There are those amongst us who attempt to eradicate a bad deed with a good deed, and there are those of us who genuinely repent for the bad deed and carry out good deeds regardless.

Good deeds come naturally to those of us who have the correct akhlaq (manners), along with increased taqwa (fear of Allah SWT). Niyyah (intention) also plays a significant role in our deeds.

None of us makes any loss while carrying out a noble act as this one good deed will be greatly loved by our Creator. Who knows - maybe He will forgive one of our bad deeds because of all the good deeds. The advantages of being noble far outweigh the negatives.

The Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) has narrated that every Muslim is required to give to charity. Should that individual not have the significant means to donate in this way then they should help those who are less fortunate, and, if they are not able to do so then continuing in the performance of good deeds while keeping away from bad deeds will be considered a charitable deed.

So, in actual fact, good deeds could go a long way in erasing bad deeds. That said it is important to remember that some bad deeds can also potentially outweigh and erase good deeds, dependent on the extent of the evil involved.

Knowing which sins we may be forgiven for (or not) is not something we can foretell as only Allah SWT knows what is truly in our hearts and our intentions.

There are some acts, however, that are much loved by Allah SWT; some of which are detailed below:

• Repenting to Allah SWT for your sins; those who repent genuinely and vow not to repeat the act. Allah SWT knows what is in our heart, after all
• Charity giving on behalf of the deceased, with the intent of increasing the sawaab (blessings) of the deceased
• One’s given test and hardship in life, including illnesses suffered
• The intent for a good outcome in the committing of bad deeds, while repenting/acknowledging the bad
• Performing general good deeds with purest of intentions
• Those who feed the hungry, or provide help to those who are in need of your support
• Volunteering your time in exchange for an honourable act, such as widening the knowledge of Islam or utilising your time for the benefit or gain of someone else

Our ultimate goal in this world is to reach the Day of Judgement with far more good deeds than bad; as we all know, we are currently responsible for our own consequence on this day.

Above all, our aim is to please our Creator, Allah SWT; so come along and make the world a purer place with Muslim Aid; one good deed at a time.