This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
Allah Almighty has advised the Muslims that your manner should be to excel in every good and every virtue. Accordingly, He has said:
﴿وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾
“Every community has a direction (Qibla) to which they turn, so race to good deeds. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.”
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:148)
In the above noble verse, the word "competition" (مسابقت) is used, which is more emphatic than "hastening" (مسارعت). Because it also implies surpassing others. And by "good deeds" (خیرات) is meant all righteous deeds and acts of goodness through which success in this world and the Hereafter can be attained.
Moreover, there is an encouragement and urging towards righteous deeds, because when a person is certain that Allah Almighty will resurrect him again and recompense his deeds, then he will hasten in preparing for the Hereafter.
At another place, it is stated that the believers should excel in those righteous deeds and good matters which are a means of Allah’s forgiveness, and because of which Allah will admit them into Paradise by His grace and mercy, whose expanse is equal to the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾
“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.”
Reference: (3-Aal Imran:133)
And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
بادروا بالأعمال فتنا كقطع الليل المظلم يصبح الرجل مؤمنا ويمسي كافرا أو يمسي مؤمنا ويصبح كافرا، يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا .
“Hasten to do good deeds before trials come like parts of the dark night. A man will be a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening, and in the evening a believer and in the morning a disbeliever. He will sell his religion for worldly goods.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on urging to hasten in deeds before the appearance of trials, Hadith No: 313.
Therefore, servants should strive to surpass one another in seeking Allah’s forgiveness, His pleasure, and attaining Paradise. And this is achieved through sincere repentance, seeking forgiveness, avoiding sins, righteous deeds, and doing good to Allah’s creation. Allah Almighty says:
﴿سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ﴾
“O you who have believed, hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.”
Reference: (57-Al-Hadid:21)
