Uprightness

At a glance

Uprightness (salah) is one of the highest and most comprehensive virtues in the Quran. At its core, it is the opposite of corruption and ruin. A person who is salih (upright) is someone who fulfills the rights owed to Allah through sincere faith and obedience, while also fulfilling the rights owed to fellow human beings through justice, kindness, and moral excellence.

The Quran honors uprightness as the defining attribute of the prophets and the goal of their personal supplications. It touches every dimension of a believer's existence: physical soundness, moral integrity, family life, and righteous action. It is never a passive state, but an active alignment of belief, intention, and daily conduct.

Living with uprightness brings divine guardianship, inner illumination, and lasting peace in this world. In the hereafter, it leads to the forgiveness of sins, the highest gardens of Paradise, companionship with the prophets, and the ultimate joy of beholding Allah's noble countenance.

Key verses

1. Al-An'am 6:85: Allah gathers noble prophets such as Zechariah, John, Jesus, and Elijah under the shared title of the upright, showing that uprightness is the supreme rank of divine election.
2. As-Saffat 37:100: Abraham prays to Allah for an upright child, demonstrating that a believer seeks righteous offspring to aid in faith and obedience rather than merely seeking worldly support.
3. Al-Ahqaf 46:15: Upon reaching maturity at forty years of age, the believer turns to Allah in gratitude, repentance, and a heartfelt plea to make uprightness take root across their descendants.
4. Ali 'Imran 3:46: Jesus is praised as being among the upright from the cradle to mature age, emphasizing that uprightness is an essential, enduring quality of the greatest servants of Allah.
5. Al-Qalam 68:48-50: After Jonah calls out in distress, his Lord chooses him and places him among the upright, proving that divine election and mercy can restore a servant to the highest ranks.
6. An-Naml 27:19: Solomon asks Allah for the inner capacity to be grateful, to perform pleasing righteous deeds, and to be admitted by divine mercy into the company of the upright.
7. Al-Baqarah 2:277: Those who unite faith with righteous deeds, prayer, and charity are promised a secure reward with their Lord, free from all fear and grief.

Words to know

الصَّلَاح as-salah

Uprightness and soundness, being the opposite of corruption, manifested in the Quran as faith, obedience, physical soundness, or honored standing.

الإِصْلَاح al-islah

Reformation and setting things right, which extends outward to guide others in correct belief, worship, and morals.

Root: ص ل ح

الصُّلْح as-sulh

Reconciliation and peace, an agreement established between disputing parties by mutual consent to remove conflict.

Root: ص ل ح

الفَسَاد al-fasad

Corruption and departure from balance and moderation, whether found within the soul, the body, or outward worldly affairs.

Root: ف س د

Types of uprightness

From the paper: «أنواع الصلاح»

The Quran presents uprightness (salah) in two major forms: the uprightness of created beings (salah al-khalq) and the uprightness of deeds (salah al-amal).

The uprightness of creation has both a tangible and a spiritual side. Tangible uprightness includes physical soundness, mental balance, and bodily health. When parents pray for a sound, upright child as mentioned in Al-A'raf 7:189-190, they ask for a complete human being free from deformity. Similarly, when Allah cured the wife of Zechariah in Al-Anbiya 21:89-90, He restored her physical ability to bear children and refined her character. Allah also rectifies people's inner states and worldly conditions, as highlighted in Muhammad 47:2, Al-Ahzab 33:71, and Al-Ahqaf 46:15, while refusing to prosper the work of corrupters Yunus 10:81.

Spiritual uprightness, on the other hand, represents steadfast faith and adherence to divine guidance. This quality appears collectively in communities and nations, such as the righteous members among the Israelites Al-A'raf 7:168, Al-Isra 17:104 or the faithful among the People of the Book Ali 'Imran 3:113-114. It also shines in individuals, including prophets like John Ali 'Imran 3:39 and Jesus Ali 'Imran 3:46, Al-An'am 6:85, as well as righteous believers like the father of the two orphans whose treasure was preserved Al-Kahf 18:82. It even extends to the believing world of the jinn Al-Jinn 72:11.

Finally, the uprightness of deeds requires sincere devotion to Allah alone along with following the prophetic way, ensuring that every act of worship and obedience is sound and accepted An-Nisa 4:124-125.

