Allah The Almighty repeatedly reminds us to perform various virtuous deeds. He 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."

However, forgetfulness is a trait that is inherent in human beings, which leads to neglecting virtuous deeds and weakens their effect. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm willpower”} [Quran, 20: 115]

Remembering the reward for performing these deeds is one of the most successful ways of treating laziness and encourages people to perform them. For example, a person is encouraged not to belittle even the smallest good deed, when one reads the saying of the Prophet : “I saw a man enjoying Paradise as a result of a tree he cut, which was in people’s way and harming them.” [Muslim].

Attending the assemblies of knowledge with virtuous Muslims also encourages one to perform virtuous deeds, or continue performing them. It reminds the Muslim of his Lord, fosters a sense of competition and keeps the heart occupied with virtuous thoughts. A believer is stronger when he is with a group of virtuous people, and he becomes more enthused to utilize his time and take advantage of his life, in obedience to Allah The Almighty.

Incentives to perform good deeds

1. Visiting charitable and humanitarian organizations encourages a Muslim to perform virtuous deeds.

2. Remembering that competing in performing virtuous deeds is one of the qualities of the true believers, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“So, We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahyaa, and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear.”} [Quran, 21: 90]. This is also one of the characteristics of angels, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And by those that press forward as in a race (angels).”} [Quran, 79: 4] Mujaahid  commented on this by saying, "This refers to the angels when they defeated the son of Adam in the performance of virtuous deeds."

3. 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 Allah.” [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.

4. Remembering that life is short makes a Muslim exert extra effort 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].

5. Reading books that soften the heart, mention virtuous deeds and encourage people to perform them.

6. Knowing that encouraging others entitles you to the same reward as theirs, as the Prophet  said: “He who revives a deed from Islam (which people forgot or abandoned) gets the same reward as the one who (subsequently) performs it.” [Muslim]

7. 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-Bukhari and Muslim]

8. Knowing how eager our pious predecessors were in performing virtuous deeds. Competing in performing virtuous deeds was an intrinsic quality of the Companions of the Prophet . ‘Umar  said regarding Abu Bakr : "Whenever we competed to perform virtuous deeds, Abu Bakr would win."

 

One should always supplicate to Allah The Almighty to enable him to perform good deeds and facilitate them for him, because performing virtuous deeds is a gift from Allah The Almighty which He grants to whomever He wishes from amongst His slaves. Humaam ibn Al-Haarith  used to supplicate saying, "O Allah! 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.

Performing virtuous deeds is one of the main duties for Muslims in this life, as Allah commands by saying what means: {“O you who have believed! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good, that you may be successful.”} [Quran, 24: 77]

Performing virtuous deeds is also included in the saying of Allah The Almighty (which means): {“…Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression…”} [Quran, 5: 2]

Performing virtuous deeds is an important component of the propagation of Islam, which is not restricted to delivering lectures or talks, or publishing books. Behaving virtuously and helping others endears one to people and opens the hearts and minds of others, who would then listen attentively to what one says.

Similarly, there are many Ahaadeeth (narrations) from the Prophet  addressing this issue, such as the following:

• “Rush towards the performance of virtuous deeds.” [Muslim].

• “He who leads others to virtue gets the same reward as the one performing it.” [Muslim].

• “O people! Spread (the greeting of) Salaam, feed the needy, and pray at night while people are sleeping, and you will (therefore) enter into Paradise peacefully.” [At-Tirmithi].

• “He who calls others to guidance will get the same reward as those who follow guidance.” [Muslim].

Incentives to performing good deeds

1. Having your mind and heart constantly occupied with these deeds and having a sincere intention, because, with sincerity, a slave reaches high ranks, and it also acts as an encouraging factor to perform the deed.

2. Knowing that the Prophet  used to ask Allah The Almighty to enable him to perform virtuous deeds saying: “O Allah! I ask You to enable me to perform virtuous deeds and (for) the abandonment of sins." [At-Tirmithi]. It is known that the Prophet  would only supplicate with what Allah The Almighty loves.

3. Remembering Paradise and its pleasures, and what has been prepared for the people of virtue there. Allah 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]

4. Knowing that performing virtuous deeds results in other people loving him, even after his death. The believers are witnesses on earth as Anas  said, "A funeral passed by us and people praised the deceased, so the Prophet, sallallaahau ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: 'It has become mandatory.' Then another one passed and people spoke of how bad the deceased was, so the Prophet  said: 'It has become mandatory.' So ‘Umar  asked about his comments on the two funerals, and the Prophet  replied: 'You praised the first one so Paradise became mandatory for him, and you dispraised the second one so Hell became mandatory for him; you are the witnesses of Allah on earth.' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

5. Realizing that the longer virtuous people live, the more beloved to Allah The Almighty they become, as the Prophet  said when he was asked about the best people in the sight of Allah The Almighty: “He who lives long and performs virtuous deeds.” [At-Tirmithi], because such a person utilized his life in virtuous deeds and was obedient to Allah The Almighty.

6. Knowing that being steadfast in performing virtuous deeds is beloved to Allah The Almighty even if the deeds are little in number, as the Prophet  said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are persistent, even if they are little (in number).”