Al-Baqiyat al-Salihat: Difference between revisions

'''Al-bāqīyāt al-ṣāliḥāt''' (Arabic:{{ia| الباقیات الصالحات}}) (literally: lasting righteous deeds) is a Quranic term which refers to good deeds whose rewards endure in the [[Afterlife]]. The phrase, "al-baqiyat al-salihat", occurs in two [[verse]]s of the [[Qur'an]], and there are other verses in which related notions appear. Examples for al-baqiyat al-salihat are mentioned in [[hadith]]s. However, Quranic [[exegete]]s believe that there is no reason to restrict them to those examples. In the commonsensical use of the term among Muslims, "al-baqiyat al-salihat" refers more restrictedly to public servicesو the effects and blessings of which endure after one's death. Some books have been written under "al-Baqiyat al-salihat".

1. Verses concerning the rewards of one's good deeds, such as verse 110 of [[Qur'an 2]]{{enote|And maintain the prayer and give the zakat. Any good that you send ahead for your own souls, you shall find it with Allah. Indeed Allah watches what you do.}}, verse thirty of [[Qur'an 3]]{{enote|The day when every soul will find present whatever good it has done; and as for the evil, it has done, it will wish there were a far distance between it and itself. Allah warns you to beware of [disobeying] Him, and Allah is most kind to [His] servants.}}, and verses seven{{enote|So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it,}} and eight{{enote|and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.}} of [[Qur'an 99]].

2. Verses concerning the regret of sinners after death because they failed to do good deeds, such as verse thirty nine of Qur'an 19{{enote|Warn them of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be decided, while they are [yet] heedless and do not have faith.}} and verse twenty four of [[Qur'an 89]]{{enote|He will say, ‘Alas, had I sent ahead for my life [in the Hereafter]!’}}.

3. Verses concerning sinners who beg God to let them back to the worldly life in order to do good deeds, such as [[Qur'an 23]]: 99-100{{enote|When death comes to one of them, he says, ‘My Lord! Take me back (99), that I may act righteously in what I have left behind.’ ‘By no means! These are mere words that he says.’ And before them is a barrier until the day they will be resurrected (100).}}

According to some exegetes, [[Qur'an 11]]: 86{{enote|What remains of Allah's provision is better for you, should you be faithful, and I am not a keeper over you.}}, and according to a [[hadith]] from [[Amir al-Mu'minin (a)]], [[Qur'an 42]]: 20{{enote|Whoever desires the tillage of the Hereafter, We will enhance for him his tillage, and whoever desires the tillage of the world, We will give it to him, but he will have no share in the Hereafter.}}, are concerned with al-baqiyat al-salihat.

According to the Quranic definition, all good deeds of a person count as "al-baqiyat al-salihat". However, the term has a more restricted meaning among Muslims, that is, effects of public services of a person that endure after his death (such as the construction of a [[mosque]] or a school, and the like). This notion has found its way into the writings of some [[jurist]]s and ethicists as well. Thus, every righteous idea, word, and deed that remains after one's death and affects people and communities count as "al-baqiyat al-salihat". Thus, "al-baqiyat al-salihat" refers to good deeds whose effects and blessings endure after one's death, and he is constantly rewarded because of those effects.

As a result of different interpretations of "al-baqiyat al-salihat", a number of works have been written under "al-baqiyat al-salihat" throughout centuries with regard to dhikrs and [[supplication]]s, [[Usul al-Din|principles of belief]]s, or virtues of Ahl al-Bayt (a). [[Al-Shahid al-Awwal]] wrote a brief essay under "al-baqiyat al-salihat" in which he interpreted the dhikrs as symbols for the five principles ([[monotheism]], [[prophethood]], [[resurrection]], [[justice]], and [[imamate]]). [[Ali b. Muhammad al-Bayadi]] wrote an exposition for the essay under ''al-Kalimat al-nafi'at''. The following works have also been written under "al-baqiyat al-salihat"; a book in Urdu written by Sayyid Hasan b. Dildar Lakahnuwi about principles of beliefs; a book about supplications and dhikrs by [[Shaykh Abbas Qummi]], which was published in 1346/1927 and then frequently in the margins of ''[[Mafatih al-jinan]]'' and a diwan (collection of poems) by Abd al-Baqi al-Faruqi concerning the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt (a), which was repeatedly published, including in 1276/1859.

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