Table of Contents
I was chatting with a friend the other day about why people should do good and make altruistic choices. As we talked, I started thinking about religious folks and what drives their moral behaviour. You often hear people of faith say they do good because they want a better spot in paradise or to avoid the fiery pits of hell. But isn’t that kind of self-serving? It feels like their actions might be more about self-preservation than doing good for goodness’ sake.
Imagine if God showed up and handed out “get out of hell” cards, saying, “Go ahead, sin all you want. Hell’s off the table for you.” Would these people, suddenly free from the fear of punishment, still stick to their moral principles? Or would they let their darker desires run wild, knowing there’s no fiery pit waiting for them? It really made me think about what actually drives people to do good.
In all my years studying with the ‘ulamā, the Jesuits, and the rabbis; with the monks, pandits, and gurus, I kept asking one question… Actually, I ask many questions, but let’s stay focused. I kept asking, “Why do people feel the need to do good and live righteously?” It’s a question that cuts across different faiths, and yet each tradition has its own perspective.
In Islam, commentators (mufassirūn) of the Qur’ān have categorised its revelatory period into two main phases: the Meccan period and the Medinese period. But I’ve found there’s more to it. When I dug a little deeper, I discovered that the moral message of the Qur’ān evolves through three distinct stages. These stages reflect the evolving context of Muhammad’s prophetic mission. It began with the personal affirmation of his role as the Messenger of God, progressed to active campaigning for justice and monotheism in Meccan society, and ultimately developed into a socio-political and religious movement in Medina. All three stages ultimately shape, for Muslims, what it means to live righteously—not just in the eyes of God, but within the context of the world they live in.
The Stages of Revelation: Unveiling the Drive to Do Good
1 Stage One: Prelude to Prophecy – The Divine Seal of Approval
In the first stage of the Qur’ān’s revelation, which occurred between 610 and 613 CE, Muhammad began receiving what he believed to be divine messages. He shared these revelations with a few trusted friends and close family members. This initial phase was deeply personal for Muhammad, as it marked a time when the ideas of justice and goodness—concepts he had often reflected upon during his meditative retreats to Mount Hira – were affirmed by a higher power. This profound conversation between God and Muhammad not only legitimised his innate sense of what was right but also strengthened his commitment to justice and moral integrity. It also reinforced the belief that those who do good are beloved by God.
2 Stage Two: The Public Proclamation
Three years later, the Qur’an instructed Muhammad to share the divine message publicly in Meccan society. From 613 to 622 CE, the revelations took on a new tone, urging the Muslim community to remain committed in their pursuit of justice, even as they faced increasing hostility from the Meccan elite, who sought to suppress them. The Qur’an provided not only a fresh spiritual and moral outlook but also a powerful motivation—the promise that their good deeds would be rewarded with paradise. For these early Muslims, Muhammad’s message was more than just a call to action; it was a beacon of hope—a promise of heavenly rewards for their unwavering commitment to doing good.
3 Stage Three: The Medinese Revelation
When the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina, the Qur’an adopted a sterner tone, reflecting the challenges of this new phase. The Muslim community now faced an internal threat from the hypocrites (munafiqun)—individuals who professed faith but whose actions revealed their insincerity—posing a serious risk to community cohesion.
From 622 to 632 CE, the revelations became more direct, warning of hellfire for those who sowed discord or failed to fulfil their commitments. It was as if God Himself warned, “Behave! Follow the rules or face the consequences.” The divine message called for greater integrity, urging believers to align their actions with their professed beliefs. This period underscores the struggle between outward conformity and inner faith, a theme that resonates with the broader human challenge of maintaining moral integrity.
4 Doing Good for All the Right Reasons
The evolution of the Qur’ān’s message offers a broader lesson about human nature. Initially, the revelations served as a personal affirmation for Muhammad, grounding his sense of justice and righteousness. As the Muslim community grew, the message expanded, offering both encouragement and incentives for collective perseverance in the pursuit of good. By the Medinese period, the revelations took on a sterner tone, warning those tempted to stray or disrupt the fragile unity they had built. This progression—from affirmation to gentle reminders, and finally to a more forceful call for integrity and loyalty—highlights the ongoing human struggle to live with authenticity and moral rectitude.
This progression mirrors the way people often respond to authority and moral guidance within different social contexts. Some need a little push – the promise of paradise or threat of hell – to keep them on the right path. Others don’t need that nudge. They embrace goodness for its own sake, without the need for reward or punishment. For them, goodness is its own reward. The real challenge, and the true essence of doing good, is about finding that internal drive. It’s about embracing justice and honesty not because you’re told to, but because it’s who you are – you just know it’s the right thing to do.
Picture this: a mother cares for her child with no concern for what the future may hold or what she might gain. Her care isn’t driven by the hope that her child will one day repay her. It driven by a deep, pure love that needs no reward. In turn, the child, experiencing this love, does not seek to please their mother out of a sense of duty or filial piety—it’s not about repaying a debt – it’s a genuine and heartfelt appreciation for the love they have received. This mutual love and appreciation between mother and child speaks to a deeper truth about human nature: the purest acts of goodness arise from the heart, untainted by expectation or obligation, reflecting the moral ideals that have guided humanity through the ages.
A wise woman once told me, “You do good because God likes it and because you enjoy doing it—not because you seek a reward or fear punishment, but because you genuinely love doing good, and God loves that you love doing good.” This sentiment, in my view, lies at the very heart of what it means to be a person of faith.
