Belittling Good Deeds - Sheikh Abu Abdillah Yunus Mehmud

The Story of Musa and the Importance of Helping Others

My dear brothers and sisters, we find that when Musa (alayhi salaam) was afraid from Firaun, who was at the time the emperor of Egypt, and he ran away from Egypt — then when he reached the wells, the wells of Madyan, what happened? He found a number of people watering their flock, and then he found two ladies who were on the side, who had withdrawn their flock from the rest of the men. So he asked them, "What is the matter with you? How come you ladies are not watering your flocks too?" And they said that they were unable to do so until the men go; only then would they go. And the reason why they were there was the fact that their father was old in age, so he couldn't come and do it himself — they were doing it instead.

So what happened? Musa (alayhi salaam) helped them out. He took their flock, watered them, and then he returned back under the shade and said:

"Oh my Lord, whatever good You can send down on me, I am in dire need of it. I am in great need of it."

After this, my dear brothers and sisters, immediately — a short space of time, it was only a short space of time — and one of the ladies returns, walking with hayaa, bashfulness, with modesty, and she says to him that her father is inviting him to come and meet him so that he can reward him for watering their flock. So Musa (alayhi salaam) goes to the father, and the father narrates the entire story — that he has run away from Firaun, etc. After this, the father says, "Don't be afraid. You are now saved from the wrongdoers, from those who are unjust."

We find here, my dear brothers and sisters, that Allah jalla wa 'ala, when He strikes this story and incident in the Quran, is teaching us the importance of helping others. As a believer, it is very important for a person not to just think of themselves, but rather sometimes to take time out and to help the rest of creation. And the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) tells us in Sahih Muslim that when a person helps their brother, Allah jalla wa 'ala continues to aid them so long as they continue to aid their fellow brother. Allah jalla wa 'ala helps you out — He, Allah Himself, is aiding that brother or sister, my dear brothers and sisters.

Do Not Be Like a Candle

But at the same time, it is very important for a believer not to be like a candle. I repeat, my dear brothers and sisters: not to be like a candle. What do we mean? They light the way for others' salvation and their guidance, yet they burn themselves and harm themselves. There are two extremes. There is one where a person helps the entire creation but they burn themselves and harm themselves — they are not helping themselves in this life nor the next life. And we find the opposite: those who are only concerned about themselves, feeling that this is how they can live a life of ease and comfort, but they miss out on mind-blowing good deeds. They miss out on mind-blowing good deeds, and sometimes it can be extremely problematic even for their religion.

Never Belittle Small Deeds

Saying this, my dear brothers and sisters, one thing that is really important is that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has directed us to help ourselves whilst we are still alive, even by doing the smallest of actions. The smallest of actions will help you in the next life.

At one time, in an authentic narration, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was with his companions and there was a grave — a man who had just passed away recently. So the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that two short optional rakahs to be added to this person who had just passed away — to be added to his scale of good deeds — is now more beloved to him than the rest of what your world has to offer. Two rakahs which may take a couple of minutes. Right now, when a person is in the grave, that is when it counts the most.

And we find another narration — for example, when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) advised the companions, and in fact some of them were his family members — and he said: "Fear the fire, meaning place a barrier between you and the fire, even if it means giving charity of a piece of date, half a date." Something insignificant that most of us say, "Either you're going to give two pence or you're not going to give anything." Even if it is something which you classify as insignificant, my dear brothers and sisters, it may be something very mighty in the sight of Allah jalla wa 'ala.

