Best Muslims Are Those with Lives Full of Good Deeds

📖Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2329
Abdullah ibn Busr reported: A bedouin said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the best people?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “One with a long life of good deeds.”

The Prophet ﷺ explains that the best people are not necessarily those who live the longest in years, but those whose lives are filled with consistent good deeds. Even a short life can be “long” in merit if a person dedicates themselves fully to righteous actions. Quality of deeds, sincerity, and impact matter far more than mere lifespan.

How to cultivate a “long life of good deeds”:

1. Maximize your time: Perform as many beneficial deeds as possible, regardless of age.
2. Be consistent: Regular acts of worship, kindness, and helping others matter more than occasional grand gestures.
3. Focus on sincerity: Good deeds should be done for Allah’s pleasure, not recognition.
4. Avoid harmful actions: Protect your life of good deeds by staying away from sin and wrongdoing.
5. Combine small and big acts: Even minor daily acts – smiling, helping, giving advice – count toward your good deeds.
6. Make every moment meaningful: Use your time wisely for prayer, reflection, learning, and service.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 16:97
Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer, We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.

📖Quran 18:30
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.

📖Quran 57:18
Indeed, the men who give in charity and the women who give in charity and [they who] loan Allah a goodly loan – it will be multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward.

• Giving in charity, helping others, or performing good deeds is described as “loaning Allah a goodly loan.” The idea is that when we spend our wealth, time, or efforts in ways Allah loves, we entrust it to Him, and He promises to reward us manifold. This is not just financial charity; it also includes actions that benefit others.