Istikat

Istikat, also transliterated as istiqāmah or istiqamat, is a term used in Islamic ethics to denote steadfastness or uprightness—maintaining belief, worship, and moral conduct along the straight path. It is derived from the Arabic root associated with standing upright, and the form conveys ongoing steadiness rather than a one-time act. In many languages, related terms appear with slight spelling differences, such as Turkish istikamet, Malay and Indonesian istiqamah, and Urdu/Hindi istikamat.

In Islamic scripture and tradition, istiqamah is a central ideal. The Qur’an frequently links steadfastness to righteousness and warns against wavering in faith. A well-known Qur’anic verse commands believers to remain on the path: “So be steadfast as you have been commanded” (fa-staqim kama umirt) in reference to the Straight Path, Sirat al-Mustaqim. Islamic scholars interpret istiqamah as a sustained effort to adhere to core beliefs, perform obligatory worship, cultivate virtue, and abstain from prohibited actions, even amid trials and temptations. It is understood as a dynamic moral discipline rather than a static state.

Across languages, the concept is used in religious education, spiritual practice, and ethics. In Turkish, Persian, Urdu, and other Muslim-majority cultures, istiqamat or its variants appear in sermons, devotional writings, and daily speech to denote consistent conduct aligned with Islamic principles. In Sufi and reformist traditions, emphasis on istiqamah underscores the importance of ongoing commitment, humility, and self-restraint in the pursuit of spiritual growth.