We are all human and as such we tend to err and make mistakes from time to time. As the Prophetic Hadith tells us:

كُلُّ بَنِي آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ, وَخَيْرُ اَلْخَطَّائِينَ اَلتَّوَّابُونَ

“All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.” [At·Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

Being sinners, it is therefore incumbent and necessary for us to regularly seek forgiveness from Almighty Allah. However, in doing this we are weak and at times tend to forget or are just too lazy and caught up in our lives that we hardly make the time to seek forgiveness over our sins.

Would it not please us then to know that the performance of Good Deeds has the ability to accrue for us forgiveness from Allah.

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ۙ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds, forgiveness and mighty reward. [Maida 5: 9]

The Ulama explain that the sins which are automatically pardoned by good deeds are minor sins only, major sins require formal penitence and forswearing. But the reality is that we do have many minor sins too which we need to be forgiven, right!

Beginning from the Right

Beginning from the right is pleasing to Allah and His blessed Messenger ﷺ on which one may expect merit and reward.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحِبُّ التَّيَامُنَ يَأْخُذُ بِيَمِينِهِ وَيُعْطِي بِيَمِينِهِ وَيُحِبُّ التَّيَمُّنَ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِهِ

It was narrated that Aishah RA said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to like to start on the right. He would accept with his right hand and give with his right hand, and he liked to start on the right in all his affairs.” [Nasa`i]

The Blessed Wife of Nabi ﷺ has also narrated:

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحِبُّ التَّيَمُّنَ فِي طُهُورِهِ وَتَرَجُّلِهِ وَتَنَعُّلِهِ

Aisha RA has said that our Prophet ﷺ liked to begin from the right in everything he ﷺ did, in wudhu, in combing the hair, in putting on his shoes. [Bukhari]

Similarly, eating and drinking with the right hand has been commanded by our blessed Prophet ﷺ.

لِيَأْكُلْ أَحَدُكُمْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَلْيَشْرَبْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَلْيَأْخُذْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَلْيُعْطِ بِيَمِينِهِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَأْكُلُ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيَشْرَبُ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيُعْطِي بِشِمَالِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ بِشِمَالِ

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah RA that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Let one of you eat with his right hand and drink with his right hand, and take with his right hand and give with his right hand, for Shaytan eats with his left hand, drinks with his left hand, gives with his left hand and takes with his left hand.” [Ibn Majah]

The Honourable Prophet of Allah ﷺ has also taught us that when something is distributed, it should be from the right.

عَن أنسٍ قَالَ: حُلِبَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَاةٌ دَاجِنٌ وَشِيبَ لَبَنُهَا بِمَاءٍ مِنَ الْبِئْرِ الَّتِي فِي دَارِ أَنَسٍ فَأُعْطِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْقَدَحَ فَشَرِبَ وَعَلَى يَسَارِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: أَعْطِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَأَعْطَى الْأَعْرَابِيَّ الَّذِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: ” الْأَيْمَنُ فَالْأَيْمَنُ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «الْأَيْمَنُونَ الْأَيْمَنُونَ أَلاَ فيَمِّنوا»

Anas RA said that a domestic sheep was milked for Allah’s messenger ﷺ and its milk was mixed with water from a well in Anas RA’s house. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was then given a cup and drank, Abu Bakr RA being on his left and a nomadic Arab on his right. Umar RA asked Allah’s Messenger ﷺ to give it to Abu Bakr RA, but he gave it to the nomadic Arab who was on his right saying, “He who is on the right, then he who is on his right.” A version has, “Those on the right, then those on their right; go to the right.”*

*This tradition indicates that people should hand a drink to the one on their right irrespective of the relative importance of the people present. [Bukhari and Muslim]