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A Thematic Overview
Summary (1b)
What is a Good Person in Islam? (Al-Baqarah: 177)
Ramadan is the inauguration month of a new nation for Muslims. Previously Muslims
had prayed in the same direction as the Jews, and fasted at the same times. With the
revelation of the Quran, the Muslims now had their own book, their own capital
(Makkah), and their own set of religious requirements.
As part of this inauguration, Allah redefines what the definition of a good person is in
Surah Al-Baqarah:177
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true]
righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and
the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the
traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer
Day 2 │Qur’an for Young Adults │1
and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who]
are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been
true, and it is those who are the righteous.” (Sahih International)
The word for “goodness” is ٌّ( بِرbirr) which is related to the word ٌّ( بَرbarr) because
goodness is like the safety on land, whereas sin is like an ocean in which you are
drowning in loss () ُخسر. Also, land is firm, just as the definition of Goodness is firm. Even
as our cultures and situations change, our definition of goodness remains fixed. It’s
important to note that this discussion is about the highest level of goodness. If a person
doesn’t meet these requirements, it doesn’t mean that they don’t do anything good; it
just means that they haven’t reached the highest level of goodness as Allah defines it.