The righteous deeds in Islam

                      

 

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِٱلرَّحِيمِ

The righteous deeds are the good deeds that bring a person closer to Allah and earn His pleasure and reward. Even a smallest good deed with sincere intention has a promised reward from Allah than a greater deed than by its weight.

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do”. [An-Nahl, 16:97]

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakath; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.” (2:177). This ayath is called as the verse of righteousness.

Spiritual deeds

★ Thowheedh (Oneness in Allah) alone is considered to be one of the best deeds in the eyes of Allah Subhanahuthala. By believing Allah [SWT] and His messenger [SAW] and worshipping Him make a person spiritual, that strengthened faith in a Muslim to live a righteous life. Allah, the Wahid said: “Worship Allah alone and associate none with Him” [4:36].

★ Fulfilling our obligatory duties like establishing Salah in time, paying Zakath without fail, fasting in Ramzan and performing Hajj bring a person closer to Allah - purify the heart, mind and soul. That is why Allah made it obligatory for a Muslim.

★ Praying Salah in congregation in the mosque: Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning and evening, Allah will prepare for him an honourable place in Paradise every time he goes and comes.”  (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 631and Muslim, 669)

Anas bin Malik (RA) narrated that: “Whomsoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two rak’ats of Salah, has a complete reward of Hajj and Umrah.” The Prophet (SAW) repeated the word ‘complete’ three times for emphasis. (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 586)

★ Making repentance or Thawba and turning to Ghafurur-Raheem in repentance for one’s sins is a highly rewarded deed. Allah loves those who seek His forgiveness and strive to correct their wrongdoings. 

Anas (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah, (SAW) said, “Allah is more delighted at the repentance of His servant than one of you who lost his riding animal on a journey in a barren land while it carries his food and drink. He loses all hope as he comes to a tree to lie down in its shade, despairing over his animal, but suddenly he finds it standing over him. He takes hold of its reins and then he greatly rejoices, saying: O Allah, You are my servant and I am your Lord! He makes a mistake due to his great joy.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 2747] 

★ Performing Nawafil prayers like Thajjud, Tahiyyat ul-Masjid, Salatt al-Ishraq, Salath ud-Duha, Zohar and Asr sunnah prayers have their own rewards.

Abu Hurraira (RA) said: 'I heard Allah's Messenger (SAW) say: "Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salah. If it is complete, he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost. So if something is deficient in his obligatory (prayers) then the Lord, Mighty and Sublime says: 'Look! Are there any voluntary (prayers) for my worshipper?' So with them, what was deficient in his obligatory (prayers) will be completed. Then the rest of his deeds will be treated like that." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 413]

★ Learning, reciting and teaching Quran: Narrated `Uthman (RA): The Prophet (SAW) said, "The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it." [Sahih al-Bukhari, 5027]

Abu Umama (RA) said he heard Allah's Messenger (SAW) say: Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite It. [Sahih Muslim, 804a]

Abu Huraira (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying: “…. he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him and those persons who assemble in the house among the houses of Allah (mosques) and recite the Book of Allah and they learn and teach the Qur'an (among themselves) there would descend upon them tranquility and mercy would cover them and the angels would surround them and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him, and he who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his (high) lineage does not make him go ahead. [Sahih Muslim 2699a]

★ Performing Dhikr: Praising and glorifying Allah by saying Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahuakbar, Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi, Subhaanallahi-l-Azeem, Astaghfirullah, Laa illaha illallah and Laa hawla wa laa quwwatta illa billah brings inner peace certainty and great reward. 

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA) Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "Whoever glorifies Allah (by saying Subhan-Allah) after every Salath thirty-three times, and praises Allah (by saying Alhamdu-lillah) thirty-three times, and exalts Allah (by saying Allahu Akbar) thirty-three times, those are ninety-nine in all, and says to complete a hundred: La ilaha ill-Allahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahulhamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shai'in Qadir (There is nothing which deserves to be worshipped except Allah Alone Who has no partner; to Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He has power over everything), his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea." [[Bulugh al-Maram, Book 2, Hadith 217].    

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea” {Sahih Muslim 2692 and Sahih Bukhari, 6405]

★ Jihadh: The Arabic meaning of the word is "effort" or "struggle". In Islam, it is an individual's internal struggle against inner instincts poverty, ignorance, injustice, and doing good to both parents and the struggle to build a good Muslim society against enemies. a form of non-physical struggle such as jihad against 

★ Remembering Allah while going to market place: Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar narrated from his father, from his grandfather, that : the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Whoever enters the marketplace and says: ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allah, Alone, without partner, to Him belongs the dominion, and to Him is all the praise, He gives life and causes death, He is Living and does not die, in His Hand is the good, and He has power over all things, (Lā ilāha illallāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, yuḥyī wa yumītu, wa huwa ḥayyun lā yamūtu, biyadihil-khairu, wa huwa `alā kulli shay’in qadīr)’ Allah shall record a million good deeds for him, wipe a million evil deeds away from him, and raise a million ranks for him.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3428]

                                           Personal deeds

★ Avoiding Haram things like shirk, adultery, consuming pork, dead animals, blood, food offered to deities other than Allah, alcohol, gambling, getting usury or interest and sinning.

★ Being dutiful to one’s parents: The next good deed Allah commanded after Devoutness is looking after the parents with kindness and pray for them. Allah (SWT) says, “Your Lord has decreed that you worship not except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small." (17: 23 & 24)

★ Remaining patient during hardship: Allah reminds us that those who are patient are among the good-doers whose rewards are promised. Only those who endure patiently will be given their reward without limit." (Az-Zumar, 39:10) and "And be patient; verily, Allah loses not the reward of the good-doers." (Surah Hud, 11:115)

★ Being honest, trustworthy and speaking the truth: Allahuthala says in Quran "O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are true (honest)." (9:119) and "Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy." (28:26) “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due..." (4:58).