Uprightness of people

From the paper: «صلاح الخلق»

The Quran honors the prophets by describing them as upright. Abraham Al-Baqarah 2:130, John Ali 'Imran 3:39, Jesus Ali 'Imran 3:46, Zechariah and Elijah Al-An'am 6:85, Lot Al-Anbiya 21:74-75, Ishmael, Idris, and Dhul-Kifl Al-Anbiya 21:85-86, and Jonah Al-Qalam 68:48-50 are all lauded with this noble trait. Describing them as upright highlights the supreme majesty of this virtue and inspires believers to pursue it As-Saffat 37:112. Uprightness is the ultimate aim of prophethood because it reflects unbroken fulfillment of the rights of Allah and humanity An-Naml 27:19, At-Tahrim 66:4.

This quality is attained through clear spiritual means:

• Divine selection (al-istifa), wherein Allah chooses pure souls who turn to Him in obedience and repentance Al-Baqarah 2:130, Al-An'am 6:84-87, Ash-Shura 42:13, Al-Hajj 22:77-78, Fatir 35:32, Ta-Ha 20:122, An-Nahl 16:120-121.
• Rushing toward good works, which proves inner virtue and brings blessings to one's marriage and family Ali 'Imran 3:114, Al-Anbiya 21:90.
• Persistent supplication, following the tradition of Abraham As-Saffat 37:100, Ash-Shu'ara 26:78-83, Solomon An-Naml 27:19, Joseph Yusuf 12:101, and the mature believer who prays for righteous progeny Al-Ahqaf 46:15, Al-Furqan 25:74, Al-Isra 17:24.
• Exhorting one another to truth and patience Al-Asr 103:1-3.

The manifestations of personal uprightness are evident in daily living. Upright servants consume only pure, lawful sustenance (halal), knowing that lawful living is an absolute prerequisite for accepted deeds Al-Mu'minun 23:51, Al-Baqarah 2:172. They are also generous givers, fulfilling obligatory zakah Al-Baqarah 2:277, contributing voluntary charity At-Tawbah 9:120-121, and avoiding the ruinous hypocrisy of stinginess Al-Munafiqun 63:10, At-Tawbah 9:75-77.

Uprightness of deeds

From the paper: «صلاح الأعمال»

In seventy-five passages of the Quran, righteous deeds are explicitly paired with faith Al-Baqarah 2:25, Al-Baqarah 2:82, Al-Baqarah 2:277, Ali 'Imran 3:57. Faith is the foundation and deeds are the building; a foundation without a structure offers no shelter, and a building without a foundation cannot stand. Bare belief without action does not fulfill faith's obligations, while deeds without faith carry no weight. Together, they secure divine guidance, light on the Day of Resurrection, and safety from fear and grief Yunus 10:9.

For any action to be genuinely upright and acceptable to Allah, it must fulfill essential conditions:

• Sincere monotheism, being performed by a believer purely for the sake of Allah alone, free from ostentation and association of partners An-Nisa 4:124-125, Al-Kahf 18:110.
• Faithful emulation of the Prophet, guided by the Shariah without excess or innovation Ali 'Imran 3:31, Fatir 35:10.

When deeds lack sincerity or sound adherence, they become scattered dust on the Day of Judgment, stripped of all value Al-Furqan 25:23, Al-Ahqaf 46:16.

The Quran repeatedly warns of the bitter regret felt by those who neglected righteous deeds. When death arrives, the negligent soul desperately begs to return to the world to perform good works, only to be sternly turned away Al-Mu'minun 23:99-100, Al-Munafiqun 63:10-11. In the Fire, the wrongdoers cry out for another chance Fatir 35:37, As-Sajdah 32:12, Maryam 19:38, Al-Mulk 67:10, Al-An'am 6:28. They are rebuked for squandering a lifetime of warnings: the span of life itself, whether marked by puberty, adulthood at forty, or old age, along with the coming of the Prophet, the graying of hair, illness, and the loss of loved ones.

The reward of uprightness in this world and the hereafter

From the paper: «جزاء الصلاح في الدنيا والآخرة»

Allah has established a generous recompense for upright servants, granting them honor in this earthly life and endless reward in the hereafter.

