Great Daily Actions: the 8 Habits of Success!

[Abu-Salman]

Examples of good deeds we can do every day to increase our hasanaat

 

 

 

Praise be to Allaah.

 

If Allaah helps him to do righteous deeds, the Muslim can earn a great deal of reward.

 

There are many different kinds of righteous deeds that can be done by rich and poor, old and young, male and female, depending on each person’s circumstances, ambition and energy, after the help of Allaah.

 

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.

 

The kinds of good deeds that a person can do every day include the following:

 

 

1 – Praying in congregation in the mosque

 

 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning and evening, Allaah will prepare for him an honourable place in Paradise every time he goes and comes.”

 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 631; Muslim, 669.

 

 

2 – Attending funerals and offering the funeral prayer

 

 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever attends a funeral until he offers the (funeral) prayer will have one qiraat (of reward) and whoever attends until the burial is done will have two qiraats.” It was said: “What are the two qiraats?” He said: “Like two great mountains.”

 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1261; Muslim, 945

 

 

3 – Saying “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Dominion, to Him be all praise, and He is able to do all things)” one hundred times each day.

 

 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer one hundred times in a day, it will be as if he freed ten slaves, and one hundred hasanaat (good deeds) will be recorded for him, and one hundred sayi’aat (bad deeds) will be erased from him, and it will be a protection for him against the Shaytaan all that day until evening comes. No one can do anything better than that except one who does more.”

 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3119; Muslim, 2691.

 

 

4 – Upholding the ties of kinship

 

 

It was narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever would like his provision to be increased and his lifespan extended, let him uphold his ties of kinship.”

 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5639; Muslim, 2557.

 

 

5 – Observing voluntary fasts*, visiting the sick and giving charity.

 

 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Who among you is fasting today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I am.” He said: “Who among you has attended a funeral today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” He said: “Who among you has fed a poor person today?’ Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” He said: “Who among you has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “These (traits) are not combined in a person but he will enter Paradise.”

 

Narrated by Muslim, 1028.

 

 

6 – Saying Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allaah) one hundred times.

 

 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allaah) one hundred times, morning and evening, his sins will be erased even if they are like the foam of the sea.”

 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6042; Muslim, 2691.

 

 

7 – Tasbeeh, tahmeed and takbeer, and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and praying Duha.

 

 

It was narrated from Abu Dharr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For every bone of the son of Adam a charity must be given each day. Every tasbeehah [saying Subhaan Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)] is a charity, every tahmeedah [saying al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah)] is a charity, every tahleelah [saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah)] is a charity, every takbeerah [saying Allaahu akbar [Allaah is Most Great]) is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and two rak’ahs offered in the mid-morning (Duha) is sufficient.”

 

Narrated by Muslim, 720.

 

 

8 – Reading Qur’aan.

 

 

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever reads a letter of the Book of Allaah will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is a letter, rather alif is a letter, laam is a letter and meem is a letter.”

 

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2910; he said it is hasan saheeh. Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

 

And there are many other good deeds. The Muslim should seek the help of his Lord to do good deeds, and do his best to do them. He 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.

 

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*: Fasting on alternate days is one independent type of worship; it is a kind of voluntary fast, and it is the best kind.

 

Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is another independent type of worship. It cannot be imagined that it is possible to combine the two on an ongoing basis. The better kind should be given preference, but a person should take his own situation and strength into account, so he should not start something that he will not be able to continue – in the case of naafil deeds – because the most beloved of deeds to Allaah is that which is continuous, even if it is little. And Allaah is the source of strength (Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid).

 

 

 

 

 

And Allah knows best, Islam Q&A

[Haneefah]

“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.”

Yaa Lateef. This frightens me beyond belief, wallah. Incidentally, my girlfriends and I were just recently talking about this during a car ride after we had realized how much we are all being consumed (mentally, physically, emotionally, socially) by certain worldy matters that have taken a tremendous toll on our cibaada as of late. It's scary.

 

Jazakallah kheir brother, it was certainly a timely and beneficial reminder. And you can be assured that you've gained hasanaat through this tonight, may Allah increase you in knowledge and blessings.

[Abu-Salman]

Aamin, Wa iyaaka sister.

 

Though Ramadan and now the 10 blessed days have just passed, let's keep alive the spirit and continue fasting (particularly on Mondays/Thursdays, when deeds are presented to Allah, or both), finish the Qur'aan at least once a month (so a daily Jus is an absolute must), and of course the Salats in Jamaacah alongside the adkaars.

 

The good news is that it rapidly becomes an habit, especially with pocket-sized annotated Qur'aans, "Hisnul Muslims" (adkaars) or even "Arbiciin An-Nawawi/40 Ahadiths An-nawawi" (great for one's arabic as well).

 

Again, one must have certainty and visualise his Hasanats account in front of his eyes and the cleansing/replenishing effect of even a single tasbih "Subxaana rabiy-al cadiim wa bixamdihi"!