Good deed means good, beautiful and beneficial act, and to act in accordance with Allahs content and pleasure.
By the Time. Verily Man is in loss. Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual enjoining of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. (The Surah Time Through Ages (Al-Àsr), 1-3)
There are a lot of verses in which good deeds are mentioned immediately after faith, in the Holy Quran. This is guidance and drawing attention. It is a divine warning to men, who believe in Allah, to support his belief with consciousness of adoration and acts of worship.
Another verse mentioning faith and good deed together:
But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. (The Heifer (Al-Baqara), 25)
It is very important that the deed should be good. The most important condition for the deed to be good is sincerity, that is to say, to expect only Allahs pleasure as a result of that act, prayer or favor, and not to look after another benefit.
The author of Nur (Badiuzzaman Said Nursi) compares the acts without sincerity to soulless beings, to statues by saying, sincerity is the spirit of good deeds. Even if we gather hundreds of human statues in a place, they will not be equal to one living individual because they do not have life and spirit. All of the prayers performed for hypocrisy, material benefits or gaining appreciation are included in this group.
However, the body also has an importance apart from the spirit. The form acts as the body in a sincere prayer.
The Maghrib (evening) prayer is three rakats and if this prayer is performed as four rakats, this act becomes invalid in terms of form. Assume that that four-rakat prayer becomes embodied, nobody would say it is Maghrib prayer. Similarly the formal condition of the fasting of Ramadan starts before the sun rise and ends after sunset. It cannot be called fasting if it starts after sunrise and ends after nightfall. In terms of form, that fasting is something different. Therefore, the format condition of prayers must be taken into consideration and prayers must be performed in the style which Allah is pleased with.
An individual could be absolved from responsibility when he fulfills the format conditions of prayers. However, prosperity and spiritual perfection gained from that prayer is compared to the sincerity, which is the spirit of prayers.
An important definition of good deed included in the Nur Collection is as follows:
Good deed is second the most important and necessary deed after the knowledge of faith. As for good deed, it is carrying out Allahs rights without infringing on material and immaterial rights of people. (Mesnevî-i Nuriye)
Not to infringe on material and immaterial rights of people is included in the definition of good deed. At first sight, this definition may be assumed to mean taqwâ but when it is considered that there is a strong relation between taqwâ and good deeds, it is understood that this definition is also valid for good deed. A life, which is spent without infringing on both material and immaterial rights of people, is a good life.
Avoiding is taqwâ; telling the truth is good deed. Regarding the absence of worshipping as wrong is taqwâ; worshipping is good deed.
People are the slaves of Allah. It is obvious that God is not pleased with infringing on peoples rights. Our Lord does not approve of tyrannizing unbelievers, either. Then, avoiding from hurting Gods slaves, slandering, smearing, begrudging and killing them are included in the definition of good deed.
When the term Allahs rights is used, mostly individuals faith and prayer life is understood. A person who has a wrong creed infringes on Gods rights ; similarly a person who does not live in accordance with his belief and does not obey Gods commands infringes on Gods rights too.
It is both disobedience to Gods rights and infringement on peoples rights to set a bad example with ones wrong deeds
FAQ in the category of Taqwa
Taqwa (piousness) means, to fear, to refrain and to defend oneself from sins on account of fear of Allah. Muttaqi (pious) is a religious person who lives paying attention to taqwa.
The first thought about taqwa is to refrain from harams (forbidden things). Refraining from Makrooh acts (abominable acts) comes after that. Makrooh means a disgraceful and abominable act, talk or behavior. Giving them up is also of taqwa. After that, we confront doubtful things. They have a relationship with harams like as makrooh acts. The suitable behavior in the name of taqwa, when confronting a doubtful, undefined matter, is to think its probability of being haram and to give it up. Then, Mubah (permissible) and Halâl (Lawful) acts and behaviors come. Enjoying them sufficiently and avoiding waste is also of taqwa.
Allah’s Messenger (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him), in one of his Hadiths says:
Lawful things are defined, so are unlawful things. However, there are some suspicious things between these two. When a shepherd puts his sheep out to pasture near a forest, there is a possibility that sheep could enter into that forest at any time; similarly, the one who does not refrain from doubtful things could go into harams.
