These good works in which men are to seek to excel each other, include honesty and upright dealing in business, kindness, gentleness, slowness to anger, a forgiving spirit, the spirit of mercy, perseverance and patience. In illustration of these demands on the believer, we may quote in addition to the passage ¹ quoted above, such passages as the following: 'Worship God and join not aught with Him: Be good to parents, and to relations and to orphans, and to the poor, and to a neighbour whether kinsman or new-comer, and to a fellow traveller, and to the wayfarer, and to the slaves whom your right hands hold: verily, God loveth not the proud, the vain boaster, who are niggardly themselves, and bid others be niggards, and hide away what God of His bounty hath given them. We have made ready a shameful chastisement for the unbelievers, and for those who bestow their wealth in alms to be seen of men, and believe not in God, and in the last day. Whoever hath Satan for his companion, an evil companion hath he.' ²

'Fill the measure, and be not of those who minish weigh with exact balance; and defraud not men in their substance, and do no wrong on the earth by deeds of violence.' ³

'Who shall teach thee what the steep is? It is to ransom the captive, or to feed in the day of famine the orphan who is near of kin, or the poor that lieth in the dust. Beside this, to be one of those who believe, and enjoin stedfastness on each other, and enjoin compassion on each other; these shall be the people of the right hand.' ⁴

'But they to whom knowledge had been given said "Woe to you! the reward of God is better for him who believeth and worketh righteousness: and none shall win it but those who have patiently endured"'.¹

As far as we can see, the doctrine of the Qur'an is that through the performance of these good works, the believer acquires a certain disposition of heart and mind which is described as righteousness. This righteousness is more or. less perfect according to the degree in which the believer has been able to advance in spirituality and moral rectitude; but never is, and never is expected to be, absolutely perfect, for the believer is not expected to attain to perfection in righteousness. But all shortcomings and lapses into sin and returns to a lower ideal are forgiven, if he again set before himself the higher ideal, and attempt once more to scale the heights before him. And in so far as he attempts to advance upward, he will to that degree find God merciful and ready to overlook his minor failings and his temporary lapses.

Thus the believer is regarded as righteous by God, not because he has been successful, to a greater or a less degree, in his endeavour to attain unto righteousness; but because he has with steadfast perseverance and reliance on divine help attempted to attain thereto. God readily and easily forgives and pardons the lesser sins and misdeeds of those who strive to fulfil His commands, and set their faces towards the cliff which they are called upon to surmount. He passes over much when He sees on the part of the believer a reasonable endeavour to live justly and to do mercy.