A good deed is defined as an act of kindness that would benefit another individual other than one’s self

A good deed is defined as an act of kindness that would benefit another individual other than one’s self. - An excerpt from the farewell sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reads: “All mankind are from Adam and Adam is from dust, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white person has no superiority over a black nor a black person has any superiority over a white except by piety and good deeds.”

Without doubt, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) left a telling reminder of the importance of good deeds just before his departure, providing a huge incentive for Muslims to constantly engage in good deeds and ward off bad behavior.

Good deed vs. habit

A good deed is defined as an act of kindness that would benefit another individual other than one’s self. In Islam, good deeds are recognized as acts for the sake of pleasing God. When a person commits to engaging in a good deed, he or she reserves his or her intention for God and does not expect recognition or any reward in return. Of course, if such rewards do materialize (for example, a tax deduction for a donation to charity) a believer must recognize this as a reward from God on earth, for such a deed. However, the Qur’an is firm on the ultimate rewards of sincere deeds, thus believers should continue to strive for rewards in the Hereafter, especially when the rewards are not necessarily seen in this world: “Allah is never unjust in the least degree. If there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from His Own self a great reward.” (4:40)

A habit, on the other hand, is something that you do automatically on a frequent basis. With proper conditioning, the brain actually is able to create pathways to ensure that this habit is done on the desired frequency, and even at a desired schedule. The subconscious of the brain is arguably the most powerful part of the brain as it allows a person to engage in acts without inhibitions or hindrances.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged: “Do whatever you like as long as it does not embarrass you.” (Al-Bukhari, 3484)

Set a goal for the short term first

Setting a goal to begin engaging in a single good deed is like writing a contract with one’s self. Imagine an important business deal where two parties sign a contract to honor an agreement – this is exactly the same, only that the person making the agreement is signing a contract with himself. To begin a good deed, a believer must believe in himself, and this can be achieved by putting full trust in God, as it is said: “If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust.”(Qur’an, 3:160)

When setting a goal, it is a good idea to have it written down and there are various ways in which this can be done. It can be written down on a piece of paper, laminated and kept in a wallet. The goal may be as simple as “I will read one page of the Qur’an a day,” but writing the goal down encourages a person to act on it because of its sheer importance. Other ways would be to keep a scheduled and frequent reminder on a mobile phone or email – whichever is more convenient for the recipient. 

Be reminded of consistency

A habit is something that is done on a frequent, most likely scheduled basis and carries low importance. This is not to say that good deeds are of low importance! On the contrary, good deeds are extremely important but in the case of turning one into a lifelong habit, a good deed becomes something that is light weight, something easy to do (without thinking twice), and does not carry a burden upon the person who is doing it. In fact, even a Muslim at his weakest who continues to strive for God will earn full recognition for his or her deeds: “But those who were sure that they were going to meet Allah said, ‘How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah’s permission! Allah is with the steadfast.” (Qur’an, 2:249)

Keeping consistent is very important as this eliminates any original inhibitions one has of the habit. Mostly, habits are done on a daily basis, so with each good deed, it is best to have it incorporated into a daily routine. The “one page of the Qur’an a day routine” is a good example.

Surround yourself with a positive environment

Creating a positive environment is essential for the good deed to flourish. If a person wants to make it a habit to read Qur’an, a page a day, he or she should make his or her environment conducive to do so. Let’s say the scheduled time is to read after Isha prayer, a positive environment would be one that is rid of distractions. The television needs to be switched off; other chores need to be completed; the room should be clean and preferably have a refreshing scent. This will ensure that the deed is done in a smooth manner, without any hassle or disruption. Similarly, if a person wishes to read the Qur’an on the daily commute, investing in a pocket-size Qur’an or downloading a digital Qur’an into an e-reading gadget would help create a positive environment. 

Restore and strengthen your relationship with God

In reaching short term goals, it is amiable to reward one’s self with a small celebration, as every person thrives on positive feedback and attention. This does not mean splurging on a present or treating one’s self to an expensive dinner, but a good way to celebrate such an accomplishment would be to review the intentions of creating this target and goal in the first place. Going over the reasons why this good deed was important is a quickfire way to renew one’s pledge with God. Also this is the perfect time to renew such a goal or add more good deeds to this list, as with each good deed comes the ease of engaging in more of the same as God will open more doors for positive accomplishments. Futhermore, it is best to remind one’s self that God’s promises are always fulfilled: “If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he [or she] calls upon Me. They should, therefore, respond to Me and believe in Me so that, hopefully, they will be rightly guided.” (Qur’an, 2:186)

- Courtesy: onislam.net