Re: Good Non-Muslim People
1) Who defines good
It is the explicit right of God to define for us the good and the bad and provide for us what is better and what is worse
If man has the right to choose what is good then every man can do 'good' according to his own definition. To be a submitter
unto God one needs to take the law as prescribed by God and implement it.
2) Purifying Intention behind a good deed
Once it has been cleared as to what IS a good deed, then one will need to purify the intention behind it. Am I doing this for me, for others to think highly of me,
to feel at ease or for the pleasure of God or a mixture of these things?
3) The definition of pure intention
It becomes another task to realise that can we create for ourselves the basis for purification of intention or is there a benchmark or means for calibrating this?
It falls down on our set of principles. If our principles are being met by such an action then this is conformance, but are our principles self-created or Divinely prescribed?
Do we align to do what serves others for the sake of others or do we align to do what serves all for the explicit sake of God?
4) Do we seek wordly reward or heavenly reward or both or neither? Or do we seek only pleasure of God and expect a reward through trust of the Mercy and Justice of God?
5) We need to recognise that a good act is sanctioned by God
6) If we meet the objectives of our good acts, then we must not take pride in meeting them.
7) This is because we need to realise that all good should be attrbuted to God.
8) This is because we believe that God has given us the 'tawfiq' to do good, i.e. God works through us.
9) We do not presume that our good deeds even in their purest of intentions can 'help' others except that Allah wishes it. We should realise that our 'help'
will benefit others only if Allah (SWT) gives 'tawfiq' to them for gaining in that help.
10) We need to realise that the best good act is that what helps others get closer to the requirements for forgiveness and getting closer to Jannah in the akhira.
11) The best helper is the one who avoids the risk of being over adulated so does his good deeds in private. This person will shun praise and re-attribute it to God.
In English we say thank you the reply is English courtesy is you are welcome, but the reply in Arabic is considered arrogant. We should say BarakAllahuFiq May Allah (SWT)
give you gain in it. Or Alhumdulillah Praise be to God.
12) Defining the variant forms of selfishness ... One benefit is forseeable and imminent and is the result of an action that is taken. The other benefit is not forseeable
there is a trust in it. One gain is seen for our immediate pleasure, the other gain is to welcome the reward of God in the hereafter a trust for it. It is considered
rightful to seek the Reward of God or else it would be like we are disrespecting God for denying His bounties, but at the same time we should not seek to displease God
for our own gains for that would be true immoral selfishness.
It is like Alama Iqbal said once ... Do good for the sake of God ... well at least do it for your own sake. Meaning an action to please God is good, an action to avoid
Wrath is also good but less so.
A friend of mine is an extreme Neo-Darwinian Atheist. He believes that humanity is moving in a retrograding or devolutionary manner because we take care of our old and weak.
He feels that society has built in functions such as charity that goes against our purpose of life, which is survival of the fittest. To him ... charity would be a sin. Yet,
he is such a kind and helpful person. I blame it on his Fitra, and I truly believe he is mistaken. A strict atheist does not want the reward of Allah (SWT) that is Paradise
because he doesn't even believe in it. So why is it wrong for him not to get what he already doesn't want? This is Justice.
Remember faith is the path to Paradise and Pride is the path to Hell.
