Sometimes, One Deed Makes All the Difference

It’s a brutal reality that in annual performance appraisals, sometimes because of ONE DEED – one small mistake, one misstep, one failure to communicate, and immediately an entire year of hardwork goes down the drain and you failed to meet expectations.

And at the same time – albeit more seldom – there are cases where a single work achievement is so significantly impactful, adds so much value: that people acknowledge it so much to the point that a person will be given super performance ratings, and will virtually overlook all the previous deeds of mediocre performance.

Likewise, in our life, sometimes we may be do deeds – which we don’t realize its significance – but will have a huge impact in the ending in the Hereafter.

The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

‏ "‏ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالاً، يَرْفَعُ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَاتٍ، وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللَّهِ لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالاً يَهْوِي بِهَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ ‏"

“A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah, without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (in Paradise):

(yet also,) a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah, without thinking of its seriousness, and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

Unlike annual performance appraisals, however, when it comes to the ‘spoiler deeds’, there is a major difference:

For annual appraisals, that’s it: what’s done is done - That black spot has left a mark in the eyes of the bosses, the bad result is cast in stone, and redemption is beyond hope.

But for the sinner in the sight of Allah, no matter how evil a state a person is in, the doors of repentance are always open – if only we take the step to sincerely turn to Him. And if we do, all bad records are wiped away clean.

And just like the case of annual performance appraisals, there are some good deeds that can propel us in the highest ranks in Paradise. Perhaps we may do ONE good deed which we consider insignificant – a small deed which may even seem trivial to some. But because of the sincerity we have, the determination, the faith – perhaps that one *small* deed may be the one that tilts the scales of deeds completely and earns us in the highest ranks in Paradise.

After all, the Prophet narrated to us a story of a man who earned the forgiveness of Allah, simply out of the sincere deed and effort of helping a dog in thirst. What matters is the quality of our deeds – not the quantity.

The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

"‏ بَيْنَا رَجُلٌ بِطَرِيقٍ، اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَطَشُ فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا فَشَرِبَ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَإِذَا كَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ يَأْكُلُ الثَّرَى مِنَ الْعَطَشِ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْكَلْبَ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَلَغَ مِنِّي، فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ، فَمَلأَ خُفَّهُ مَاءً، فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ، فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ، فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ لأَجْرًا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ ‏"‏‏

"‏A man felt very thirsty while he was travelling, when he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out.

Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is suffering from thirst as I did."

So, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water and watered it.

Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him (of his sins).

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?"

He replied: "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being)."

(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)