A taqwa lesson from the Holy Qur’an:
… Fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones… (The Surah Heifer (Al-Baqarah), 24)
Commentators state that the stones mentioned in this verse are idols. There is another dreadful threat for a believer in this verse in addition to a grievous hell whose fuel is the stones. It is burning together with those idols, the contempt of sharing the same punishment and being exposed to the same treatment with them.
Taqwa and good deed are two fundamentals bringing about development of the spirit and heart. Immaterial benefits are acquired by good deeds. Those benefits are secured and harms are kept away by means of taqwâ. A person who does not block the roads of evil will lose more than he gains and this attitude leads to bankruptcy.
This Hadith about bankruptcy is dreadful and terrifying:
Bankrupt from my Ummah is a person that comes with deeds such as prayers, fast and alms in the Doomsday. Nonetheless, he swore at people, slandered, defrauded them, and hurt or chastised some of them. His rewards are divided up among those people whom he harmed. If his deeds do not suffice, then some misdeeds of those people are placed onto him and he is sent to hell.
There are three stages of taqwa:
1. Taqwa against polytheism: Refraining from polytheism by having faith in Allah. Thus, a person protects himself/herself from hell.
2. Taqwâ against sins: Refraining from committing the major sins and from insisting committing the minor sins. This is the most common definition of taqwa.
3. Taqwa against everything except Allah: Abstaining from everything intercepting the connection between Allah and the heart.
In order to enter Paradise, we must follow the orders and prohibitions of the Owner of Paradise. the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us what His commands and prohibitions were and showed them to us by practicing them. In one of his hadiths he says, “...you will enter Paradise of your Lord.”
It was narrated from Abu Umama Sudayy Ibn Ajlan al-Bahili that he heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say in his Farewell sermon:
« اتَّقُوا اللَّه ، وصَلُّوا خَمْسكُمْ ، وصُومُوا شَهْرَكمْ ، وأَدُّوا زكَاةَ أَمْوَالِكُمْ ، وَأَطِيعُوا أُمَرَاءَكُمْ ، تَدْخُلُوا جَنَّةَ رَبِّكُمْ »
“Fear Allah. Perform your five daily prayers. Fast in Ramadan. Pay zakah of your wealth. Obey your rulers and you will enter Paradise of your Lord.” (Tirmidhi, Jumu’a 80).
The attitudes and deeds of Muslims are closely connected with eternal life. Therefore, a Muslim must always live under the influence of taqwa (piety). Taqwa can be proved first by performing the obligatory deeds of worship and then by avoiding prohibitions. Talking about mere respect will not gain anyone anything.
A Muslim is a traveler to Paradise. That is, his ultimate goal is to attain eternal happiness in Paradise. This hadith lists the things that must be done in order to reach this happy ending:
- To fear Allah,
- To perform five daily prayers,
- To fast in Ramadan,
- To give zakah and
- To obey the administrators.
The fact that this instruction was given by our beloved Prophet (pbuh) in his Farewell sermon is of particular importance and attracts attention. Taqwa is the basis of all kinds of worship. As a matter of fact, Allah describes Himself as “worthy to be feared and worthy to forgive” (see al-Muddaththir, 74/56). In other words, Allah is the only one whose punishment is to be feared and avoided, and the only one who can forgive.
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi describes the path to Paradise as follows:
“Yes, the person who believes in Almighty Allah will certainly obey Him. And the most acceptable, the most direct, and the shortest among the ways of obeying Him is without doubt the way Allah’s Beloved (UWBP) showed and followed.” (Lem’alar, 11. Lem’a, p. 61)
To sum up:
1. Doing the deeds mentioned in the hadith is a requirement of taqwa.
2. Taqwa is the way to Paradise and the condition for entering Paradise.
3. Righteousness in this world is the cause of salvation in the Hereafter. Praise be to Allah.
4. It is necessary to obey the administrators as long as they do not command disobedience to Allah. (see Riyazü’s-Sâlihîn Tercüme ve Şerhi, Peygamberimizden Hayat Ölçüleri, Erkam Yay., Hadis No: 74)
Loving Allah and knowing that He is pleased with us is difficult to understand because it is an abstract state. A person can say I love Allah. However, since it expresses an inner feeling, we need to show it outwardly.
