Author: Syeda Muneeba Masood

Allah is merciful and forgiving. We being his creatures cannot imagine how our Lord showers His blessings over us.

People who seem to be sinners to others are sometimes greatly blessed by the mercy of Allah. Any act done with pure intention is worth it for Allah and He rewards us more than our imagination. And a little particle of sin may make us lose Allah’s blessings and take us to Hell, no matter how punctual we are in performing the obligations of Islam.

That’s why we should not make any justifications for the good deeds and sins of others. Allah is watching all of us. We are tiny human beings, The Lord is all-knowing.

If you go through the following Hadith extracted from Sahi Bukhari, you will realize that a good deed that seems to be very little time-consuming can save a person from Hellfire.

* Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “A prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that.”  (Book #54, Hadith #538)

In the above Hadith a prostitute for forgiven by Allah because of the kind-heartedness she showed towards a living being.

* Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, ‘This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth, and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate.” (Book #40, Hadith #551)

The above is another event extracted from history, which is about a man who gave water to a thirsty dog and he was forgiven by Allah.

* Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.” Allah’s Apostle further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to woman), ‘You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.”  (Book #40, Hadith #553)

On the other hand, the above Hadith gives us a great lesson. This Hadith is enough to realize that every act done by us is recorded in the books of Allah. The woman who was not a prostitute was put in Hell because of the violence she showed for an innocent cat.

No doubt the performance of obligations of Islam is a must for a Muslim but good deeds and bad deeds also play a very important role in our lives here and hereafter.

This world is the first and the last place to earn rewards for the hereafter. Silently compete with each other to earn rewards.

Allah Haafiz
Muneeba