The Virtues Series: Episode 4 "I helped Myself"

"What is so hard?" She asked, after hearing her daughter mumble words she probably wasn't supposed to hear.

She watched her pause a little, before she gave in...She needed to air out how she was feeling anyway...

"Umma, some people make it so hard to keep on helping them really..."

"But how so?"

"You know I invested my time, savings & effort to assist these people & what did i get in return? No common courtesy...no gratitude, no acknowledgement; quite the opposite of what i ever expected really..."

"Ahh but did you really help them?" She smiled, watching the surprised look on her little girl's face...she must've been wondering why she'd ask her such a question after she just finished giving the answer...

"Yes Umma, I really did all that for them..."

"But who's account was getting fattened with good deeds? Or you don't want your reward from Allah then?" She nudged her a little.

"Hmm..." her daughter replied, contemplating.

"Dont get me wrong, it's alright to feel a little upset at the wrong behavior of others,...but don't let shaytaan convince you through such events that it's hard to continue doing good...if you remember for who's sake you ought to do every good, & the reward He has promised in return then it wont be so hard to keep up after all...

You know, whenever I'm tempted to relent, feel bad, get offended by people's lack of acknowledgement or gratitude for any good thing I've done for them, I try to remind myself that I shouldn't even be expecting that in the first place...Just like you don't expect to be thanked for eating, or sleeping, or taking your medications, the good you do for others is for your own benefit first & foremost...it is only adding up to your account with Allaah...that is ofcourse if you do it with the intention of seeking His reward & pleasure alone....

And even that in itself is a mercy & favor from Allah, for only He has granted you that ability to even do those things & then He rewards you on top of that if you channel your abilities towards doing good for His sake...

So what do you say we take up this Slogan every time we are able to help others,...whether or not they give thanks or acknowledge what we've done is up to them...Let's tell ourselves these three words;

"I helped myself" they echoed, 

"by the will of Allah" she added, & smiled.

"The good you do for others is good you do for yourself"

May Allah increase our humility & sincerity & enable us to channel our intentions to Him alone. May we realize every time we are able to do good, that it's for our benefit, even when it seems as though we are benefiting others, may we realize it is only by His will & Mercy too & be grateful & may He accept every good we do, & forgive our mistakes, & be pleased with us all. Aameen.