THOSE WHO DO GOOD MEET GOODNESS
Another secret that Allah reveals in the Quran is that those who do good will be rewarded with good both in the world and in the hereafter. Of this Allah says the following:
“Say: ‘My servants who believe! Have fear of your Lord. For those who do good in the life of this world there is good and Allah’s earth is spacious. The steadfast will be paid their wages in full without any reckoning.”
(Az-Zumar 39: 10)
However, one needs to know what the actual “goodness” is. Each society has developed its own understanding of goodness; being pleasant, giving money to the poor, behaving with tolerance towards every sort of treatment are often perceived as signs of “goodness” in society. However, Allah informs us what the actual “goodness” is in the Quran:
“It is not righteousness to turn your faces to the East or to the West. Rather, truly righteous are those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, and who, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to their relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to travelers and beggars and to set slaves free, and who establish regular prayer (salat) and pay regular charity (zakat); those who honor their contracts when they make them, and are steadfast in poverty and illness and in battle. Those are the people who are true. They are the people who have fear for Allah.”
(Al-Baqarah 2: 177)
As the verse above draws our attention, true goodness is to have fear of Allah, to keep oneself occupied with the remembrance of the day of reckoning, to follow one’s conscience and always to engage in deeds which would please Allah. Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) also bid believers to fear Allaah and to do good:
“Fear Allah wherever you are. Do good immediately after a sinful act to erase it, and always be well-mannered in your relationship with people.”(Al-Albani)
Allah has revealed in the Quran that He loves those who always do good due to their faith and their fear and love for Allah, and adds that He will reward them with good:
Allah gives these people the glad tidings of a good life both in this world and in the hereafter, an increase in blessings – both material and spiritual
“So Allah gave them the reward of the life of this world and the best reward of the hereafter. Allaah loves the good-doers.”
(Al-’Imran 3: 148)
“… There is good in the life of this world for those who do good, and the abode of the hereafter is even better. How wonderful is the abode of those who have fear of Allah.”
(An-Nahl 16: 30)
This is good news given in the Quran to those who do good, who are self-sacrificing and who strive to earn Allah’s good pleasure.
Allah gives these people the glad tidings of a good life both in this world and in the hereafter, an increase in blessings – both material and spiritual. Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), who was given an entire kingdom, the like of which was never granted to anyone, and Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him), who was placed in authority over the treasures of Egypt, are examples given in the Quran. Allah informs us about the blessings He granted on Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) in this verse:
“Did He not find you impoverished and enrich you?”
(Ad-Duha 93: 8)
One needs to remember that a beautiful and glorious life is not a blessing granted only to earlier generations of believers. Allah promises that, in each period, He will give His believing servants a good life:
“Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did.”
(An-Nahl 16: 97)
Believers never chase after the world; that is to say, they do not demonstrate greed for worldly wealth, status or power. As Allah states in an ayat, they have sold their lives and their wealth in return for paradise. Trade or commerce does not distract them from the remembrance of Allah, the performance of prayers and serving for religion.
Furthermore, they show steadfastness and submission even when they are tested with hunger or loss of wealth, and they never complain. Believers who emigrated in the Prophet’s time were an example. They immigrated to another city, leaving their houses, occupations, commerce, property and gardens behind and there, they were contented with little. In return they only wanted to earn Allah’s pleasure. Their contentment and sincere remembrance of the hereafter earned them Allah’s blessings and good lives and gifts. These gifts and wealth did not increase their attachment to this world, but rather led them to render their thanks to Allah and to remember Him. Allaah promises every believer who displays high morals a good life in this world.
Allah Has Promised to Multiply the Deeds of His Servants Who Do Good
Some of the aayaat related in the Quran on this subject are as follows:
“Those who produce a good action will receive ten like it. But those who produce a bad action will only be repaid with its equivalent and they will not be wronged.”
(Al-An’am 6: 160)
“Allah does not wrong anyone by so much as the smallest speck. And if there is a good deed Allah will multiply it and pay out an immense reward direct from Him.”
(An-Nisa’ 4: 40)
The most obvious sign that Allah multiplies every good deed is the difference between the life of this world and the hereafter. The life of this world is quite a short period, which lasts 60 years on average. However, those who purify themselves and engage in good deeds in this world will be rewarded with an infinite goodness in the hereafter in return for what they did during this short life. Allah has given this promise in a ayat as follows:
“Those who do good will have the best and more …”
(Yunus 10: 26)
One needs to contemplate the concept of “infinity” in order to comprehend the greatness of this reward. Let’s assume that all people who have ever lived on earth so far and those who will live in the future spend every single second of their lives counting. This figure will surely become too large to articulate. Yet, next to “infinity”, even this enormous number would mean nothing. Because “infinite” means endless, having no limits in time.
The abode of those who display devotion to Allah in this world will be in paradise in the hereafter. There, they will remain for all eternity, attain anything their souls desire and will have no limits for this. This is surely an example that should be reflected on in order to comprehend the enormity of Allah’s mercy and grace.
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