Hasten in good deeds
Allah Almighty has placed urgency on the nature of Bani Nuh and Adam. But mostly, this urgency is seen in the commission of sin. While Allah Subhanahoo Wata’ala, lets His servants loose, He is not quick to punish the wrongdoers because He is Most Forgiving and Merciful. As the Lord Almighty says:
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌۭ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًۭا
Your Lord is the Most Forgiving, the Lord of Mercy. If He seizes them for what they did, He may cause the punishment to befall them sooner, but there is an appointed time for them, from which they can never find a place of refuge. (18:58)
Although it is a natural matter, it is also reprehensible and sometimes a shame. Haste in committing sins is very bad, while haste in performing righteous deeds is recommended.
In the month of Ramadan, all people do as many good deeds as possible to obtain the mercy of Allah. In this regard, it is important to get used to good deeds and do more good deeds so that we can get used to good deeds.
Meaning to hasten to goodness
Hastening in good deeds does not mean that work should not be completed in one fell swoop, but its purpose is not to delay and hesitate in doing any good but to do it immediately without delay. To be done as The reason for this is that by delaying, it is possible to create an obstacle and not be able to perform the good deed that was thought of. It is known to everyone that in today’s age, it is difficult to do good and easy to do evil because haste in sins is from Satan, and there is no obstacle for him, while there are many obstacles in the way of goodness. Self, Satan, bad environment, bad companions, laziness, weakness, disease, preoccupation, and death are lying in wait to prevent good deeds.
An incentive to hasten to goodness
Hasten to goodness
The purpose of human life is to do good deeds and become entitled to the heaven of Allah, but man still needs to remember his real purpose and start spending time in strange activities. However, the purpose of coming into life should be remembered.
Allah Ta’ala has reminded man to do as many good deeds as possible in one place. Rather, hurry in doing good deeds. As the Allah says:
فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ
Strive, then, to excel each other in good deeds. (2:148)
At another place He said:
فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًۭا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Strive, then, to excel each other in good deeds. To Allah is the return for all of you. Then Allah shall tell you about that in which you disputed. (5:48)
Haste in virtue; Attributes of believers
It is not the habit of a believer to say, even after hearing the problem that there is still plenty of time, I will do this good deed. A believer is one who, when he comes to know of a good deed, is very hasty in this work; he tries to perform this good deed as soon as possible. This is the attribute of the believer, Allah Subhanahoo Wata’ala said in the Holy Qur’an:
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَآ ءَاتَوا۟ وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَٰجِعُونَ – أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَـٰبِقُونَ
And those who give whatever they give, with their hearts full of fear that to their Lord they are to return – those people are accelerating towards the (real) good things, and they are the foremost to attain them. (23:60,61)
In the same way, at another place, the Lord Almighty described the attributes of the believers in this way and said:
إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ – وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَخْشَ ٱللَّهَ وَيَتَّقْهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَآئِزُونَ
The only reply of the (true) believers, when they are summoned to Allah and His messenger that he (the messenger) may judge between them, is that they say, “We listen and obey.” Such people are the successful. Whoever obeys Allah and His messenger and has awe of Him and observes Taqwā for His sake, then such people are the victorious. (24:51,52)
Hasten to seek forgiveness
Just as it is not inappropriate to insist on it after committing a sin, it is also not a good practice to delay after committing a sin. Allah Ta’ala said:
وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
Race with one another towards Forgiveness from your Lord and towards a paradise the width of which spans the heavens and the earth. It has been prepared for the God-fearing, (3:133)
He said at another place,
سَابِقُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ
Compete each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord (57:21)
Run to Allah
Allah says:
فَفِرُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنِّى لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
So, flee to Allah. Indeed I am a plain warner sent by Him for you. (51:50)
Allah Ta’ala did not say to hurry in doing good deeds. Rather, Allah says that they run towards Allah by doing good deeds. Be very hasty in good deeds.
Compete with each other in virtues
Compete ahead of each other in good deeds, compete with someone more virtuous than you, try to surpass each other in good deeds, and try to beat each other in good deeds.
So, Almighty Allah commanded us;
وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَـٰفِسُونَ
-It is this (bliss) in aspiring for which the competitors should race each other. (83:26)
Only good deeds can protect a person from temptations. That is why the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered one to protect oneself by doing good deeds before the appearance of temptations. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
فالأول: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “ بادروا بالأعمال فتناً كقطع الليل المظلم يصبح الرجل مؤمنا ويمسي كافراً ويمسي مؤمنا ويصبح كافراً، يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا” ((رواه مسلم)).
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods.” [Muslim]. (Riyad as-Salihin)
Hurry up to write the will
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said;
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلَّا وَوَصِيَّة مَكْتُوبَة عِنْده»
Wills. Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “It is the duty of a Muslim man who has something which is to be given as a bequest not to have it for two nights without having his will written regarding it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) – (Mishkat al-Masabih)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said;
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم قال: ”أسرعوا بالجنازة، فإن تك صالحة، فخير تقدمونها إليه، وإن تك سوي ذلك، فشر تضعونه عن رقابكم” ((متفق عليه)).
