Earn Good Deeds

Light-giving Deeds (part 2)

Mawlana Muhammad Nawaz Attari Madani

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated:

“[On the Day of Judgement] Allah will grant the believers light according to their deeds. From them will be those that are granted light like a great mountain that will run in front of them. Others from them will be granted less light than them. Some from them will be granted light like a date-palm tree in their right hand. Others from them will be granted less than that. Amongst them will be an individual who will be given light upon his big toe. At times it will illuminate, and at times it will not. When it illuminates, he will put his foot forward and walk, and when it will not, he will stand still.”

He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also stated in this narration:

They will cross [the Bridge of Ṣirāṭ] according to their light. From them will be those who pass like the blinking of an eye. Others from them will cross like lightning. Some from amongst them will pass like a cloud. Others from them will traverse like the swooping of comets. Some from them will pass like the wind. Others from them will cross like the galloping of a horse. Some of them will traverse like a person running. Even the one who is given light on his big toe will crawl on his face, hands and feet. One of his legs will fall and the other will cling, and the fire will surround his sides. He will continue like that until he attains salvation.[1]

O devotees of the Messenger of Allah! In order to attain illumination on the Day of Judgement, act upon the pious deeds mentioned below with the intention of gaining reward.

Ten Prophetic صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم statements:

1. Light for every stone

Stoning the pillars [in Mina representing Satan] will be light for you on the Day of Judgement.[2]

2. Light for every hair

For every hair that falls when the Hajj pilgrim shaves his head, there will be a light for him on the Day of Judgement.[3]

May Allah Almighty grant every Prophetic devotee the honour of performing of Hajj repeatedly and the ability to act on the two preceding pious deeds with the intention of reward.

3. Light upon limbs due to ablution

“Indeed, my ummah will be called on the Day of Judgement, and their faces, hands and feet will be white and radiant from the effects of ablution. So, whoever from you can increase his radiance, he should do so.”[4]

Elaborating on this hadith, the reviver of Islam, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes:

Meaning, due to the light of ablution, the faces, hands and feet of the ummah will be illuminated on the Day of Judgement. Therefore, whichever of you can do so, he should increase this light, i.e. he should wash somewhat beyond the edges of the face stipulated by the shariah, and he should wash halfway up to the upper arm and wash his feet up to mid-shin.[5]

4. Light for removing difficulty from a Muslim

Whoever removes a difficulty from a believer, Allah Almighty will grant him two branches of light upon the Ṣirāṭ through which so much of creation will be illuminated that none can enumerate except Allah Almighty.[6]

Dear readers, whoever removes the anxiety of someone in this world, Allah Almighty will remove one of his anxieties on the Day of Judgement. Allah Almighty will grant salvation from the anxieties of the Day of Judgement to i) the one who grants further respite to an anxious, poor, debtor, and ii) the one who reduces the debt of a debtor. Furthermore, Allah Almighty will grant the one who pardons a debt a place in the shade of His ꜤArsh.[7]

5. Light for every turn of the Ꜥimāmah

For every turn of the Ꜥimāmah that a Muslim ties around his head, he will be granted a light on the Day of Judgement.[8]

O devotees of the Messenger of Allah! Two units offered wearing an Ꜥimāmah are better than 70 offered without it.[9] The prayer offered wearing an Ꜥimāmah is equal to 10,000 virtuous deeds.[10] The chest is expanded by wearing the Ꜥimāmah and forbearance is attained.[11] ꜤImāmahs are not only the crowns of the Arabs, but they are also the crowns of all Muslims. Therefore, we should all consider tying the Ꜥimāmah as an honour and always tie one.[12]

6. Light due to growing old within Islam

The person who becomes white-haired in Islam, it will be light for him on the Day of Judgement.[13] Meaning, a white-bearded Muslim will have light on the Day of Judgement because his white beard will be refulgent or will be a cause of light. On that Day, none other than Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم will have a beard, but a white beard will be a cause of light.[14]

7. Light due to growing old in the way of Allah Almighty

The one who becomes white haired in Allah’s way, it will be light for him on the Day of Judgement.[15] Sayyidunā ꜤAlī, Sayyidunā Salamah b. AkwaꜤ, Sayyidunā Ubayy b. KaꜤb رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم and many other noble Companions عَلَیْہِمُ الرِّضْوَان never used dye; they kept their beard and head hair white. They would say that a white beard is light and a cause for increase in rank.[16]

8. Light upon reciting ṣalawāt

Beautify your gatherings through reciting ṣalāt upon me because indeed, your recitation of ṣalāt upon me will be light for you on the Day of Judgement.[17]

9. Light for whoever recites 100 ṣalawāt

Whoever recites 100 ṣalawāt upon me on Friday will come on the Day of Judgement with such a light that if it were divided amongst all creation, it would suffice them.[18]

10. Light for the one who recites ṣalawāt

Reciting ṣalāt upon me will be light on the Day of Judgement at the time of darkness on the Ṣirāṭ[19]

O devotees of the Messenger of Allah! By reciting ṣalawāt, one acts upon the command of Allah Almighty, accumulates righteous deeds, mercies descend upon him, his sins are forgiven, and his station is raised. It will be a cause of attaining the intercession of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on the Day of Judgement, as well as steadiness and safe passageway across the Ṣirāṭ. Ṣalawāt extinguishes sins quicker than water extinguishes fire and is a cause of attaining the distinction of having one’s name and one’s father’s name being presented before the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Therefore, continue to recite ṣalawāt upon him in abundance.