11 Good Reasons to Do Good Deeds

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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 (what means): {“And indeed We made a covenant with Aadam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm willpower”} [Quran, 20: 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 (what means): {“Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord.”} [Quran, 57: 21]. Shaykh ibn As-Sa’di  said, commenting on this, "One who hastens towards virtuous deeds during his life will therefore also hasten to enter Paradise in the Hereafter."

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.

• Attending gatherings with virtuous Muslims, because such gatherings remind the Muslim of his Lord, and encourage a sense of competition to do good deeds and keeps the heart occupied with virtuous thoughts.
• 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  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  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  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  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  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 (what means): {“And march forth in the way (leading to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.”} [Quran 3: 133].
• Realizing that the longer virtuous people live the more beloved to Allaah The Almighty they become, as the Prophet  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  said:“The most beloved deeds to Allaah are those which are persistent, even if they were little (in number).”