 'Abdullah (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying: It is obligatory for you to tell the truth, for truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise, and the man who continues to speak the truth and endeavours to tell the truth is eventually recorded as truthful with Allah, and beware of telling of a lie for telling of a lie leads to obscenity and obscenity leads to Hell-Fire, and the person who keeps telling lies and endeavours to tell a lie is recorded as a liar with Allah. [Sahih Muslim, 2607c]

★ Standing firmly for justice: Allah (SWT) says, ‘O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then know that Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do. [4:135]

★ Seeking pardon for wrongdoing: "Whoever pardons and :seeks reconciliation, then their reward is with Allah. He certainly does not like the wrongdoers." (As-Shura, 42:40). The Prophet (SAW) said: "He who has wronged his brother, concerning his honor or anything else, let him ask for his pardon today before there comes a time when there will be neither a dinar nor a dirham. If he has good deeds, an amount equivalent to the wrong he has done will be taken from his good deeds (and given to the one whom he has wronged). If he has no good deeds, then some of that person's bad deeds will be taken and loaded upon him." [Sahih al-Bukhari, 6534] 

★ Saying “Bismillah”: A simple but significant deed where the action become blessed with more reward.

It was narrated that ‘Ayesha (RA) said: “When any one of you eats food, let him say Bismillah, and if he forgets to say Bismillah at the beginning, let him say Bismillah fi awwalihi wa akhirih (In the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end).’” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3264)

The Prophet (SAW) said that whoever says, “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” upon leaving home, it is said to him: "You are guided, defended and protected," and the devil goes far away from him. (Riyad as-Salihin’ 83)

Uthman bin Abu al-As complained of pain in his body. The Prophet (ﷺ) told him: "Place your hand at the place where you feel pain and say Bismillah three times, and say A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru seven times." (Sahih Muslim 2202).

★ Seeking knowledge: ‘Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim’. [Sunan Ibn Mājah, 224]. Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him." {Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 2646]

★ Obtaining good character: To obtain ood character is one of the most important and highly encouraged deeds in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “The best of you are those with the best character” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6029)

                                          Social deeds

★ Responding to evil by what is best: Allah teaches us in Quran,” And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend” [41:34]

★ Be compassionate and kind to human beings and animals: Compassion (rahma) as a core divine attribute is a primary moral duty for believers. He said in Quran: “And be kind to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, near and distant neighbours, close friends, needy travellers, and those bondspeople in your possession. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful” [4;36]

★ Sharing with others, things what you love: Almighty Allah says in His Book, “You will never achieve righteousness until you spend [in the way of Allāh] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it. {3:92} 

★ Spreading peace: Anas (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW), said, "As-Salam (peace) is one of the Names of Allah Almighty which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore, give the greeting among yourselves." [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, 989]

★ Spreading beneficial knowledge: It is a noble act in Islam that brings Sadaqah Jariyah (continuous rewards) even after a person passes away. Teaching or sharing something useful that helps others to improve their deen (faith) or worldly life. Narrated Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (RA): "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'The superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like my superiority over the least of you.' Further he said: 'Indeed Allah, His Angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths - even the ant in his hole, even the fish - say salavath upon the one who teaches the people to do good.'" [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2685]

★ Giving food and drink to poor, hungry and needy: The following Quranic verses emphasizes this deed: "And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], 'We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.'" (Al-Insan,76:8-9). 

“He (man) has not broken through the difficult pass. And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass? It is to free a slave or feeding on a day of severe hunger to an orphaned relative or to a poor person in distress and then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion. Those are the companions of the right” (Al-Balad, 90:11-18).

★ Attending funerals and offering the funeral prayer:  Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): that Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "Whoever attends the funeral procession till he offers the funeral prayer for it, will get a reward equal to one Qirat, and whoever accompanies it till burial, will get a reward equal to two Qirats." It was asked, "What are two Qirats?" He replied, "Like two huge mountains." [Sahih al-Bukhari 1325].

★ Upholding the ties of kinship maintaining family ties:  Ibn 'Umar (RA) said, "Whoever has taqwa of his Lord and maintains ties of kinship, his term of life will be prolonged, his wealth will be abundant, and his family will love him."[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 59]

★ Smiling: Abu Dharr (RA) reported: The Prophet (SAW) said, “Do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.”  [Sahih Muslim, 2626]

★ Helping those in need: Helping less fortunate, orphans, neighbors, family members, or strangers with their daily needs and burdens brings divine assistance and great reward. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (RA) said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Whoever relieves a Muslim of some worldly distress, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection and whoever relives the burden from a destitute person, Allah will relieve him in this world and the next. Allah will help His slave so long as His slave helps his brother” [Sunan Ibn Majah 225].

★ Visiting the sick: Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said, “No Muslim visits another sick Muslim in the morning but that seventy thousand angels will bless him until the evening. He does not visit him in the evening but that seventy thousand angels will bless him until the morning, and he will reap the fruits of Paradise.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī 969].

Ayesha (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “O people, you should do whatever good deeds you can, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of good deeds to Allah is that in which a person persists, even if it is little” (Bukhari, 43; Muslim, 782)

Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before there come tribulations like pieces of a dark night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a kafir by evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and a kafir by morning, selling his religious commitment for worldly gain.” (Narrated by Muslim, 118)

Abu Dharr (RA) said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to me: 'Have Be conscious of Allah wherever you are, and follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out, and treat the people with good behavior" [Jami` at-Tirmidhi’ 1987]

May Allahuthala help us all to earn Allah’s favor and pleasure and be among the righteous in Jannah. Ameen!

لحمدلله