of prophets and pious believers, but not the way of those who earned Allah’s Anger nor those who are Lost, in the first chapter of Quran called Suratul fatiha. Saying:
“Alhamdu Lillah Rabil Alamen Arahman Raheem, Malik Yawmi Deen , Iyaka Na’bud wa Iyaaka Nastaeen, Ihdina Siratal Mustaqeema, Sirata Ladheen An,amra aleihim Gharil Maghdhubi aleihim wala Dhaaleen“
Five Pillars of Islam
- Believing with sincerity that there is not God but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
- Establishing five mandatory prayers
- Paying mandatory charity called Zakat
- Fasting Holy month of Ramadan
- performing Hajj for those with means and capacity
Six Pillars Faith (Iman)
- Believing with sincerity that there is no God by Allah and Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger
- Believing with sincerity in His Angels Commonly Knows as Angel Jibrael , Michael, Israfil, Izrail, aleihim Salam peace be upon them.
- Believing with sincerity in His Holy Books known as Tawrat (Torah) revealed to prophet Musa (Moses, Zabur ( Psalms) revealed to prophet dawood ( david) Injil ( Gospel) revealed to prophet Isa (Jesus), and Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon them all.
- Believing with Sincerity in His Messengers such as Prophet Muhammad, Musa, Dawood, Isa alehim Salam
- Believing with sincerity in the of judgement when all people will Allah(God)
- Believing with sincerity in His Will of Destiny , That everything happens according to His Will good or bad, all from Him The Supreme.
One Pillar of Ihsaan
- To worship Allah ( God) as if you see Him even if He is invisible unseen, bear in mind that he is seeing you.
To worship Allah as if you seeing Him is the Shortest way to reach Him and that is Tariqa.
As a believer , you must submit yourself to Allah in accordance with the five pillars of Islam, and six pillars of Iman(Faith) with Ihsaan, as if you see Him, Even if He is Invisible unseen, he is seeing you. That is what we call Tariqa.