After faith, the second important requirement of religion is purification of morals. This means that a person should cleanse his attitude both towards his creator and towards his fellow human beings. This is what is termed as a righteous deed. All the shari‘ah is its corollary. With the change and evolution in societies and civilizations, the shari‘ah has indeed changed; however faith and righteous deeds, which are the foundations of religion, have not undergone any change. The Qur’an is absolutely clear that any person who brings forth these two things before the Almighty on the Day of Judgement will be blessed with Paradise which shall be his eternal abode:

وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَى  جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَاء مَن تَزَكَّى (20: 75-76)

And he who comes before Him as a believer having done righteous deeds, exalted ranks are for such people, evergreen gardens beneath which streams flow. They shall abide therein forever and this shall be the reward of those that keep themselves pure. (20:75-76)

It is doing these righteous deeds which is termed as sound moral behaviour and while the emanation of unrighteous ones is termed as immoral behaviour. The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said:  بعثت لأتمم مكارم الأخلاق  إنما(I have been sent to achieve the culmination of high moral standards).[1] He is also reported to have said:

“The best among you are those who are morally sound from others.”[2]

“These are the people who are very dear to me.”[3]

“On the Day of Judgement, it will be high moral behaviour which will carry most weight in the scales of a person.”[4]

“A believer achieves the same rank through high moral behaviour as can be achieved through fasts and the night prayers.”[5]

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