Types of Good Deeds in Islam

In this fast-paced life, people often neglect to seize opportunities for goodness. Yet, Islam teaches its followers to hasten in performing good deeds and not to delay righteous actions. Allah SWT says, “Race one another in good deeds” (QS al-Baqarah: 148).

Every person has the same opportunity and chance to do good, for themselves or for others. However, in essence, the reward for every good deed we do will return to us, in this world and in the hereafter (QS al-Isra: 7).

The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, “Hasten to do righteous deeds before tribulations come like patches of a dark night. That is, a person who in the morning is a believer and by evening is a disbeliever, or who in the evening is a believer and by morning is a disbeliever. He sells his religion for a small worldly gain” (HR Muslim).

A commitment to doing good can begin with improving one’s intention. A good intention will always lead a person to remain on the path of goodness.

A scholar named Ahmad bin Hanbal once said, “Intend to do good, for indeed you will always be in a state of goodness as long as you intend to do good.”

In truth, goodness can be understood as worship in a broad sense, namely everything that is loved and approved by Allah. This can be in the form of speech or action, whether visible (zahir) or hidden (bathin).

Thus, the opportunities to do good are wide open. At the very least, these good deeds can be grouped into several categories.

First, in terms of form, goodness can be verbal (qauli) or physical (fi’li). Examples of verbal goodness include remembering Allah (dhikr), reading the Quran, speaking kindly, and so on. Physical goodness includes prayer (salat), fasting, paying zakat, giving charity, helping those in need, and so forth.

Second, in terms of nature, goodness can be visible (zahir) or hidden (bathin).