The Condition of Faith with Good Deeds
Selections from the Book Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and the Reasons for the Destruction of the People of Thamud …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (12)
Righteous deeds must be accompanied by the believer’s faith for them to bring about a good life, as explicitly stated in the verse: {while he is a believer}. The good life includes all forms of comfort from any source, such as lawful sustenance, contentment, accepted worship, obedience, and joy in performing it.
The good life in this world that a doer of righteous deeds attains while being a believer does not diminish his reward in the Hereafter. Rather, Allah has promised that his reward in the Hereafter will be based on the best of his deeds in this world—what a great reward from a generous and bountiful Lord!
As for piety, it has great fruits, including:
- The Criterion for the Pious: Allah Almighty says: {O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.} [Al-Anfal: 29]. The meaning of the verse is: If you fear Allah in everything that must be feared according to His religion, His law, and according to His Sunnah in the system of His creation, He will grant you, due to this piety, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, and a victory that separates the truthful from the false by honoring the believers, humbling the disbelievers, providing an exit from doubts, and salvation from difficulties in this world and from punishment in the Hereafter.
- Exits and Sustenance: Allah Almighty says: {And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (2) And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent. (3)} [At-Talaq: 2-3]. This means: Whoever fears Allah by doing what He has commanded and avoiding what He has prohibited, He will make a way for him out of every hardship and provide him from sources he never imagined or hoped for, and He will bless what He has given him. Whoever relies on Allah, meaning whoever entrusts his affairs to Him, He will suffice him for all that concerns him.
- Allah’s Support for the Pious: Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.} [An-Nahl: 128]. Allah is with the pious by supporting them, granting them victory, assisting them, and guiding them. This is a special support for the pious, as mentioned in the narration of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) when they were in the cave, as Allah mentioned: {and he [i.e., Muhammad] said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us."}. The meaning of {those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.} is that they refrain from what is prohibited and perform the obligatory acts. These people are protected by Allah, supported by Him, and granted victory over their enemies.
Glory be to Allah, how the verse comes in the story of Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) in Surah An-Naml: {And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allah.} [An-Naml: 53]. It is an invitation to reflect, think, and ponder and extract Allah’s laws and principles from His mighty Book, which: {Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.} [Fussilat: 42].
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and the Reasons for the Destruction of the People of Thamud, pp. 230-231.
- Divine Sunnahs, pp. 223.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and the Reasons for the Destruction of the People of Thamud on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
