Allah’s mercy upon His servants is vast, and one of its manifestations is that He has made some simple deeds a means of attaining great rewards. A Muslim can accumulate countless good deeds and erase sins through acts that require little effort and take only a few minutes. The Quran and the authentic Sunnah contain numerous proofs for this, along with the sayings of the Companions and the righteous predecessors who were keen on practicing these deeds.
1- Remembrance of Allah (Dhikr) and Glorification (Tasbeeh)
A- “SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllah al-Azeem”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Two words are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllah al-Azeem.”
(Agreed upon: Bukhari [6682], Muslim [2694]).
B- The Everlasting Good Deeds (Al-Baqiyat As-Salihat)
Allah Almighty says:
“But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope.”
(Surah Al-Kahf: 46).
The Prophet ﷺ explained that these are:
“SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, and Allahu Akbar.”
(Reported by An-Nasa’i in “As-Sunan Al-Kubra” [10709], authenticated by Al-Albani).
C- A Hundred Glorifications Remove Sins
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever says ‘SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi’ a hundred times, his sins will be forgiven even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.”
(Reported by Bukhari [6405], Muslim [2691]).
D- “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” is a Treasure from Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Paradise? Say: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ (There is no power and no strength except with Allah).”
(Reported by Bukhari [6384], Muslim [2704]).
2- Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar)
A- Forgiveness of Sins and Increase in Provision
Allah Almighty says:
“And said, ‘Seek forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers, and give you increase in wealth and children, and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.”
(Surah Nuh: 10-12).
B- The Master of Supplications for Forgiveness
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The best supplication for seeking forgiveness is to say: O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no deity except You. You created me, and I am Your servant, and I abide by Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for indeed, none forgives sins except You. Whoever says this in the morning with certainty and dies before evening, he will enter Paradise. And whoever says it in the evening with certainty and dies before morning, he will enter Paradise.”
(Reported by Bukhari [6306]).
3- Charity (Sadaqah), Even in Small Amounts
A- Charity Extinguishes the Wrath of Allah
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord and prevents an evil death.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [664], authenticated by Al-Albani).
B- A Smile is Charity
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Your smile in the face of your brother is a charity.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [1956], authenticated by Al-Albani).
C- A Drink of Water Leads to Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever gives water to a Muslim who is thirsty, Allah will give him a drink from the sealed nectar in Paradise.”
(Reported by At-Tabarani in “Al-Kabir” [8596], authenticated by Al-Albani).
4- Sending Blessings Upon the Prophet ﷺ
A- Ten Rewards for Every One Blessing
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send blessings upon him tenfold.”
(Reported by Muslim [408]).
B- A Means for Sins to be Forgiven
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever sends blessings upon me ten times in the morning and ten times in the evening will obtain my intercession on the Day of Judgment.”
(Reported by At-Tabarani, authenticated by Al-Albani in “Sahih Al-Jami’” [6359]).
5- Reciting the Quran
A- Every Letter Brings Ten Good Deeds
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a good deed, and each good deed is multiplied ten times. I do not say that ‘Alif Lam Meem’ is one letter, but rather, ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Lam’ is a letter, and ‘Meem’ is a letter.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [2910], authenticated by Al-Albani).
B- Surah Al-Mulk Protects from the Punishment of the Grave
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“It is the protector; it is the savior; it rescues one from the punishment of the grave.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [2891], authenticated by Al-Albani).
6- Helping Others
A- The Best Deeds in the Sight of Allah
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others. The most beloved deeds to Allah are bringing happiness to a fellow Muslim, relieving him of distress, paying off his debt, or removing his hunger.”
(Reported by At-Tabarani in “Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat” [6192], authenticated by Al-Albani).
B- Walking to Help a Brother is Better Than a Month of Seclusion in the Mosque
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“To walk with a brother in fulfilling his need is more beloved to me than spending a month in seclusion in the mosque.”
(Reported by At-Tabarani, authenticated by Al-Albani).
7- Good Character
A- The Closest People to the Prophet in the Hereafter
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most beloved of you to me, and the closest to me on the Day of Judgment, are those with the best character.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [2018], authenticated by Al-Albani).
B- Good Character Weighs Heavily on the Scale
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“There is nothing heavier on the scale of a believer on the Day of Judgment than good character.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [2002], authenticated by Al-Albani).
8- Spreading Peace (Salam)
A- A Reason for Entering Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“O people, spread peace, feed others, uphold family ties, and pray at night while people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise in peace.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi [2485], authenticated by Al-Albani).
B- A Cause for Love Among Muslims
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves.”
(Reported by Muslim [54]).
Conclusion
These simple deeds, which require little effort, have immense rewards in the sight of Allah. We should make them a daily habit to attain Allah’s pleasure and Paradise.
O Allah, make us among those who listen to good advice and follow it, grant us righteous deeds, and accept us among the successful. Ameen.
