''Ihsan'' ( , also romanized ''ehsan'') is an Arabic term meaning "to do beautiful things", "beautification", "perfection", or "excellence" (Arabic: , ). ''Ihsan'' is a matter of taking one's inner
faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...
(''
iman'') and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility borne from religious convictions.
Meaning
In
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, Ihsan is the Muslim responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship, such that
Muslims
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
try to worship
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe that He is constantly watching over them. That definition comes from the
Hadith of Gabriel in which
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
states, "
hsan isto worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then indeed He sees you". (
Al-Bukhari and
Al-Muslim). According to Muhammad's
hadith
Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
"God has written ''ihsan'' on everything".
In relation to ''islam'' and ''iman''
''Ihsan'' is one of the three dimensions of the Islamic religion ():
# ''
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
'' – voluntary submission to God, expressed in practicing the
five pillars of islam.
# ''
Iman'' – belief in the
six articles of faith.
# ''Ihsan'' – attaining perfection or excellence in the deployment of righteousness on Earth. This includes doing good things for the benefit of others, such as supporting the oppressed and vulnerable.
In contrast to the emphases of ''islam'' (what one should do) and ''iman'' (why one should do), the concept of ''ihsan'' is primarily associated with intention. One who "does what is beautiful" is called a ''
muhsin''. It is generally held that a person can only achieve true Ihsan with the help and guidance of
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
, who governs all things. While traditionally
Islamic jurists have concentrated on ''islam'' and
theologians on ''iman'', the
Sufi
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
s have focused their attention on ''ihsan''. Those who are ''muhsin'' are a
subset
In mathematics, a Set (mathematics), set ''A'' is a subset of a set ''B'' if all Element (mathematics), elements of ''A'' are also elements of ''B''; ''B'' is then a superset of ''A''. It is possible for ''A'' and ''B'' to be equal; if they a ...
of those who are ''
mu'min'', and those who are ''mu'min'' are a subset of
muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s:
Some
Islamic scholars explain ''ihsan'' as being the ''inner'' dimension of Islam whereas
shariah is often described as the ''outer'' dimension. ''Ihsan'' "constitutes the highest form of worship" (). It is excellence in work and in social interactions. For example, ''ihsan'' includes sincerity during Muslim prayers and being grateful to parents, family, and God.
References
Sources
*
*
*
Further reading
*
*''The Mysteries of Ihsan: Natural Contemplation and the Spiritual Virtues in the Quran'' by James W. Morris
*
External links
Hadith of Angel GabrielHadith #2 from An-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths
{{Authority control
Sufism
Islamic terminology
Islamic ethics