Great loss

Great loss
"By the time. Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe (in Islamic monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience." (Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 103:1-3)

Accept the right path of Allah for life and death; every other path is that of misguidance and great loss. In this surah Allah has summed up the qualities of the people who will succeed. Imam Shafi' said if no surah other than this one had been revealed, this surah could have been enough forever for all peoples. A great many people have been described as losers, except the ones who have the following qualities:

1.Belief in the Oneness of Allah.
2.Doing righteous deeds.
3.Recommending one another to patience in life for sufferings, mishaps, and injuries one may encounter in the way of Allah.

Faith is verbal and practical, and its performance is by the limbs. It increases by doing good deeds and decreases by evil ones. This definition of faith is that of the majority or Jama'ah who follow the Quran and Sunna. Only such faith is the source of all good deeds.

"See you not how Allah sets forth a parable? A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high), giving its fruit at all times, by the leave of its lord, and Allah sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may remember."
(Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 14:24-25)

On the other hand, lack of faith is the cause of every evil.

"And whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place."
(Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 22:31)
"And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability." (Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 14:26)

Belief by itself, unless accompanied by deeds of positive results, will remain theoretical. Such faith is not enough unless practiced in the form of righteous deeds. In addition, one must encourage the good in general, and forbid vice, persuade and call other persons to do righteous deeds and abandon every evil act. This is the right path of the followers of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Allah the Exalted says to Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers:

" Say (O Muhammad ): "This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah ---Islamic monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah i.e. to the Oneness of Allah—Islamic monotheism with sure knowledge."
(Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 12:108)

Without calling to the right path and recommending righteous deeds no individual nor any society can be really happy.

"You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have Faith, but most of them are disobedient to Allah and rebellious against Allah's Command."
(Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 3:110)

The individuals who encourage good deeds and forbid evil acts, shall inevitably encounter troubles from the opponents who will try to impede their efforts. But they have to be patient enough to tolerate such acts. Allah the Exalted says: Luqman said.

"O my son! perform the prayers, enjoin (on people) al-Ma'ruf (Islamic monotheism and all that is good), and forbid (people) from al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief in the Oneness of Allah, polytheism of all kinds and all that is evil and bad), and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Verily, these are some of the important commandments (ordered by Allah with no exemption)."
(Qur'an: Translation of the meaning, 31:17)