In this worldly life, their rewards are manifold:

• Inheriting the earth and establishing peace upon it Al-Anbiya 21:105, An-Nur 24:55.
• The preservation and righteousness of their offspring, shielded through the father's piety Al-Kahf 18:82.
• Divine guardianship (wilayah), where Allah protects, aids, and defends them against all hostility Al-A'raf 7:196, Hud 11:54-56, Ash-Shu'ara 26:75-78, Az-Zukhruf 43:26-28, Al-Hajj 22:38.
• Deliverance from persecutors, as seen with Abraham and Lot Al-Anbiya 21:68-72, Al-Anbiya 21:74-75, Moses Ta-Ha 20:80-82, Al-A'raf 7:141-142, and the believers generally Yunus 10:103.
• Divine selection and guided direction toward truth and good works Al-An'am 6:84-87, Al-Qalam 68:48-50, Ash-Shura 42:13, Yunus 10:9.
• Divine love planted in the hearts of fellow creation without worldly motives Maryam 19:96.
• Overflowing divine bounty beyond their requests Ash-Shura 42:26.
• Emergence from the darkness of ignorance into the light of revelation At-Talaq 65:11, Ibrahim 14:1, Al-Baqarah 2:257, Ash-Shura 42:52.
• The highest moral standing as the best of creation Al-Bayyinah 98:7.

In the hereafter, their uprightness brings complete forgiveness and the expiation of sins Muhammad 47:2, Ta-Ha 20:82, Al-Furqan 25:70, Al-Ma'idah 5:9, Al-Ankabut 29:7. They will enter eternal gardens with pure companions, vast shade, and royal adornments An-Nisa 4:57, Al-Waqi'ah 56:30, Al-Hajj 22:23, Fatir 35:33, Al-Insan 76:21, Al-Hajj 22:56. They reside in the lofty chambers of al-Firdaws Ta-Ha 20:75, Al-Kahf 18:107, Saba 34:37, Al-Ankabut 29:58, enjoy the company of prophets, truthful saints, and martyrs An-Nisa 4:69, receive Allah's eternal pleasure Al-Bayyinah 98:7-8, and gaze upon His noble face as the supreme increase of bliss Yunus 10:26, Ar-Rahman 55:60.

Takeaways

1. Purify Your Sustenance Before Seeking Acceptance

   The Quran couples eating wholesome, lawful food with doing righteous deeds Al-Mu'minun 23:51. Lawful sustenance is an essential prerequisite for righteous action to be accepted, and consuming unlawful earnings blocks prayers from being answered.

2. Make Sincerity and Emulation Your Two Pillars

   Good intentions alone do not make an act righteous, nor does outward correctness without sincere faith An-Nisa 4:124-125. Every deed must be dedicated solely to Allah and performed in accordance with the prophetic model to avoid ruin Al-Furqan 25:23.

3. Supplicate Constantly for Righteous Offspring

   Follow the habit of the prophets by praying for upright family and children As-Saffat 37:100, Al-Ahqaf 46:15. An upright child is a continuing source of supplication and mercy for parents long after they have passed from this life.

4. Act Urgently Before Regret Sets In

   Do not delay repentance, charity, and righteous deeds until old age or terminal illness Al-Munafiqun 63:10. Those who postpone goodness face desperate, unanswered cries for a second chance once the appointed time arrives Al-Mu'minun 23:99-100.

5. Your Personal Righteousness Shields Your Family

   The Quran records that two orphan youths had their inheritance protected entirely because their father was upright Al-Kahf 18:82. A parent's uprightness brings divine care, safety, and blessings to their descendants and surroundings.

Reflect

• Are the sources of your income and food completely wholesome and lawful, setting a pure foundation for your prayers and deeds?
• When you perform acts of worship, do you balance sincere devotion to Allah with careful adherence to the Sunnah?
• How often do you make heartfelt supplication for the uprightness and faith of your children and future generations?
• If your life were to end today, what righteous deeds would you wish you had spent more of your time and wealth completing?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Linguistically, uprightness (salah) is the antonym of corruption (fasad). It denotes setting something straight after it has been damaged, or treating an animal kindly and well. A person who is upright is one who fulfills their obligations to Allah and delivers the rights owed to fellow human beings.