((وفي رواية لمسلم: ”فخير تقدمونها عليه)).Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “Hurry up with the dead body (for its burial), for if it is pious, you are speeding it to goodness and if it is otherwise, you are laying an evil off your necks.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. (Riyad as-Salihin)
The reward of those who hasten to good deeds
There is a great reward with Allah for those who surpass each other in good deeds. Those who excel in good deeds will be excelled in Paradise Allah Ta’ala describing them.
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ – أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ – فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
And the Foremost are the foremost. Those are the ones blessed with nearness (to Allah) in gardens of bliss, (56:10,11,12)
Incidents of rushing to goodness
Story of Previous Prophets
Prayer of Sayyiduna Ibrahim (عليه السلام);
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ – لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
Say, “My prayer, my offering, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. For Him there is no partner. And thus I have been commanded, and I am the first one to submit.” (6:162,163)
Sayyiduna Musa (عليه السلام) said:
وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ
and I hurried towards You, my Lord, so that You be pleased. (20:84)
The Prophet’s haste in doing good deeds,
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ ـ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعَصْرَ، فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَامَ سَرِيعًا دَخَلَ عَلَى بَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ وَرَأَى مَا فِي وُجُوهِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ تَعَجُّبِهِمْ لِسُرْعَتِهِ فَقَالَ “ ذَكَرْتُ وَأَنَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ تِبْرًا عِنْدَنَا، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ يُمْسِيَ أَوْ يَبِيتَ عِنْدَنَا فَأَمَرْتُ بِقِسْمَتِهِ ”.
Narrated `Uqba bin Al-Harith: I offered the `Asr prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and after finishing the prayer with Taslim he got up quickly and went to some of his wives and then came out. He noticed the signs of astonishment on the faces of the people caused by his speed. He then said, “I remembered while I was in my prayer that a piece of gold was Lying in my house and I disliked that it should remain with us throughout the night, and so I have ordered it to be distributed.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
The incident of Sayyidna Umar Farooq (رضي الله عنه),
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَزَّازُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ نَتَصَدَّقَ فَوَافَقَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي مَالاً فَقُلْتُ الْيَوْمَ أَسْبِقُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِنْ سَبَقْتُهُ يَوْمًا قَالَ فَجِئْتُ بِنِصْفِ مَالِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَا أَبْقَيْتَ لأَهْلِكَ ” . قُلْتُ مِثْلَهُ وَأَتَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِكُلِّ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ ” يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَا أَبْقَيْتَ لأَهْلِكَ ” . قَالَ أَبْقَيْتُ لَهُمُ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ قُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَسْبِقُهُ إِلَى شَيْءٍ أَبَدًا . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Narrated Zaid bin Aslam: “I heard ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab saying: ‘We were ordered by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to give in charity, and that coincided with a time in which I had some wealth, so I said, “Today I will beat Abu Bakr, if ever I beat him.”‘ So I came with half of my wealth, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “What did you leave for your family?” I said: “The like of it.” And Abu Bakr came with everything he had, so he said: “O Abu Bakr! What did you leave for your family?” He said: “I left Allah and His Messenger for them.” I said: ‘ [By Allah] I will never be able to beat him to something.'” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi)
The story of Anas (رضي الله عنه) and Abu Talha (رضي الله عنه),
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ مَا كَانَ لَنَا خَمْرٌ غَيْرُ فَضِيخِكُمْ هَذَا الَّذِي تُسَمُّونَهُ الْفَضِيخَ. فَإِنِّي لَقَائِمٌ أَسْقِي أَبَا طَلْحَةَ وَفُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا إِذْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ وَهَلْ بَلَغَكُمُ الْخَبَرُ فَقَالُوا وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَ حُرِّمَتِ الْخَمْرُ. قَالُوا أَهْرِقْ هَذِهِ الْقِلاَلَ يَا أَنَسُ. قَالَ فَمَا سَأَلُوا عَنْهَا وَلاَ رَاجَعُوهَا بَعْدَ خَبَرِ الرَّجُلِ.
Narrated Anas bin Malik: We had no alcoholic drink except that which was produced from dates and which you call Fadikh. While I was standing offering drinks to Abu Talh and so-and-so and so-and-so, a man cam and said, “Has the news reached you? They said, “What is that?” He said. “Alcoholic drinks have been prohibited. They said, “Spill (the contents of these pots, O Anas! “Then they neither asked about it (alcoholic drinks) nor returned it after the news from that man. (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Subhan Allah! This incident renewed faith; Allah did not raise the status of the Companions, and their actions were also high. As soon as they heard Allah’s message of sanctity, they poured out the wine; not even a single bit of it was drunk, nor did they delay or let a single drop down their throats.
In light of these things, when we examine ourselves, we find that we are in a hurry, but we are not in a hurry to earn money, do sinful things, and do good deeds. Allah Ta’ala has mentioned great rewards for various actions and promised great rewards, but the heart is not attracted towards them, and if we talk about the world, for example, it is said that whoever will be present at such a place and at such a time will be given a One lakh rupees will be received, so everyone who hears this news will be present at this place to collect rupees on time. This clearly means that our faith is very weak and needs to be reformed and strengthened. Let us resolve from today that we will reform our faith and develop the qualities of prophets and righteous people within us.
