📖 The Book of Doing Good by Ibn Abi al-Dunya 📖

By Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Ubayd ibn Sufyan ibn Qays al-Baghdadi, famously known as Ibn Abi al-Dunya

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These are hadiths and narrations on a noble virtue of Islam, pertaining to social life. The author, the scholar Ibn Abi al-Dunya, compiled them, explaining the virtue of doing good, its merit, and extending it to those who deserve it. He also discusses needs, the virtue of fulfilling them, and to whom they should be addressed, expressing gratitude for favors, and the virtue of easing the burden on those in hardship.


The author: Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr, Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Ubayd ibn Sufyan ibn Qays al-Baghdadi al-Qurashi, a freedman of the Banu Umayya (208 AH - 281 AH), nicknamed Ibn Abi al-Dunya (a nickname that became more commonly used than his given name). Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr was born in Baghdad in the early third century AH, in the year 208 AH. He was an Arab historian and educator who tutored the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tadid and his son al-Muktafi Billah. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may God have mercy on him, said of him in Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah: "He was famous for his numerous, beneficial, widely circulated, and widely known works on matters of spiritual refinement and other subjects. He was truthful, a memorizer of hadith, and a man of integrity."

❇️ Sections and Chapters of the Book "Doing Good" by Ibn Abi al-Dunya ❇️

Chapter One: Entitled "The Virtue of Doing Good," it contains 25 hadiths that encourage doing good and discuss its merits. Doing good is a great act of charity, and God Almighty forgives those who do good. The author begins with the following hadith: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Every good deed is charity, and good deeds protect against seventy kinds of calamities and a bad death. Good and evil are two characteristics that will be presented to people on the Day of Resurrection. Good deeds are incumbent upon those who perform them, leading them to Paradise, while evil deeds are incumbent upon those who perform them, leading them to Hell."

Chapter Two: Entitled "Laughter," it contains 18 hadiths, all of which indicate the virtue of a cheerful countenance and smiling, and mention that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most cheerful of people. Chapter Three: Entitled “Doing Good to Those Who Deserve It,” it contains 31 hadiths indicating that doing good should be done to someone who is knowledgeable and appreciates its value, not to a foolish, vulgar, or mean person.

Chapter Four: Entitled “On Needs,” it contains 14 hadiths, most of which are weak or very weak. Weak hadiths can be strengthened by one another, as is known among scholars of hadith terminology. The author begins this chapter with a great hadith urging cooperation and extending kindness and goodness to all people. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “All of creation is God’s family, and the most beloved of them to God is the one who is most beneficial to His family.”

-= Part Two =-

Chapter One: Entitled “Seeking Needs from People of Good Character,” it contains 19 hadiths indicating the importance of seeking needs from people of good character, who are often generous and charitable. Poetry expressing this sentiment is also included.

Chapter Two: Entitled “On Gratitude for Good Deeds,” it contains 27 hadiths, beginning with the hadith, “He who does not thank people does not thank God.” At-Tirmidhi graded it as “good and authentic.” This chapter also includes beautiful poems encouraging kindness and gratitude for good deeds.

Chapter Three, entitled “He Who Grants Respite to a Debtor in Difficulty,” contains 26 hadiths demonstrating the virtue of granting respite to a debtor in difficulty and relieving the distress of the afflicted. The author begins with an authentic hadith mentioning this virtue, narrated by Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, God Almighty will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever makes things easy for a Muslim, God Almighty will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. God Almighty is ever ready to help His servant as long as the servant is helping his brother. Whoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened by his lineage. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, God Almighty will relieve him of a hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever forgives a Muslim, God Almighty will forgive his sins on the Day of Resurrection.”

❇️ Some quotes from the book "Doing Good" by Ibn Abi al-Dunya ❇️

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him), the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a Muslim brother of a hardship in this world, God will relieve him of hardships in this world and the Hereafter. And whoever conceals the faults of his Muslim brother, God will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. And God is ever ready to help His servant as long as he is helping his brother.”

On the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may God be pleased with him), the Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Good and evil are two things that will be presented to people on the Day of Resurrection. Good will bring glad tidings to its people and promise them good, while evil will say to its followers: 'Come to us!' And they will have no choice but to adhere to it.”

Ubaydullah ibn Abbas said to his nephew: "It is better for your garment to be seen on your companion than on you, and it is better for your mount to be seen beneath your companion than beneath you."

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