10 Good Reasons to Do Good Deeds
Allaah The Almighty enjoins us to remember Him frequently and
perform good deeds because forgetfulness is a disease that leads to neglecting
virtuous deeds. Allaah The Almighty says:
{وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلَىَ آدَمَ مِن قَبْلُ
فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْماً }
'Translated' {And We had already taken a promise from Adam
before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination} [Taha:
115]. One's good deeds should be based on one's belief in Allaah The Almighty,
and we must frequently remind ourselves of the reward for righteous deeds which
encourages us to perform them.
A person should always remember that he has been instructed to
compete in virtuous deeds. Allaah The Almighty says:
{..سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ }
'Translation' {Race one with another in hastening towards
Forgiveness from your Lord } [Hadid: 21].
The following are a few factors that serve as incentives to
perform righteous deeds in order to gain blessings in this world and eternal
reward in the Hereafter.
- Visiting charitable and humanitarian organizations
encourages a Muslim to perform virtuous deeds.
- Learning about how much our pious predecessors would
cry whenever they missed out on a chance to perform virtuous deeds. The
Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: 'The people of Paradise do not regret
anything more than regretting an hour they spent (in this life) without
mentioning Allaah' (At-Tabaraani). Sa’eed
At-Tanookhi used to cry if for any reason he had missed a
congregational prayer. Ibn Mas’ood, said, "I never
regretted anything more than regretting a day which passed in which I did
not increase (upon) my virtuous deeds."
- Remembering that life is short makes a Muslim exert
extra efforts in performing virtuous deeds; the Prophet (Sallallaahu
Alaihi Wasalaam) said: 'Rush towards the performance of virtuous deeds before you are
afflicted with trials as dark as the night'
(Muslim).
- Reading books that soften the heart, mention virtuous
deeds and encourage people to perform them.
- Knowing that encouraging others entitles you to the
same reward as theirs, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:
'He who revives a
deed from Islaam (which people forgot or abandoned) gets the same reward
as the one who (subsequently) performs it'
(Muslim).
- Loving those who perform virtuous deeds, because the
Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: 'A person will be (on the Day of
Resurrection) with those whom he loves (in life)' (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
- One should always supplicate to Allaah The Almighty to
facilitate for him the performance of virtuous deeds, because performing
virtuous deeds is a gift from Allaah The Almighty which He grants to
whomever He wishes from amongst His slaves. Humaam ibn
Al-Haarith used to supplicate saying, "O Allaah! Make me
satisfied with little sleep and grant me (the ability of) staying up
during the night performing acts of obedience to you" and he would
sleep very little, while sitting down.The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi
Wasalaam) used to ask Allaah The Almighty to enable him to perform
virtuous deeds saying: 'O Allaah! I ask You to enable me to perform virtuous deeds and
(for) the abandonment of sins'
(At-Tirmithi).
- Remembering Paradise and its pleasures, and what has
been prepared for the people of virtue there. Allaah The Almighty
Says:'Translation' {And march forth in the way (leading to) forgiveness
from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth} [Aal-Imran:133].
- Realizing that the longer virtuous people live the more
beloved to Allaah The Almighty they become, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu
Alaihi Wasalaam) said when he was asked about the best people in the sight
of Allaah The Almighty: 'He who lives long and performs virtuous deeds' (At-Tirmithi).
- Knowing that persistence in virtuous deeds is beloved
to Allaah even if the deeds were few in number, as the
Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: 'The most beloved deeds to Allaah are those
which are persistent, even if they were little (in number)'.
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