Islam and ethics

Bismillah

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, �Do not view any good act as insignificant, even the act of meeting your brother with a cheerful face� (Muslim).

It is up to Allah to decide which act is significant and which act is not worthy of reward. Let's just do good and hope sincerely that what we do will please Him.

We are also instructed not to consider any deed even if very small as insignificant. It is Allah's Authority to decide which one is significant and which one is not.

On the authority of Ibn Abbas that the messenger of Allah, among the sayings he relates from his Lord is : "Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones." Then he explained it [by saying that] :" He who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed." (related by Bukhari and Muslim)

MOCKBA:

"it indicates that he has misunderstood the teachings of Islam."

Hopefully this question does not relate to me in any way I ask merely the possibility that adherent os Islam (even including myself) the possibility that people do good deeds for the rewards of Allah and not out of necessity. Such as some born Muslims who are "culturally Muslim" who do "good" deeds out of habitual culture rather than from the spiritual sincerity which Islam teaches. This is the possibility I am talking about. Perhaps it is not a possibility but reality I guess. What I meant on implying is that we need to teach to both born Muslims and reverting Muslims is that good ethical deeds is neither habitual nor cultural but an act in perennial fashion which reflects the beauty of Islam.

MOCKBA point well taken. I guess my stance was the purely analytical one when I hear people say, "Do good deeds to gain the reward of Allah." Which of course is indeed a commandement as aMuslim this is true in every respect. But, what I meant here is that there is good deeds for God and there are necessary good deeds. Sister Nausheen correctly mentions there is no seperation. But let us take into consideration that isn't possible for one to only do something for the sole pleasure of rewards and not out of necessity? For example not only is it pleasurable in the sight of God, but its necessary to help someone up when they fall. The necessity in that is, if the person fell would if they broke a leg or hip? Do we do things because it pleases God and we "know" we'll get rewarded or we do it because it is necessary and it please Allah?

The essence of Allah's command is to do good as goodness is the oreservative of life and shun evil as it is the opposite. We must take into consideration the necessity of doing good and it sustains or world.

Assalamu alaikum,

It is vitally important that we instil in our children a deep love for Allah.  Teaching them to do good deeds is necessary, but, teaching them to do them because they love Allah so much and want to please Him is better.

We can quote Qur'an and ahadith endlessly to our kids.  We can tell them they must behave in such a manner because they are Muslims or because we (as parents) say so.  But, unless they have that love for Allah in their hearts, they will always question why they must behave in such and such a manner.  When that love is there, they will behave in such and such a way because they want to, to please Allah.

Making kids behave because society says it must be this way, or because parents say it must be this way, or even because Allah says it must be this way, is not enough.  The love for Allah must be there in order for them to want to behave in a manner pleasing to Him.

It always breaks my heart to see people who were born Muslims but don't follow Islam.  I think this is because their parents failed to instil a love for Allah in the hearts of their children.  Anyone who grows up loving Allah will want to please Him and, therefore, would strive always to be a good Muslim.

I may have just repeated what everyone who posted here already said, sorry.

Peace, ummziba.