Technical meaning

Technically, Imam al-Tabari defined uprightness as a comprehensive term encompassing physical soundness of creation, uprightness in religious practice, and sound intellect and management. Al-Sam'ani defined it as steadfast adherence to what the divine law requires, while al-Zamakhshari described it as attaining a straight and beneficial state.

How it differs from related terms

الإصلاح Reformation

Uprightness (salah) is an internal, personal quality confined to the individual's own state, whereas reformation (islah) extends outward to benefit others. It involves guiding people toward sound creed, purifying their acts of worship, and refining their moral character toward moderate virtue.

الصلح Reconciliation

Reconciliation (sulh) is an agreement designed to eliminate interpersonal conflict and dispute through mutual consent. Engaging in reconciliation between people is an outward cause and ethical fruit of uprightness, reflecting the characteristic behavior of the righteous.

الفساد Corruption

Corruption (fasad) is the direct antonym of uprightness. It signifies any departure from balance, moderation, and rectitude, whether minor or severe. In religious usage, it encompasses all acts of disobedience, destruction, bloodshed, oppression, and deviation of body or soul.

Every verse in the paper

All 131 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Uprightness in Quranic usage «الصلاح في الاستعمال القرآني»

13:23, 41:46, 12:9, 7:189-190, 26:227

Types of uprightness «أنواع الصلاح»

Uprightness of people «أولًا: صلاح الخلق»

7:189-190, 21:89-90, 47:2, 33:71, 46:15, 10:81, 7:168, 17:104, 3:113-114, 3:39, 3:46, 6:85, 18:82, 72:11

Uprightness of deeds «ثانيًا: صلاح الأعمال»

4:124-125

Uprightness of people «صلاح الخلق»

Uprightness of the prophets «أولًا: صلاح الأنبياء عليهم السلام»

2:130, 3:39, 3:46, 6:85, 21:74-75, 21:85-86, 68:48-50, 37:112, 27:19, 66:4, 37:100, 26:83, 25:74, 46:15, 17:24

Causes of uprightness in people «ثانيًا: أسباب صلاح الخلق»

2:130, 6:84-87, 68:48-50, 42:13, 22:77-78, 35:32, 20:122, 16:120-121, 3:114, 21:90, 46:15, 26:78-83, 27:19, 12:101, 103:1-3

Manifestations of uprightness in people «ثالثًا: مظاهر صلاح الخلق»

23:51, 2:172, 2:277, 9:120-121, 63:10, 9:75-77

Uprightness of deeds «صلاح الأعمال»

Linking faith with righteous deeds «أولًا: اقتران الإيمان بالعمل الصالح»

2:25, 2:82, 2:277, 3:57, 10:9

Causes of uprightness in deeds «ثانيًا: أسباب صلاح الأعمال»

4:124-125, 46:16, 25:23, 18:110, 3:31, 35:10

Wishing to perform righteous deeds after death «ثالثًا: تمني القيام بالعمل الصالح بعد الموت»

35:37, 32:12, 19:38, 67:10, 23:99-100, 63:10-11, 6:28

The reward of uprightness in this world and the hereafter «جزاء الصلاح في الدنيا والآخرة»

The reward of uprightness in this world «أولًا: جزاء الصلاح في الدنيا»

21:105, 24:55, 18:82, 7:196, 11:54-56, 26:75-78, 43:26-28, 21:68-72, 21:74-75, 20:80-82, 7:141-142, 10:103, 22:38, 6:84-87, 68:48-50, 42:13, 10:9, 19:96, 42:26, 65:11, 14:1, 2:257, 42:52, 98:7

The reward of uprightness in the hereafter «ثانيًا: جزاء الصلاح في الآخرة»

47:2, 20:82, 25:70, 5:9, 29:7, 4:57, 56:30, 22:23, 35:33, 76:21, 22:56, 20:75, 18:107, 34:37, 29:58, 4:69, 98:7-8, 10:26, 55:60

About this source

Volume

11

Research paper

«الصلاح» (Uprightness)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

Related topics

• Reconciliation الإصلاح
• Change التغيير
• Dawah الدعوة
• Repelling الدفع
• Corruption الفساد
• Sincere Counsel النصيحة