Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):








“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”






[al-Nahl 16:97]






It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before there come tribulations like pieces of a dark night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a kaafir by evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and a kaafir by morning, selling his religious commitment for worldly gain.”






Narrated by Muslim, 118.






We as Muslims should always seek the help of Allah to do good deeds, and do we should try our best to do as many as we can. We should persist in doing these good deeds even if they are little, for that is better than doing a lot of good deeds then stopping.










It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O people, you should do whatever good deeds you can, for Allaah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of good deeds to Allaah is that in which a person persists, even if it is little. If the family of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to do something, they would persist in it.”






Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 43; Muslim, 782.






Remembrance of Allah is the foundation of good deeds. Whoever succeeds in it is blessed with the close friendship of Allah. That is why the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to make remembrance of Allah at all times. When a man complained, "The laws of Islam are too heavy for me, so tell me something that I can easily follow," the Prophet told him, "Let your tongue be always busy with the remembrance of Allah." [Narrated by Ahmad with two sound chains, also Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah through other chains, and Ibn Hibban who declared it sahih].


The Prophet, peace be upon him, would often tell his Companions, "Shall I tell you about the best of deeds, the most pure in the sight of your Lord, about the one that is of the highest order and is far better for you than spending gold and silver, even better for you than meeting your enemies in the battlefield where you strike at their necks and they at yours?" The Companions replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet, peace be upon him,said,"Remembrance of Allah." (Narrated by Tirmidhi, Ahmad, hadith hasan)








"Remember Allah abundantly, in order that you become successful"


Quran (Surah 8: Verse 45)






"Only in the remembrance of Allah (swt) will your heart find peace"


Quran (Surah 13: Verse 28)






"Those men and women who engage much in Allah's praise. for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a Great Reward"


Quran (Surah 33: Verse 35)






Allah (SWT) has commanded us to remember him always. He says:






"Remember me, I shall remember you." (Qur'an 2:152)






"They are the most wise who remember Allah, standing sitting and lying down"


Quran (Surah 4: Verse 190)






"Satan has mastered them and caused them to forget the Remembrance of Allah. Those are satan's party; and satan's party shall assuredly be the losers"


Quran (Surah 58: Verse 19)



"Whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his life will be made tight and narrow on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind"


Quran (Surah 20: Verse 124)




You shall glorify Him day and night. [Azhab: 33:42]






Thus it is very important for us as Muslims to zikrullah, or remembrance, of Allah (SWT).






The word zikr has many meanings. It means: Allah's Book and its recitation, Prayer, Learning and teaching, Du'aa, Remembrance of Allah in the heart, or in both the heart and the tongue, and even pondering over Allah's creation.




The Prophet (PBUH) once said, "When any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers them, tranquillity descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him." (Sahih Aljami',#5608).






When people do zikr, their hearts turn to the highest ideals and are free from the temptations of sin. Obviously this is true only if the words come from the heart and not just from the tongue.






Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "The similitude of one who remembers his Rubb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].






"... And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Jannah).'' (33:35)






“Almighty Allah says:






“And We shall strip away all rancor from their hearts - beneath them will be rivers flowing - and they shall say: ‘Praise be to Allah, Who guided us on to this. Had it not been for Allah Who granted us guidance, we would not have found guidance. Surely, the Messengers of our Lord did come with Truth.’ Then a voice will cry to them, ‘Behold! This is the Paradise which you are made to inherit as a reward for your deeds.’” (Al-A`raf: 43)






In this verse there is a beautiful description of the people of Paradise. Before they enter their blessed abode, Allah will purify them from any lurking sense of rancor or grudge that they might have had against each other. Then He will grant them a most happy place to live. Then there is a wonderful dialogue that will take place. They will praise Allah’s grace. They will not boast of their virtues or good deeds that led them to Paradise. However, Allah on the other hand will appreciate their goodness and will say that whatever they are receiving is not some crumbs of charity from Him, but this is a due recompense because of their own good deeds. This is a kind of mutual appreciation and gratitude between the human and divine that is the hallmark of this verse.






Islam teaches that believers should do good deeds, but they should never say that we are purchasing Jannah by our good deeds. Jannah or eternal salvation is only because of Allah’s grace and love. However, Allah also does not say in the Qur’an, “You do not deserve Jannah,” but [rather], “I shall still give it to you because I love you.” Allah always says to the believers, “I shall give you the eternal bliss because I am willing to forgive your sins if your turn to Me; I appreciate your good deeds and I honor your good efforts.”




The recompense of a good deed is a good deed after it and the recompense of a bad deed is a bad deed after it.








Almighty Allah says:






"So hasten towards all that is good". (2:148)






Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter". [At-Tirmidhi].






The purpose of this Hadith is that before overcoming of the obstructions, one should do one's best to improve his Hereafter by means of good deeds lest one is deprived of good deeds by some obstruction.






We should be trying to gain as many good deeds as we can before we are overcome by death. Death can be at ANY second so there is not a second to waste.






We will regret EVERY second we wasted without doing a good deed and remembering Allah!
We have just completed a full month of intensive worship and devotion. We fasted, prayed, read the Qur’an, gave zakah and sadaqah, and did many good deeds. This should not make us boast that we are virtuous people, but we should be thankful that Allah guided us to all this. It was due to His mercy and guidance that we were able to do all these good deeds and if He accepts these things from us, then it will be also due to His grace and love that we shall find His blessings in this life and in the life to come.








True and sincere worship (`ibadah) creates humbleness and it always leads to more acts of goodness and virtues. If our Ramadan was a successful month of learning, then the effects of these good deeds will be with us and will remain for a long time