Removing Harm from the Path

This is why the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) struck multiple examples showing that a small deed got a person very far — very, very far. So for example, he tells us in Sahih al-Bukhari: a man removed something harmful from the pathway of the believers. Something harmful — you went outside the masjid on your way out and you found something, some thorns, something sharp, some banana skin, something that someone was going to slip over, so you removed it. What happened to this man? The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in Sahih al-Bukhari: Allah forgave his sins.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 652; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1914)

In a narration in Sahih Muslim, he said: "I saw a man enjoying himself in paradise." Over what? What did he do that was so mighty that allowed him to be admitted into paradise? He said: "For removing something harmful from the path of the believers — that is what he did." Allah admitted him into paradise. These things most of us will probably overlook — "Oh, forget it. Maybe the next person who comes after me will remove it." Why not be that individual? Wallahu a'lam as to what will happen in terms of the reward — that is not for us to say — but one thing we can say is that, insha'Allah, it will be something very mighty and significant with the permission of Allah jalla wa 'ala.

Helping Animals — A Dog and Forgiveness

Not just helping the creation, not just helping Muslims or humanity, mankind — even if you are helping animals, my dear brothers and sisters. Even if you are to help a living being, an animal, wallahu a'lam in terms of the reward.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) tells us about a man in Sahih al-Bukhari. He said: a man was walking on his route and he came across a dog. The dog was panting — very thirsty — lolling his tongue. So the man was wearing two leather socks. He removed one of them, there was a well beside him, drew out some water, and gave it to the dog. Allah thanked him for this action and forgave his sins. This is a dog — a dog — and his sins are forgiven. How about a human being, my dear brothers and sisters? How about a human being?

And another example which shows how far it can really get: the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) tells us in Sahih al-Bukhari — a lady from the people of the past, from the nation before us, who was a prostitute — she saw a dog panting. So she drew out some water and gave the dog some water, and her sins were forgiven. Helping a dog. Look at the sin and look at what she done.

So a person really doesn't know, my dear brothers and sisters — what mighty deed you may think is very insignificant. It may be insignificant in the eyes of the creation, but it is not in the eyes of the Creator, my dear brothers and sisters. It is something mighty in the eyes of the Creator. So you don't belittle it. What a Muslim does, my dear brothers and sisters — any khair they find, they try to do it. They have no idea what the reward will be.

Overlook Others, and Allah Will Overlook You

Another example the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) struck — in Bukhari and Muslim, in fact there are a number of narrations and we are just placing them all together. A man passed away. It was said to him: "Do you remember doing anything good?" He said no. He was told: "Go check — think about it properly. You've done something good." So then he said: "The only thing I remember doing is that I used to give loans. To those who were rich and were able to pay it back, I would request it back from them. And those who were struggling, those who had financial difficulties, I would say to those working under me: overlook them. Perhaps Allah will overlook us." So what happened? He enters into the next life, and Allah jalla wa 'ala says: "I have more right to overlook than you. Overlook My servant."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2391; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1560)

Helping Others Without Expecting a Reward in Return

Helping others is something very, very noble. And one thing that is very important is that we need to be from those who help — specifically if you want to get mighty reward in the next life. We are not expecting a favor back. I do something for you and I am requesting that you do something back. Even if I don't say it with my tongue but I think of it in my mind — that I want appreciation, I don't want you to forget about it. There is no need for any of that. You don't need to destroy your charity, my dear brothers and sisters, whether it is with the tongue or whether it is by giving money. Rather, when we feed others, when we do good, we are doing it for the face — for the pleasure — of Allah. We are doing it for Allah alone, my dear brothers and sisters.

As for reward, a favor back, thanks, appreciation — we are not interested in that. Rather, we are interested in reward from our Creator, reward from our Lord, my dear brothers and sisters.

Inviting Others to Their Purpose of Creation

One of the greatest ways of helping, my dear brothers and sisters, is by inviting others towards the purpose behind their creation — why Allah sent them down on this earth, reminding them of this. This is what Abu Bakr As-Siddiq did. As soon as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) invited him to Islam, he didn't just accept it. What did he do? Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) mentions that in the space of three days — three days — he invited Uthman ibn Affan, Talha ibn Ubaidillah, Abdurrahman ibn Awf, Abu Ubaidah, and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas. These five are from the ten given glad tidings of paradise — and who invited them? Abu Bakr. So all of their khair is also added to his scale of good deeds, my dear brothers and sisters. All of them are also added to his scale of good deeds.

