The Quran speaks about performing virtuous deeds as well as their reward and effect on the community in many verses:

• It is a sign of success, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“O you who have believed! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good, that you may be successful.”} [Quran, 24: 77]

• Allah The Almighty does not disregard an atom’s or an ant’s weight of virtuous deeds, He Says (what means): {“So, whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it...”} [Quran, 99: 7]

• Allah The Almighty commands us to race amongst ourselves and compete in virtue, He Says (what means): {“And march forth in the way (leading to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.”} [Quran, 3: 133]

• Allah The Almighty commanded us to perform virtuous deeds and informed us that He is All-Knowing, He Says (what means): {“Whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well.”} [Quran, 2: 215]

• Allah commanded us to call others to the performance of good deeds when He says (what means): {“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islaam) and enjoining virtue.”} [Quran, 3: 104].

Similarly, there are many Ahaadeeth (narrations) from the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, addressing this issue, such as the following:

• “Rush towards the performance of virtuous deeds.” [Muslim]

• “He who leads others to virtue gets the same reward as the one performing it.” [Muslim]

• “O people! Spread (the greeting of) Salaam, feed the needy, and pray at night while people are sleeping, and you will (therefore) enter into Paradise peacefully.” [At-Tirmithi]

• “He who calls others to guidance will get the same reward as those who follow guidance.” [Muslim]

Benefits of performing virtuous deeds

• Making haste and competing to perform virtuous deeds makes it an objective in one's life, which one would not be willing to sacrifice.

• A person who hastens and competes to perform virtuous deeds will not have any time to waste, let alone spend that time sinning.

• It makes a person appreciate working for the Hereafter.

• It decreases the possibility of sinning and makes sinning hateful to a person.

• It makes community members merciful to each other, and creates love between them.

• It instills ambition in people.

Practical tips for the sincere believer

• Compete in virtue and guide others to it.

• It is recommended for one who intended to spend in charity in a certain field, and was prevented from doing so, to spend it in a different field.

• One who helps a Muslim to perform Jihaad (striving in the cause of Allah The Almighty) will get the same reward. The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He who financially supports a Mujaahid will be rewarded as though he physically fought Jihaad.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• He who enables others to do virtuous deeds, or guides them to it, gets the reward of doing it himself, as illustrated in the case of the mother who asked the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, about the reward for taking her child with her to Hajj, to which he replied: “Yes you will get (same) the reward.”

• A person should choose the most rewarding of virtuous deeds, like when the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Spending charity on a needy person gets only one reward, but spending it on relatives gets double the reward, because it is charity plus maintaining good ties with kinship.”

• Activate the role of your local mosque in spreading virtue within your neighborhood.

• Dedicate a certain amount of money to give to the needy and for the support of Islam.

• Check to see who are the needy in your area and help them during their times of hardship.

• Do not belittle or underestimate the reward for any virtuous deed.

• Always regret the chances you missed to perform virtuous deeds.

• Remember that a person is rewarded according to his intention.

• Take advantage of opportunities whenever they arise, because they may not return.

• Always have a virtuous intention before doing anything, as Az-Zubayr ibn Haarith, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I like to have a good intention before doing anything, even eating and sleeping."