Today inshAllah I want to talk about countering a bad deed with a good deed. Allah swt. has promised a great reward for those who when encountering bad behavior, do good instead instead of answering with bad.
Good conduct, good behaviour has a very high importance in Islam, it counters the influence and outcome of bad behavior especially on the heart. When a person does something bad to you and that constantly and return that with good, there can really only be a good outcome. If you remember when a woman constantly threw rubbish in front of the prophet Muhammad saw. whenever he passed her house. One day this didn’t happen because she was ill and he became worried about her even though she was trying to be aggravating, he saw. visited her and asked what was wrong with her. He made her some soup and got better soon after, she became a Muslim because of this incident. Imagine what our reaction would be to this, imagine our neighbour constantly throwing stuff at us, I know what my reaction would be I’d be angry. He however kept his cool and was even concerned enough to visit her when she didn’t do that once, not twice or trice.
Allah swt. says in the Qur’an in 23:96:
“Repel evil with that which is better”
and in verse 34, Surah 41
“Repel the evil with that which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.”
I’m sure you have had experiences and heard stories where two people who absolutely hated each other becoming the best of friends. Doing this constantly requires control of your ego and your anger. It takes a lot of self control to not retaliate or take revenge but those that can do that will be among those who Allah swt. raises in status.
Allah swt. also says in the Qur’an:
“But none are granted that except those who are patient.”
Remember that the Prophet saw. said: “The bankrupt person of my nation is he who comes on the Day of Judgement with prayer and charity. But he also comes after having cursed this person, accused that person falsely, usurped(or stolen) the property of this person, shed blood of that person and assaulted this person. Then this person will be given from his good deeds and that person will also be given from his good deeds, until he has no more good deeds in his book. He will the be given from their sins, and finally be thrown in the fire of Hell”
Auzu Billahi Min Ashaitanirajim, may Allah swt. protect us from this.
The message is clear do not accuse or slander in any way or method do not take others property, shed blood of the innocent or assault them.
Be patient with each other and the people around you and we look at the Prophet saw. as an example, and what an example he is. When a Bedouin man, who were known for being rough, constantly tugged at the clothing of the Prophet saw. so that a red mark appeared on the Prophet saw. as he was fair skinned. He still dealed with him in a calm and good way.
Or when in Ta’if, the Prophet saw. invited the people to Islam, but the people ordered their children to throw stones at him and Zayd ibn Harithah who was with him. These caused the Prophet saw. to bleed so much that his shoes stuck to his feet. When the angel Gibrail as. came to him with the angel of the mountains he said that if Muhammad saw. wanted he would blow the mountains over the people of Ta’if. He saw. however asked for their forgiveness and said that it happened because of his own weakness. Subhanallah! What are we? What are we?
I end with verse 42 Surah 42:
“And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgiveness, that would truly be from the things recommended by Allah swt.”
May Allah grant you and me with the ability to be patient and seek forgiveness for others as well as us constantly. May He forgive us for He is the All-Forgiving the Most Merciful.
Amin.
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