So when you learn something good, you don't just pass it on to your children and those beloved to you — pass it on to anyone that you can, my dear brothers and sisters. You want to maximize the reward. Add it to your scale of good deeds, insha'Allah ta'ala. Make sure that you do it.

Discovering Hidden Talents — The Story of Dimad al-Azdi

Sometimes, my dear brothers and sisters, many of us are unaware of our hidden talents — the ability we have with the permission of Allah. Not everyone knows, not everyone has discovered the talents that the Creator gave to them. Sometimes a person needs to be directed, like the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did with Dimad al-Azdi.

When the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was in Mecca, Dimad al-Azdi was one of those who had heard that the Quraysh — the people of Mecca — would call the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) by unpleasant names, calling him a madman, etc. So what happened? Dimad came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and said: "I recite on people and they are cured with the permission of Allah. How about I recite on you? And if you have anything, you will be cured with the permission of Allah jalla wa 'ala." So what did the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reply? He said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 868)

"All praises belong to Allah jalla wa 'ala — to Him we praise, to Him we seek aid. One whom Allah guides, no one can misguide. And one whom Allah misguides, no one can guide. I testify that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah — He is alone and we associate no partners with Him. And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger."

That is what he said. The man was shocked. He had never heard anything like this. He said: "Repeat what you just said to me. Repeat it again." Until the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had repeated it three times. And he said: "Give me your hand. Let me become a Muslim. Let me pledge allegiance to you." That is what it took — a few statements. This is recited on a regular basis, but a person doesn't know the meanings and how significant it is. And this man said he had never heard anything like it. He had heard the statements of the soothsayers and this person and that person, but he had never heard anything like this.

So what happened? The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) accepted this man's Islam. He accepted him. However, what did he do? He understood that this man had more to offer than just becoming Muslim. He said: "Okay — your Islam and your tribe, your nation. Not just you. I want you and your nation." What did the man say? He said: "I've just become Muslim. I haven't gone through any dawah programs or anything similar to that." But immediately he said: "Okay — me and my nation." And in a short space of time, his entire nation entered into Islam as well.

The Power of Character — How Islam Spread to East Asia

Sometimes, my dear brothers and sisters, many of us are unaware of our hidden talents. And at the end of the day, it is Allah who guides — it is not us. All we are doing is conveying the message. Sometimes all it requires is your action. You don't even need to say anything. Sometimes, subhanAllah, you look at how Islam entered into East Asia — the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia. A number of people of knowledge, when they discuss how Islam entered into East Asia, they mention that it entered through Yemeni businessmen from Hadhramawt who went there for business. It was not through khutbas or muhadarat, it was not through sermons or lectures or exhibitions or conferences. It was through their character, my dear brothers and sisters.

They used to act like Muslims. When a person acts like a Muslim, it is like you are shining. You are different to everyone else. People say: "I want to be like this person." But when a person doesn't act like Islam, based on the deficiency in their actions, the same applies to them being a role model or not. If they act like a Muslim, the better they act like a Muslim, the more noble a role model they will be. But the less they act like a Muslim, the same applies in the opposite — meaning they will not be a noble role model, my dear brothers and sisters.

Sincerity — The Reward Is with Allah, Not with the People

When you are trying to help others in terms of reminding them of the purpose of their creation, my dear brothers and sisters, sometimes two things matter. The first thing is: have a powerful intention, for the intention is beautiful. The intention really elevates a person, my dear brothers and sisters, to the highest of ranks. And secondly, if you are doing good and you are genuinely sincere that you are doing it for the sake of Allah, you will not be bothered whether it is attributed to you or not. Does the khair have to be attributed to you? You are not concerned about that, my dear brothers and sisters.

