The Value of Virtue - فضل العمل الصالح

 

 "يا أيها الناس إنا خلقناكم من ذكر وأنثى وجعلناكم شعوبا وقبائل لتعارفوا إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم إن الله عليم خبير"

O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.1

 

"وما تقدموا لأنفسكم من خير تجدوه عند الله هو خيراً وأعظم أجراً"

And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is far better and greater in reward.

 

الْاَعْمَالُ بِالنِّیَّات

Actions are through intentions.

Hadith 33, 40 Hadith Shah Waliullah
https://sunnah.com/shahwaliullah40:33

 

 لم يشَکَرَ اللهَ مَنْ لم یَشْکُرُ النَّاسَ 

He does not thank people who does not thank God.

Hadith 25, 40 Hadith Shah Waliullah
https://sunnah.com/shahwaliullah40:25

 

إِتَّقُوْا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ

Protect yourself from the fire even with a part of a date.

Hadith 7, 40 Hadith Shah Waliullah
https://sunnah.com/shahwaliullah40:7

 

الدَّالُّ عَلَی الْخَیْرِ کَفَاعِلِهِ

The person guiding (someone) to do a good deed, is like the one performing the good deed.

Hadith 5, 40 Hadith Shah Waliullah
https://sunnah.com/shahwaliullah40:5

 

‏ إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ مكارم الأَخْلاقِ‏.‏

"I was sent to perfect good character."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
https://sunnah.com/urn/2302710

 

  ‏ إِذَا مَاتَ الْعَبْدُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثٍ‏: ‏ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ‏.‏

 "When a person dies, all action is cut off for him with the exception of three things: sadaqa which continues, knowledge which benefits, or a righteous child who makes supplication for him."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 38
https://sunnah.com/adab:38

 

 كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ‏.‏

"Every correct action is sadaqa."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 224
https://sunnah.com/adab:224

 

 ‏ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ صَدَقَةٌ، قَالُوا‏: ‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ‏؟‏ قَالَ‏: ‏ فَيَعْتَمِلُ بِيَدَيْهِ، فَيَنْفَعُ نَفْسَهُ، وَيَتَصَدَّقُ، قَالُوا‏: ‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ، أَوْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ‏؟‏ قَالَ‏: ‏ فَيُعِينُ ذَا الْحَاجَةِ الْمَلْهُوفَ، قَالُوا‏: ‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ‏؟‏ قَالَ‏: ‏ فَيَأْمُرُ بِالْخَيْرِ، أَوْ يَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، قَالُوا‏: ‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ‏؟‏ قَالَ‏: ‏ فَيُمْسِكُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ، فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ‏.‏

 "Every Muslim must give sadaqa." They said, "And if he does not find anything (to give)?" He replied, "Then he should work his hands, benefit himself and then give sadaqa." They asked, "And if he is unable to or does not do it?" He replied, "Then he should help someone with a great need." They said, "And if he does not do it?" He replied, "Then he should command the good or command the correct." They said, "And if he does not do that?" They said, "He should refrain from evil. That is sadaqa for him."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 225
https://sunnah.com/adab:225

 

 ‏ أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِدَرَجَةٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ‏؟‏ قَالُوا‏: ‏ بَلَى، قَالَ‏: ‏ صَلاَحُ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ

 "Shall I tell you a degree better than prayer, fasting and sadaqa?" "Yes," they replied. He went to say, Improving a state of friendship"

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 391
https://sunnah.com/adab:391

 

 لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا، وَيَعْرِفْ حَقَّ كَبِيرِنَا‏.‏

"Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 363
https://sunnah.com/adab:363

 

 ‏ مَنْ لا يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ لا يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ‏.‏

 "Allah will not show mercy to a person who does not show mercy to other people."

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 375
https://sunnah.com/adab:375

 

 

‏ السَّاعِي عَلَى الأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، أَوِ الْقَائِمِ اللَّيْلَ الصَّائِمِ النَّهَارَ ‏"‏‏.‏

"The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah's Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day."

Sahih al-Bukhari 5353
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5353

 

 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

James 4:17 

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

 

Galatians 6:10 

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone

 

James 2:26 

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

 

Hebrews 10:24 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

 

Matthew 7:21-23 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does my will who is in heaven.

 

James 1:27 

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world

2 Timothy 3:17 

That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 

James 2:17

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 

Titus 2:7-9 

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

 

1 Timothy 6:18 

They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

 

Isaiah 1:17 

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

 

Luke 3:11 

And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

 

1 John 3:17 

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

 

Matthew 6:24 

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.