Lecture 4 Part 4

General Overview of Islam

Ihsan

The Prophet SAW defined ihsan as “to worship God as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you.”

It derives from the word husn, which designates the quality of being good and beautiful.

To be aware that Allah SWT is seeing us is taqwa, but to be able to see Him is ihsan.

Ihsan is subsuming taqwa and all the other good characters of a Muslim. In other words a Muhsin is the one who is able to see the Will of Allah SWT, His Will manifesting in all the other good characters of a Muslim.

“And unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil with that which they have done, and reward those who do good with goodness,” (53:31).

“Indeed Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are doers of good,” (16:128).

Imam Nawawi, in his commentary of the hadith of the angel Jibrail AS, said “This is the station of the true vision (maqam al-mushahadah). Whoever is able to directly see the King shies away from turning to other than Him in prayer and busying his heart with other than Him.”