Faith And Action In Islam

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Faith and actions are interconnected. When asked about faith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day and that you believe in pre-ordainment (destiny), its bad and good consequences.” [Sahih Muslim]

There is no faith unless it is accompanied by actions, just as there is no faith unless it is accompanied by words. Physical action is an essential part of faith, without which faith is not valid, and a lack of physical action is indicative of a lack of faith in the heart,

Faith provides the ideological foundation for human existence and the criterion through which to categorize good from bad, right from wrong and righteousness from impropriety.

Actions must be inherently good not just apparently good. (Giving charity for show may appear good but the intention is to show off, whereas giving charity purely out of compassion is genuine.) The most famous Prophetic tradition in all of Islam therefore is: "Actions are by intentions and Allah rewards according to intention." 

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in the Quran,

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before.” And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. [Al Baqarah 2:25]

But they who believe and do righteous deeds – those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally. [Al Baqarah 2:82]

Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. [Al Baqarah 2:277]

But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allah does not like the wrongdoers. [AleImran 3:57]

But those who believe and do righteous deeds – We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide forever. For them therein are purified spouses, and We will admit them to deepening shade. [An-Nisaa 4:57]

But the ones who believe and do righteous deeds – We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. [It is] the promise of Allah, [which is] truth, and who is more truthful than Allah in statement. [An-Nisaa 4:122]

And as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards and grant them extra from His bounty. But as for those who disdained and were arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment, and they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or helper. [An-Nisaa 4:173]

Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward. [Al-Maidah 5:9]

But those who believed and did righteous deeds – We charge no soul except [within] its capacity. Those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally. [Al-Araf 7:42]

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – their Lord will guide them because of their faith. Beneath them rivers will flow in the Gardens of Pleasure. [Yunus 10:9]

May Allah grant us righteous deeds and make us of the righteous. Aameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all. 

Wassalaam