By Faraz Abdul Moid
Allah ’s Secret
Allah Almighty has kept certain secrets hidden. One such secret is the acceptance of deeds. At times we think, “How can such a small deed lead to Jannah?” The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) has ordered us to never take any good deed lightly. A good deed is never insignificant and hence should neither be passed up nor looked upon as trivial. We do not know in which deed lie the keys to our salvation. It may be that a deed we consider as small and insignificant is actually so pleasing to Allah Almighty that He accepts it and in consequence forgives all other shortcomings and mistakes of His servant. As is narrated in a hadith by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), a prostitute once saw a dog panting out of thirst, so she fed it water to quench it. Consequently, Allah Almighty forgave her (Bukhari).
Benefit of Simple Deeds in this World and in the Hereafter
Although in the Hereafter there will be reward for our virtuous actions, so too in this world we will be gifted the positive outcome of those actions. If we understand that the benefits of good deeds are manifested in this world, then we will easily fulfill our duties as Muslims. The great scholar, Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him), highlights a point which is often forgotten:
“The methods prescribed by Islam to better the human lot in the hereafter are not really difficult; in fact, if one adopts them, his earthly life too becomes pleasant and comfortable. But unfortunately, it is generally believed today that observance of Islamic teachings is difficult and demands the sacrifice of many worldly advantages, pleasures, and comforts. Consequently, most people, being scared of this assumed difficulty, veer away from the Divine Path.”
Due to this misconception, we become ignorant of the fact that there are deeds ordained by Islam which neither entail any difficulty nor require consumption of much time and expenditure. If we develop a positive attitude towards our religion, then we could be piling on tons of virtuous deeds to be presented to Allah Almighty.
The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said: “The most beloved actions in the sight of Allah are the regular ones, even if they amount to little in quantity”(Bukhari, Muslim).
After we pass away, how foolish would we feel to look back at the life of this world and realize the opportunities we missed out on? How unfortunate we must be to have ignored those virtuous deeds which entail no hardship yet harvest great rewards? May Allah Almighty protect us from such a misfortune.
Easy Good Deeds
Below is a list of easy and effortless good deeds which we can adopt. We need to know what these easy deeds are and then have the intention of acting upon them for the sake of seeking Allah’s pleasure. In this way, small and mundane actions become virtuous and earn rewards. Additionally, I suggest everyone to purchase a book written by Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) entitled Easy Good Deeds from which I have extracted this information.
1. Seeking forgiveness from Allah Almighty on a daily basis.
– One must first come to accept that he/she commits many mistakes. The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The children of Adam are all profuse wrongdoers, but the best of the profuse wrongdoers are those who repent” (Tirmidhi).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “Whoever seeks Allah’s pardon, Allah makes for him a way out of all tight corners, removes all his worries, and grants him sustenance from sources he had never imagined” (Abu Dawud).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “Glad tidings are for him who finds abundant invocations for forgiveness recorded in his book of deeds” (Ibn Majah).
2. Being optimistic and hopeful with Allah.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “Hoping for good is also an act of worship of Allah” (Tirmidhi).
3. Initiating salam to a Muslim brother/sister with a smile.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “It is a good deed that you meet your [Muslim] brother with a smiling face” (Muslim).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The closest to Allah of people is the one who begins the salam” (Abu Dawud).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The one who initiates the salam is free of pride” (Bayhaqi).
4. Brushing one’s teeth with proper niyyah (intention).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The tooth-stick purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord” (Bukhari).
– Although we brush our teeth at least once a day, many of us may not know that this is a highly encouraged deed in Islam. By simply knowing this fact and having the intention to please Allah, one will receive reward for brushing one’s teeth. This includes using the modern toothbrush and toothpaste. Using the traditional miswak has additional benefits and virtues.
5. Informing and inviting others towards good deeds.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “Whoever invites towards good, then for him is a reward equal to those who follow, but their reward is not decreased in any way” (Muslim).
6. Avoiding quarreling and argumentation.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “I guarantee a home in paradise to him who gives up a quarrel even though he may be in the right” (Abu Dawud).
7. Remembering Allah (dhikr) verbally and mentally.
– One of those who will be under the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgment is he/she who remembered Allah in private and so his/her eyes shed tears (Bukhari).
– “Oh you who believe, remember Allah abundantly” (Qur’an, 33:41). Dhikr is a pleasant and easy form of worship that can be performed continuously in any situation, whether orally or mentally, silently or audibly. It requires neither wudu nor ghusl.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The most virtuous form of remembrance is La ilaha illallah, and the most virtuous supplication is al-hamdu lillah” (Tirmidhi).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The first to be called to Paradise on the Day of Judgment will be those who praised Allah during times of prosperity and adversity” (Bayhaqi). An added worldly benefit of dhikr during adverse times is that it assists in alleviating the difficulty, and provides mental and psychological tranquility.
8. Starting work early in the morning.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings” (Tirmidhi).
– Studying early in the morning puts barakah (blessing) into it, hence making it more efficient.
9. Sending Salat and Salam upon the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace).
– As is stated in hadith, whoever recites salawat/durud upon the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) once, ten good deeds are recorded on his/her account, ten sins are pardoned, and he/she is elevated by ten stages (Ahmad, Nasa’i).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The closest to me on the Day of Judgment will be the one who invokes blessings upon me most abundantly” (Tirmidhi).
– Imam Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on hijm) writes that this deed has worldly advantages such that it increases wealth, removes hardships of poverty, and fulfills one’s needs. It is considered to be the most blessed and beneficial for one’s din and worldly existence.
10. Removing garbage and harmful things from the path.
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “Removing filth (or painful thing) from the way is a sadaqah (charity)” (Bukhari).
– Also, parking one’s car in a way as to make it easy for others to move and park is a virtuous deed.
11. Beginning every important work by first saying Bismillah.
– A Sahabi (may Allah be pleased with him) complained of pain in his body, to which the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) replied, “Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say Bismillah three times and seven times I seek refuge with Allah and with His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear” (Muslim).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said that any important affair not begun with Bismillah is imperfect and devoid of barakah (blessings). So if we wish to maximize in our studying, work, etc. it is imperative that we say Bismillah.
12. Thanking Allah Almighty for every blessing and benefit.
– Allah informs us, “If you are grateful, I will add more favors unto you” (14:7).
– Allah describes how He will reward those who are grateful, “…and swiftly shall we reward those who are grateful” (3:145).
– The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) said, “The one who eats and is thankful is like the one who fasts and is patient” (Tirmidhi).
13. Making Du’a (supplication) to Allah for all your worldly and religious needs.
– Allah Almighty orders us in the Qur’an, “Call on Me, I will answer you” (40:60).
– Du’a is an always-win situation because Du’a is always accepted, although in different ways. Additionally, one is rewarded simply for turning to and asking Allah.
Sources:
Easy Good Deeds, Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Provisions for the Seekers, Shaykh ‘Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri and Shaykh Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf
Salat & Salam, Shaykh Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf
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