On the other hand, questions such as “Is Allah pleased with us? What kind of servants are we in His sight?” are also difficult to understand. There must be a way to understand it too.
Allah informs us in the following verse the way to understand that we love Allah and that Allah is pleased with us:
“O Muhammad! Say: ‘If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you’...” (Aal-i Imran, 3/31)
It is important to note that the sign of our love for Allah is to live Islam by following the Prophet (pbuh). If we live our lives following the Prophet (pbuh), we can safely say that Allah loves us in conclusion.
For example, how do you know that you love your father and mother? If you do what they want and give up what they do not like, it is clear that you love them. Even if they do not tell us, we know that they love us too. If it were the other way around, if someone said, ‘I do not do any of what they say, but look at my heart; I love them very much,’ who would believe them?
It means Allah created our Prophet (pbuh) as a model and showed the best examples in him. We should understand the verse above as follows:
“If you love Me, follow the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), whom I sent to you as a prophet. Then, understand that I love you too.”
To sum up: The indicator of Allah’s love for us is how much we resemble the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We can draw conclusions accordingly.
The road map for you, for us and for all people is the Quran and the Sunnah; we cannot recommend anything else to you. That is to say, to accept the Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as our guide, to index ourselves to them and to read the subjects and books of belief with meditation. In other words, if you can find Quranic books and books related to belief, or if you can benefit from them by being with figures who meditate and reflect on those issues, it will be beneficial for both your world and hereafter.
Performing the daily prayers on time, being careful about major sins and doing tasbihat after daily prayers will also improve you.
- What is taqwa and who is called a muttaqi?
Taqwa means fearing, avoiding, keeping away from sins due to the fear of Allah. Muttaqi means a believer who lives based on taqwa.
The first thing that comes to the mind about taqwa is to abandon harams (forbidden things). After that, avoiding makruh things follow. Makruh means deeds, words or states that are not regarded appropriate. To abandon makruhs is also a sign of taqwa. Next are doubtful things. They are close to harams like makruh things. Taqwa necessitates abandoning things about which there are not definite decrees in case they are haram. Then, mubah (permissible) and halal things follow. Taqwa necessitates using them sufficiently and avoid extravagance.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following in a hadith:
“Halals are certain and harams are certain. However, there are some doubtful things between them. When a shepherd pastures his sheep near a wood, it is possible that the sheep can enter the wood any time; similarly, a person who does not avoid doubtful things might fall into haram.” (Bukhari, İman, 39)
Doubtful things are close neighbors of haram things. It is highly probable for a person who enters that region to enter haram area. A buffer zone appears between harams and a person who avoids doubtful things.
The following is a lesson of taqwa from the Quran:
“...fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, which is prepared for those who reject Faith.” (al-Baqara, 2/24)
Tafsir scholars say the stones mentioned in the verse are idols. Along with the terror of Hell whose fuel is stones, there is another threat that intimidates believers: To burn together with idols, to be together with them in the same place and to be treated in the same ways as them.
Taqwa and righteous deeds are two principles that are fundamental in the progress of the spirit and heart. One obtains spiritual profits through righteous deeds. These profits are maintained through taqwa; thus, a person keeps away from loss. A person who does not close the ways of haram may lose more than what he earns and may go bankrupt.
The following hadith related to bankruptcy is very intimidating and frightening:
“The poor of my umma would be he who would come on the Day of Judgment with deeds like prayers, fasting and zakah but since he had hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, he would find himself bankrupt on that day because his virtues would be credited to the account of those who suffered at his hand. And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown into Hell.” (Muslim, Birr 6; Tirmidhi, Qiyamah 2; Ahmad b. Hanbal, 2/303)
There are three levels of taqwa:
1. Taqwa from polytheism: To be protected from polytheism through belief. Thus, a person is protected from staying in Hell eternally.
2. Taqwa from bad deeds: To avoid committing major sins and to avoid insisting on minor sins.
3. Taqwa from everything except Him: To keep one’s heart away from everything that prevents him from God.
