Surah Baqarah Verse 177

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allāh, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakāh; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. [al-Baqarah:177]

Righteousness is not whether you turn your face towards the east or west, but righteousness is to believe in Allah, the last day, the angels, the books and the prophets, and to spread wealth out of love for Him (or It) on relatives, orphans, helpless, needy, travelers, those who ask and on the redemption of captives; and to establish salah and to pay zakah, to fulfill promises when made, to be steadfast in distress, in adversity and at the time of war. These people are the truthful, and these are the pious.

Alhamdulillah, we are very fortunate that Allah (SWT) explained to us what exactly righteousness is.

Earlier we learned the hadith – “Abu Sa’id Al- Khudri (R) reported: The Prophet (S) said “ A believer never gets discontented with good until he finally reaches Jannah” – At-Tirmidhi

And in the beginning of the ayah we learn that righteousness is a person who believes in Allah and in the last day – that he believes that the hereafter is his final abode and this duniya is only temporary. Not only does he believe this but it effects his life, his actions, his way of thinking, everything.

So if a person believes this and implements this he will never think – “I have done enough, I’m done, that’s it for me.” He will continue to “Race towards the Good”

Sadia A. Ali

Onsite Student
Taleem Al Quran 2010