Abu Hurayra and At-Tufail ibn Amr al-Dawsi

One of the most beautiful incidents in respect to this, my dear brothers and sisters, is Abu Hurayra. Every single one of us knows Abu Hurayra. When we read Bukhari, we come across Abu Hurayra. In Muslim, Abu Hurayra. In Riyad al-Salihin — even in the smallest of texts in hadith, we come across Abu Hurayra all of the time. Yet many of us are unaware: who invited Abu Hurayra to Islam?

It was At-Tufail ibn Amr al-Dawsi, as Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) mentions. He said that after he became a Muslim, At-Tufail returned back to his nation. He invited his parents to Islam — his father accepted, his mother rejected. He invited his entire nation to Islam. Abu Hurayra became a Muslim. No one else.

Everything Abu Hurayra is doing now — all of that khair — is added to At-Tufail's scale of good deeds. Do we know who At-Tufail is? Many of us don't. Regardless of whether we know him or not, all of the good deeds of Abu Hurayra, all of this khair, my dear brothers and sisters, is added to At-Tufail's scale of good deeds. Whether we know him or we don't know him, his Creator knows him.

And this is why, subhanAllah, there was one of the businessmen who used to carry out a number of noble good projects where he used to help different types of people. And there were other people — no-good people — who would like to hijack other people's projects. So this businessman, after setting up some amazing projects, said to one of the men who was in charge: "If so-and-so comes to hijack my project and attribute it to himself, let him do so. For the One who distributes the reward is in the heavens, not on earth." You can say whatever you want — "This is my project" or "This is not my project." "I did this good deed or I didn't." The One who gives the reward, my dear brothers and sisters, is in the heavens. And if He knows, it doesn't make a difference whether anyone else knows or not.

Imam al-Shafi'i's Wish

So Imam al-Shafi'i, when he was advising his student, what did he say to him? He said: "I wish that people would benefit from this knowledge of mine — that people benefit from it — but none of it is attributed back to me. So people act upon it, so I get my reward, but no one praises me in return. No one says, 'O Shafi'i,' and praises him or thanks him or anything." And a number of ulema mentioned that it seems as though Allah accepted this du'a of Imam al-Shafi'i (rahimahullah ta'ala).

The Month of Al-Muharram — Do Not Miss These Opportunities

Finally, my dear brothers and sisters, we ask Allah to make us from those who try their best to help others and to do it for the sake of Allah — whether it is attributed to us or not. The main thing is that our Lord knows.

My dear brothers and sisters, as we know, this month is the month of Al-Muharram. It is like January — in the Islamic calendar, the lunar calendar, this is the first month. And the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in Sahih Muslim:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1163)

"The greatest month for fasting after the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah, Al-Muharram." Meaning if you want to fast — Ramadan has gone past now — but you still want to get mighty good deeds added to your scale of good deeds, this is the month to fast. That is number one.

Number two: one day that we need to make sure that we fast, my dear brothers and sisters, is the 10th of Al-Muharram — which works out to be this Monday, the Monday coming up. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked in Sahih Muslim about Ashura, and he said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1162)

"I hope that the previous year's sins will be expiated — meaning forgiven." So make sure that you fast on the 10th of Al-Muharram. Today is the 7th, my dear brothers and sisters — Saturday was the first day of Al-Muharram, today is the 7th, and the 10th will be on Monday.

To fast on Monday — and ideally, to fast a day before or a day after it too. If a person can, it will be very wise to fast a day before it. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also advised this according to a number of narrations — either a day before it or a day after it. But if a person forgot about it, or for example a sister has just finished her monthly cycle and she can only fast the 10th — for whatever reason — they will still get the reward, insha'Allah ta'ala.

So let us all make sure that we do not miss out on fasting on the 10th of Al-Muharram, my dear brothers and sisters, for there are very few opportunities like this. Let us make the most of such days, for there are not many of them during the entire year, my dear brothers and sisters.